Colmar’s Christmas markets are spread through the old town rather than gathered on one square. Wooden chalets fill four squares, an indoor craft market occupies the medieval customs house, and a children’s market lines the canal in Petite Venise. Between them run streets of half-timbered houses dressed in garlands and lights. The town is small enough to walk from end to end in about 20 minutes, which is why it suits a first Alsace Christmas trip.
This guide uses dates published by the Colmar tourist office for the 2026 season. It covers each market, opening hours, the evening events worth timing your walk around, and how to add Riquewihr, Kaysersberg and Eguisheim, whose 2026 market dates are already confirmed. If you are combining Colmar with Strasbourg, our Strasbourg Christmas market guide covers the larger city to the north.
- Season: Monday 23 November to Tuesday 29 December 2026 for the traditional markets in the town centre.
- Opening hours: 11:00–19:00 Monday to Thursday and 10:00–20:00 Friday to Sunday. On 24 December 11:00–17:00, on 25–27 December 10:00–20:00, and on 28–29 December 11:00–19:00.
- Best for: fairy-tale streets, Alsatian food and wine, crafts, families with young children, and wine-village day trips.
- When to go: weekdays from late November to mid-December. Weekend afternoons are very crowded.
- How long: one full day for Colmar, plus a day for one or two villages.
- Getting there: Colmar station has regular TER regional trains on the Strasbourg–Mulhouse line. The old town is a short walk from the station.
1. Place des Dominicains
The largest of the central markets sits beside the Dominican church, best known for its 14th-century stained glass. About sixty huts are packed into the square, selling tree decorations, Christmas trees and festive food. The official 2026 listing gives the dates as 23 November to 29 December 2026, with the standard Colmar hours: 11:00–19:00 Monday to Thursday and 10:00–20:00 Friday to Sunday. Unlike many French markets, Colmar’s are open on Christmas Day. In 2026, 25 December falls on a Friday and the market keeps its 10:00–20:00 hours, as it does on 26 and 27 December. On 24 December it closes at 17:00. Entry is free. Place des Dominicains is the natural first stop on a walk from the north of the old town, and the church’s lit windows make a good backdrop once it gets dark.
2. Place de l’Ancienne Douane
Close to 50 chalets surround the Schwendi fountain and run along the river at Place de l’Ancienne Douane. It is the most photographed of Colmar’s markets. After dark, the illuminated Koïfhus, Colmar’s old customs house, with its steep roof of glazed tiles, sets the scene for the whole square. The stalls lean towards food, wine and gifts, which makes this a natural place for a vin chaud (mulled wine) in the evening. The market follows the same 2026 calendar and hours as the other central markets. Come once in daylight to see the painted façades, and again after 17:00 for the lights. On Friday and Saturday evenings the square fills up, so arrive close to opening time if you want room to browse.
3. Koïfhus indoor craft market
Inside the Koïfhus at 29 Grand’Rue is Colmar’s covered craft market, the place to go for things made in Alsace. About twenty local makers take part, including ceramicists, potters, glassmakers, cabinetmakers, woodcarvers, milliners and jewellers. In recent years the upper floor has housed an installation by Colmar’s Toy Museum. The tourist office lists the 2026 market from 23 November to 29 December. Because it is indoors, it is the best market for a rainy afternoon, and it is easier to talk to the makers here than at the busy outdoor chalets. If you want one quality gift rather than several souvenirs, start here. Opening times match the outdoor markets, so it closes at 17:00 on Christmas Eve. The building is also worth seeing for itself: built as the town’s customs house, it is one of Colmar’s oldest civic buildings and stands right on Place de l’Ancienne Douane, so you can combine the indoor and outdoor markets in one visit.
4. Place Jeanne d’Arc
The Place Jeanne d’Arc market concentrates on Alsatian produce. It is laid out as a miniature Alsatian village under the surrounding half-timbered houses, with small houses, a church and a little flock of sheep. This is where to buy food to take home: foie gras, charcuterie, Alsace wines, fruit brandies (eaux-de-vie), bredalas (Christmas biscuits) and gingerbread. The tourist office lists it from 23 November to 29 December 2026. It is a little away from the main tourist route, so it is often slightly calmer than Ancienne Douane on weekend afternoons. It is the one market where almost everything on sale is edible or drinkable, so come here last if you do not want to carry bottles and jars around town all afternoon.
5. Petite Venise children’s market
The children’s market in Petite Venise is set along a path beside the canal, with 43 brightly painted cottages, a nativity scene and a merry-go-round. Children can drink hot apple juice and post a letter in Father Christmas’s giant letterbox. It runs on the same 2026 calendar as the central markets. One of Colmar’s best-loved Advent events also takes place here: children’s choirs singing carols from lit flat-bottomed boats on the canal. The 2026 listing runs from 25 November to 19 December, starting in the early evening, and the performances depend on the weather. Bridges and canal-side spots fill well before the singing starts, so arrive early, especially on Fridays and Saturdays.
6. The gourmet market, Marché couvert and the Ferris wheel
Colmar’s sixth market is the gourmet market on Rue de la Montagne Verte. Nine chalets are run by nine chefs with the maître restaurateur title, serving dishes from oysters to Alsatian specialities to eat on the spot or take away. In 2025 it opened daily from 11:00 to 22:00 and stayed open into early January, alongside a Ferris wheel. Check the official site for the 2026 dates before planning a visit after 29 December.
Nearby in Petite Venise, the Marché couvert at 13 rue des Écoles is not a Christmas market but is well worth a stop. This brick and iron hall, built in 1865, holds about twenty traders selling cheese, charcuterie, bread, pastries and fish. Its published hours are 08:00–18:00 Tuesday to Thursday, 08:00–19:00 on Fridays, 08:00–17:00 on Saturdays and 10:00–14:00 on Sundays. It is closed on Mondays and public holidays.
Lights and evenings
Colmar is at its best after dark, when the decorated façades, the lit Koïfhus and the canal-side houses of Petite Venise come into their own. Place Rapp hosts Noël Féerique, with fairground rides, illuminations and seasonal treats. In 2025 the tourist office also pointed visitors to three wine estates in the old town that open as “Christmas cellars”: Domaine Martin Jund (12 rue de l’Ange), Domaine Karcher (11 rue de l’Ours) and Domaine Viticole de Colmar (2 rue du Stauffen). A good evening plan is to arrive in Petite Venise as the light fades, catch the boat choirs, then follow the lights north through Ancienne Douane to Place des Dominicains. The markets close at 19:00 from Monday to Thursday and at 20:00 from Friday to Sunday, so on weekdays it gets dark well before closing time. In December that gives you around two hours of lights with the stalls still open. After the markets close the old town stays lit, and the empty streets are a good time for photographs.
Day trips: Riquewihr, Kaysersberg and Eguisheim
Riquewihr‘s traditional market runs daily from Friday 27 November to Sunday 20 December 2026, 10:00–18:30 on weekdays and 10:00–19:00 at weekends. On the opening day the hours are 10:00–20:00. The fortified village, with its streets of decorated houses, is at its prettiest in the late afternoon. Kaysersberg runs its market on four long weekends only: 27–29 November and 4–6, 11–13 and 18–20 December 2026, from 10:00 to 20:00. About thirty chalets in the Cour de l’Arsenal and behind the Sainte-Croix church sell wooden toys, blown glass and bredalas, and there is a farmers’ market on Place de la Mairie. Eguisheim runs from 27 November to 23 December and again from 27 to 30 December 2026, with free entry. On Advent weekends the tourist office’s Christmas shuttle buses link Colmar with nearby markets, including Turckheim, Eguisheim and Kaysersberg. Timetables are published on noel-colmar.com.
Which village should you choose? Riquewihr is the most complete picture of a fortified wine village and is open every day, so it is the easiest to fit around your plans. Kaysersberg has the most crafts-focused market and a Christmas exhibition that stays open on weekday afternoons from 14:00 to 18:00 even when the chalets are closed. Eguisheim, built in concentric rings around its castle square, is the closest of the three to Colmar and the only one still open in the days between Christmas and New Year.
What to eat and drink
Alsace’s market food mixes French and German traditions. Vin chaud (mulled wine) is on sale at every market, and hot apple juice is the standard alternative for children and drivers. Bredalas are small Alsatian Christmas biscuits made in many shapes and flavours. Gingerbread (pain d’épices) is everywhere. For something more substantial, the Place Jeanne d’Arc stalls offer foie gras and charcuterie, and the chefs’ chalets at the gourmet market serve full plates. The three Christmas cellars are the best place to taste local wine without driving out to the vineyards.
A suggested route
Colmar in a day: Start at the Koïfhus craft market when it opens and buy gifts before the crowds arrive. Walk out to the Ancienne Douane square, then to Place Jeanne d’Arc for food to take home. After lunch, browse the Marché couvert, if it is open that day, and the Petite Venise children’s market, and stay for the boat choirs at dusk. Finish at Place des Dominicains under the church windows. Village day (Friday to Sunday): Go to Kaysersberg in the morning, then continue to Riquewihr for the late afternoon and lights. On other days, choose Riquewihr or Eguisheim.
Practical tips
Colmar becomes very busy on Advent weekends, so stay at least one weeknight if you can and save the villages for the weekend. Driving is the hardest part of a visit. On Advent weekends the tourist office has run a park-and-ride from the Parc des Expositions with a shuttle into the centre, and in town you can pay for parking with the PayByPhone, EasyPark or Flowbird apps. Arriving by train is simpler. The markets close for the season after 29 December, so a New Year trip will miss them. Book accommodation early for December weekends. For more ideas, see our best places to visit in Europe.
Plan your trip to Colmar
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Frequently asked questions
What are the Colmar Christmas market dates for 2026?
The tourist office lists the traditional markets in the centre from Monday 23 November to Tuesday 29 December 2026. Hours are 11:00–19:00 Monday to Thursday and 10:00–20:00 Friday to Sunday. On Christmas Eve the markets close at 17:00, and on 28 and 29 December they keep weekday hours. Check noel-colmar.com shortly before you travel in case of changes.
Is the Colmar Christmas market open on Christmas Day?
Yes. The official 2026 schedule opens the markets 10:00–20:00 on Friday 25 December, Saturday 26 December and Sunday 27 December. On Christmas Eve hours are shorter, 11:00–17:00. This makes Colmar a good choice for a trip over Christmas itself, as many Alsace village markets close before 24 December.
How many Christmas markets are there in Colmar?
The tourist office counts six: Place des Dominicains, Place de l’Ancienne Douane, Place Jeanne d’Arc, the children’s market in Petite Venise, the indoor craft market in the Koïfhus, and the chef-run gourmet market on Rue de la Montagne Verte. The first five are all within a short walk of each other in the old town.
Is Colmar or Strasbourg better for Christmas markets?
Strasbourg is larger, with more markets, a huge tree and more programmed events, but it is also busier. Colmar is smaller and easier to see on foot, with markets set among half-timbered streets and canals. Colmar also makes a better base for the wine villages. Trains link the two cities, so many visitors see both in one trip.
Can I visit Riquewihr and Kaysersberg from Colmar without a car?
Yes. On Advent weekends the tourist office runs Christmas shuttle buses linking Colmar with nearby village markets, including Kaysersberg, Eguisheim and Turckheim. Timetables and tickets are on noel-colmar.com. Note that the Kaysersberg market opens only Friday to Sunday in 2026, while Riquewihr opens daily from 27 November to 20 December.
Photos: Tristan Schmurr, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Arnaud 25, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Flocci Nivis, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Planning a bigger trip? See our guide to the 25 best places to visit in Europe, from city breaks to fjords.
