Marchés de Noël en Alsace

Bonsoir, ceux de Colmar et Kaysersberg auraient ma préférence, mais tu n'as que l'embarras du choix, http://www.marche-de-noel-alsace.com/marchenoel2.htm tous sont attrayants et intéressants.

Merci, je vais me caler sur ces 2 là. Bonne soirée.

Bonjour, habitant le secteur, je préfère Riquewhir, Hunawhir et Ribeauvillé à Kaysersberg, dont je trouve la réputation surfaite (mais c'est du chipotage). Eguisheim est un très beau village aussi (mais son marché de Noël est petit). Cependant, on sature aussi à "courir" les marchés, et visiter simplement un village pour faire une pause est aussi agréable.

Pour les hôtels et restos, à Noël tout est blindé en Alsace, et je ne connais pas trop le secteur de Strasbourg. Je peux juste vous conseiller de vous y prendre assez tôt.

Bon séjour dans notre belle Alsace !

Hello,

Personnellement, nous préférons le marché de Noël médiéval de Ribeauvillé, qui a lieu sur deux week-ends seulement, tandis que ceux de Riquewhir ou Colmar sont bien plus étendus dans le temps. Mais, à Ribeau, il y a encore une vraie "authenticité" (cette notion reste toutefois subjective 🙂 ). Voici nos impressions détaillées ici : www.carnets-voyage-photos.fr/marche-de-noel-als...

Pour les hébergements, c'est très vite plein. je ne sais pas si tu trouveras encore de la place, mais je peux te conseille ce gîte : Gite le 15 13 à Ribeauvillé. Tu trouveras dans cet article une description du gîte. Les propriétaires n'ont pas encore eu le temps de créer leur site internet, car le gite a ouvert début septembre.

Bonne visite Charlotte

D'accord avec toi, l'authenticité des marchés de Noël alsaciens est très discutable. Il y a 30 ans, seul existait celui de Strasbourg. Bref, pour visiter l'Alsace, je pense qu'il vaut mieux éviter le mois de décembre. On trouve maintenant des marchés de Noël dans toute la France, pas besoin de faire des centaines de km pour acheter des babioles made in China et boire un verre de vin chaud. 😎

se priver d'un Noël en Alsace serait bien dommage tout de même.

et les marchés de Noël du XXI ° siècle : faut-il attendre qu'ils soient ceux du haut-moyen-âge ?? Je peux dire aussi que le marche de Noël de ma petite ville, Autun, n'a strictement rien à voire avec ceux de Strasbourg ou ailleurs en Alsace ....😉

je prends toujours autant de plaisir à Strasbourg à Noël, malgré les "chinoiseries", et on ne trouve pas que ça...

cordialement

A Strasbourg le marché en lui-même fait trop commercial à mon goût. Par contre la ville est superbement décorée, il faut se balader dans les petites rues du centre. Et le sapin géant place Kléber fait toujours son effet !

en tout il y a 7 marchés de Noël à Strasbourg, tous différents. et sur , la ville est jolie, surtout le centre historique.

mais les villes comme Kaisersberg sont superbes aussi....

Ten years later, Alsace’s Christmas markets have gone from quaint village folklore to mass tourism. Locals dread them because they make life miserable for a whole month. They deal with traffic jams, the impossibility of parking or even getting home, noise, litter everywhere, and teddy bear decorations made in China that ruin the streets. The only ones laughing are the shopkeepers.

The cherry on top? On social media, American tourists tell them that if they don’t like it, they should move somewhere else. These tourists spend a week in France, only visit the Christmas markets, and leave with about twenty unreturned deposit cups featuring the markets they visited.

Locals dread them because it makes their lives miserable for a month.

Come on, stop putting them down! Christmas markets mostly help shopkeepers boost their sales and move their stock. Yes, it’s become a commercial event, but as you well know, the economic situation in the country where I live isn’t great. Especially since small businesses in city centers keep shutting down one after another. And let’s not forget that commerce creates jobs. What do you want? More unemployed people in this country? When you go to Morocco, Tunisia, or Egypt—countries where trading is in their blood—you buy souvenirs, don’t you? So enough with the complaining already.

Hello, thanks Mathews for your input. I was thinking the same thing. Apparently, it’s become trendy to look down on "budget" tourism. They only want "the elite"—fewer tourists who spend a lot in a short time, so they can work less and profit off their backs. In short, tourism reserved for the rich, and may the masses leave us alone. Let them stay home and work their whole lives without ever going anywhere. Tourism without backpackers...

Hey everyone! 😊

I just came across your discussions at the perfect time—I’m planning a little weekend trip to Alsace to check out the Christmas markets this year, probably in mid-December.

I’m still torn between staying in Strasbourg (more convenient, everything in one place) or doing a mix with Colmar and one or two nearby villages.

For those who’ve done the circuit before: would you recommend sticking to one city or moving around a bit? And for accommodation, do I really need to book several weeks in advance?

Thanks in advance for your tips! 🎄

Hi, when you talk about a "short weekend," does that mean Saturday-Sunday, or can you extend it to 3 or 4 days? For 2 days, I’d recommend focusing either on Strasbourg and the surrounding area or Colmar and its surroundings. Travel times can be longer during Christmas market weekends, and parking is usually a bit far from the village centers. It’s better to "do less," take the time to savor the places, and avoid rushing around and getting stressed. To have a bit more choice, I’d suggest booking your accommodation a little in advance.

Yeah, you're right, it's more realistic in the end. I think I'll focus on just one city instead of trying to do too much. Strasbourg seems like a great choice for a first visit—it already looks packed with the markets and that Christmas vibe. Thanks for the tips! 🎄

I see there are arguments against the Christmas markets, and I think everyone is partly right. I remember the early '90s well, when a big commercial push was launched, sometimes with a full page in the daily papers to revive the Christmas markets in Alsace. And it worked.

The way things unfold is always the same, a bit like the Eurockéennes festival in the Territoire de Belfort or Ibiza from the '70s to the '90s: if you're one of the clever or lucky ones, you enjoy it during the first few years, while it's still charming. Then comes the day when TV covers it, and that's when the invasion happens. You can barely walk anymore because of the crowds, and it ends up becoming excessively commercial.

No matter: people are happy because they're big kids at heart, and their kids love it. It's also great for the lucky few who make almost their entire year's turnover in just one month.

As a local, I always feel a bit sorry for those who only come to Alsace in winter to brave the cold and wind in front of the cathedral, for all those poor souls who never had the chance to visit this wonderful region in the summer, when it's infinitely more beautiful and pleasant.

to all those unlucky folks who didn’t get to visit this wonderful region in the summer, when it’s infinitely more beautiful and pleasant.

good evening, you’re right about those unlucky ones... those people who spend their summer in Saint-Tropez or Cannes in front of their yacht, sipping a caipirinha.

to all those poor souls who didn’t get the chance to visit this wonderful region in the summer, when it’s infinitely more beautiful and pleasant.

Evening! You’re right about those poor souls... Those people who spend their summers in Saint-Tropez or Cannes in front of their yacht, sipping a caipirinha.

Okay, got it. And which dock are you mooring at? 😎

uh, I can't dock because I don't have a yacht... and I need to save money to go back to Guatemala 🙂 Anyway, back to Alsace—I'd love to go kayaking on the Rhine.

Hi there! 😊

Absolutely, the Strasbourg Christmas market is a must-see, just like the one in Colmar, which is truly one of the most beautiful in Alsace!

Living in Colmar, I also recommend the Christmas markets in the typical villages nearby—they’re definitely worth the detour during Advent:

Kaysersberg, very authentic and full of charm,

Riquewihr, with its illuminated medieval streets, Eguisheim, often ranked among the most beautiful villages in France.

I’d suggest staying in Colmar or the surrounding area—it’s central for easily exploring the different markets.

For Strasbourg, you can easily take a day trip by train: the journey is direct (about 30 minutes) and avoids parking hassles.

Magical atmosphere guaranteed! 🎄

Enjoy your stay in Alsace! Eline | Instinct Nomade

Hello! 😊

Absolutely, the Strasbourg Christmas market is a must-see, just like the one in Colmar, which is truly one of the most beautiful in Alsace!

Living in Colmar, I also recommend the Christmas markets in the typical villages nearby—they’re well worth the detour during Advent:

Kaysersberg, very authentic and full of charm,

Riquewihr, with its illuminated medieval streets, Eguisheim, often ranked among the most beautiful villages in France.

I suggest staying in Colmar or the surrounding area—it’s central for easily exploring the different markets.

For Strasbourg, you can easily take a day trip by train: the journey is direct (about 30 minutes) and avoids parking hassles.

Magical atmosphere guaranteed! 🎄

Have a great trip in Alsace! Eline | Instinct Nomade