Colmar's Christmas markets are among the most celebrated in Europe — and after spending a week there in December, we understand why.
A Town Built for Christmas
Colmar, in the Alsace region of northeastern France, looks like it was designed specifically to host a Christmas market. The half-timbered buildings, the canals, the cobblestone streets, the flower boxes — in December, all of it is lit with warm lights and decorated with garlands, and the effect is genuinely enchanting. The town has been hosting Christmas markets for centuries, and the tradition shows in how naturally it all fits together.
"We came for the Christmas markets and left with a much deeper appreciation for the region as a whole."
The Markets Themselves
Colmar runs several distinct Christmas markets simultaneously, each with its own character and location. The main market fills the Place de l'Ancienne Douane, but the smaller markets tucked into the medieval quarters are often more interesting — less crowded, more local, with vendors selling handmade goods alongside the inevitable mass-produced ornaments. Vin Chaud is everywhere, and it's excellent. The local Alsatian food — tarte flambée, choucroute, Munster cheese — is reason enough to visit regardless of the season.
Beyond the Markets
Colmar is more than its Christmas markets. The Unterlinden Museum houses one of the most important altarpieces in European art — the Isenheim Altarpiece by Matthias Grünewald. The old town, known as Petite Venise for its canal-side buildings, is beautiful in any season. And the surrounding Alsace wine route, with its villages and vineyards, is one of the great drives in France. We came for the Christmas markets and left with a much deeper appreciation for the region as a whole.
Getting There and Getting Around
Colmar is easily reached by train from Paris — about two hours on the TGV to Strasbourg, then a short regional connection. In December, the town is busy but manageable; the crowds thin considerably after the first week of the month. If you're traveling by RV, there are campgrounds in the surrounding area that stay open through the holiday season. However you get there, go. It's one of those places that lives up to its reputation.
