Off to the Christmas Market — yellow rubber duck in a festive hat and scarfGood trips start hereOff to the
Christmas Market
Colmar Christmas market at night in December 2014

Colmar / Christmas 2026

Colmar Christmas Markets 2026

Six old-town markets, with a separate gourmet stop.

23 November–29 December 2026 (six main markets) · The official tourism listings describe the markets as free; food, drinks and attractions cost extra.

By The Off to the… team · Updated 24 October 2026

See the 2026 dates

Archive 2014. Photo: 0x010C / CC BY-SA 4.0

At a glance

2026 dates
23 November–29 December 2026 (six main markets)
Opening hours
Main markets Mon–Thu 11am–7pm; Fri–Sun 10am–8pm.24 Dec 11am–5pm;25–26 Dec 10am–8pm. Gourmet Market has its own longer season and hours.
Entry
The official tourism listings describe the markets as free; food, drinks and attractions cost extra.
Rail / nearest useful station
Colmar
Best time to go
Daylight first, then return for the lights (our planning suggestion)
Setting
Six Old Town Christmas markets; Gourmet Market at Montagne Verte

Our verdict

Go if…

You want several small circuits rather than one large square.

Skip if…

You want the Gourmet Market and main markets to share all their hours.

Best day to go

Choose a day that leaves time for one daylight circuit and a return after dark.

Our top tip

Match each stop to its own hours, especially the Gourmet Market and holiday dates.

How we choose and check our guides

The market

Give Colmar time to unfold one square at a time. The official Christmas site confirms six main markets from 23 November to 29 December 2026, with a separate timetable for the Gourmet Market. Start in daylight to understand how the Old Town fits together, then return to a favourite place when the lights take over. You do not need to see every stall before choosing your first warm drink.

The setting is a large part of the pleasure. Colmar’s official visitor guide describes an illuminated historic centre, with market sites woven through its old streets. Place des Dominicains offers the church as a backdrop; the Ancienne Douane market sits around the Schwendi fountain, with the Koïfhus nearby. Little Venice brings another character to the visit. Treat these as separate pauses rather than a checklist to complete at speed.

Food is worth its own circuit. The official guide names Alsatian products including cheese, cured meats, honey and gingerbread, while Place Jeanne d’Arc focuses on regional specialities. Look for Christmas biscuits and ask which products were made locally. At the Gourmet Market, the tourism listing describes chef-run huts and dishes to eat there or take away. Its later closing date does not mean every craft market continues for the same period.

Make room for a warm indoor break before your evening stroll, and keep the second morning for the squares you most enjoyed. Read the day’s menus, check ingredients and prices, and leave space in your luggage for a carefully chosen gift. If you are comparing Alsatian weekends, our Strasbourg guide is a useful companion. Check rail connections and holiday hours before trying to combine both cities in a single short stay.

More about the market ↗ · More about the market ↗ · More about the market ↗ · More about the market ↗ · More about the market ↗ · More about the market ↗

Eat and drink

2025 favourites — check the 2026 line-up.

Thierry Fohrer · 2025 market selection

Pain d’épices

Traditional pain d’épices named by the Place des Dominicains representative in the official 2025 press dossier. Check the current line-up before travelling for a particular producer.

2025 favourite2025 market listing ↗
Official market food category

Bredele

Small Christmas biscuits; ask about the day’s varieties.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗
Official market food category

Warm fruit juice

The visitor guide lists non-alcoholic warmed fruit juices.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗
Official market food category

Honey

Look at the producer and variety before choosing a jar.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗
Food type: Homemade cream sauce and lots of 2-year old raw-milk Vermont cheddar caramelized with the Martelli family's artisanal macaroni from Tuscany (the best pasta in the world!)
Food photograph. Photo: @joefoodie from USA / CC BY 2.0
Official market food category

Cheese

Ask the seller about the cheese and safe travel storage.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗

Last year’s favourites

2025 favourites — check the 2026 line-up.

Where we’d stay

The historic centre

Best for returning to the markets between indoor breaks. Ask your hotel about the exact approach, room access and Christmas arrangements.

Towards the railway station

Useful for rail arrivals; compare the complete walk or transport connection with the market address before booking.

See all stays in Colmar ↗

We may earn a commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Book early for weekends. The walking times are measured routes to Place des Dominicains; give yourself a little longer for a relaxed stroll through the market.

Map

Find the market streets, arrival points, parking and places to stay. The map loads as you approach this section; mouse-wheel scrolling stays with the page.

Map waiting to load. The places list below works without it.

Market streetsRail & coachParking & park and ridePlaces to stayAccessible toilets

Choose Explore the map to pan and pinch to zoom; choose Finish exploring or press Escape to return to page scrolling. Pins show places, not the precise position of individual stalls.

Open in Google Maps ↗

All map places, as a list

Coordinates: OpenStreetMap contributors. Organiser toilet and access information. Temporary toilet locations use the named street/site as a navigation point; ask staff for the exact unit.

Make it a weekend

Day one · Settle in and see the lights

  1. Late morning

    Find Place des Dominicains and Ancienne Douane

    Find your hotel and the market approach in daylight; keep time for an indoor rest.

  2. Lunch

    Choose a market taste

    Read the current menu, check the portion and ingredients, and choose hot food or drink.

  3. Afternoon

    A small gift and a pause

    Browse slowly, then take an indoor break before returning to the square.

  4. Evening

    The lights at Place des Dominicains and Ancienne Douane

    Enjoy the market setting after dark, with the dated opening hours in mind.

Day two · Little Venice and Place Jeanne d’Arc

  1. Morning

    Little Venice and Place Jeanne d’Arc in daylight

    Enjoy a short walk around the market setting, keeping attractions and their tickets separate.

  2. Midday

    Another square or a favourite stall

    Return for a final browse and a carefully chosen snack; check each venue’s opening hours.

  3. Afternoon

    Leave time for the journey

    Collect your bags and allow time for the dated station or airport transfer.

What a Brit needs to know

Travelling on a full British citizen passport? For these Schengen trips, check that it was issued less than ten years before arrival and expires at least three months after you leave. Tourist visits across the Schengen area count towards a combined 90 days in any 180-day period.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) is in use. First registration can involve a photograph and fingerprints, so leave extra time at the border. There is no advance EES application or charge; for Eurostar from London, border checks take place before departure.

For a December 2026 trip, recheck ETIAS before you travel. At our 24 October 2026 check, official guidance had not announced a confirmed launch date and said no application was needed yet. A future requirement cannot be settled by your market booking date.

GOV.UK passport and Schengen rules · Official EES guidance · Official ETIAS updates

Take suitable travel insurance for the whole trip and a valid UK GHIC or eligible EHIC. The card covers medically necessary state healthcare on the same terms as local residents; it does not replace insurance or cover private treatment and getting you home.

NHS healthcare cover and insurance guidance

Money and December essentials

France uses the euro (EUR). Check payment methods at individual stalls and ask about any reusable-cup deposit before ordering. December is CET, one hour ahead of the UK. A European round two-pin adaptor, warm layers and waterproof shoes with grip are useful; check the forecast and pack for rain as well as cold.

Getting there from the UK

Getting here from the UK

Colmar has no direct UK scheduled flight to plan around. EuroAirport lists winter links with London, Bristol, Edinburgh and Manchester. Choose a dated UK service to EuroAirport Basel–Mulhouse, then the French-sector bus to Saint-Louis station and onward train to Colmar. Strasbourg Airport is another gateway if a suitable dated flight or connection is available; continue by rail through Strasbourg. Check the airline calendar before choosing either airport.

For rail, take Eurostar from London to Paris, allow a cross-city transfer from Gare du Nord to Gare de l’Est, and continue towards Colmar with SNCF, directly or via Strasbourg according to your train. Editorial whole-journey allowance: roughly 8–10 hours from a London home by rail, allowing station access, Eurostar arrival guidance, Paris transfer and the onward train. SNCF’s through journey planner offers dated options; avoid treating a shortest journey as a guaranteed connection.

On Instagram

These are archived organiser, tourism and local-venue posts for inspiration. Dates, layouts, menus and prices inside an older post may differ from the current season.

A little festive inspiration from organisers, makers and visitors. Tap any tile to load all 4 Instagram posts on this page. Instagram may receive your IP address and set cookies; read the privacy note. Until then, nothing loads from Instagram.

@colmar_tourisme

An archived tourism-account post for a first taste of Colmar’s festive setting.

Open this post on Instagram ↗

@colmar_tourisme

Another archived view credited to Colmar’s tourism account. Decorations and layouts can change between seasons.

Open this post on Instagram ↗

@colmar_tourisme

A little Colmar inspiration from the tourism account’s earlier posts; current market details are given above.

Open this post on Instagram ↗

@colmar_tourisme

An earlier tourism-account view of Colmar. Any dates inside the original post belong to its own season.

Open this post on Instagram ↗

Instagram is off until you choose to load it.

Practical information

Getting there and back

From EuroAirport Basel–Mulhouse, the airport describes bus11 from the French sector to Saint-Louis SNCF station, then trains towards Colmar. Strasbourg Airport is another gateway: plan the airport-to-Strasbourg station connection and onward TER to Colmar using SNCF. Check the dated train and the last return.

On the day

These are suggested ways to pace your visit, with time for an indoor rest and a return after dark. Check the official dated programme for actual events.

Before and after

Give the surrounding streets a daylight visit, then choose an indoor pause before the market lights. Museums, churches and other attractions have their own tickets, hours and access arrangements.

Accessibility

Colmar has several market locations rather than a single entrance. Start with one square, then ask the tourist office for the current route between the next market and an indoor rest stop. The official tourism listings for individual markets carry reduced-mobility information, but that does not establish a smooth, independently audited route through every historic street. Ask about cobbled surfaces, kerbs, temporary barriers and the width left between stalls. Little Venice and the Koïfhus should be considered as specific places with their own approach and building access, rather than assumed to be identical to Place des Dominicains.

Frequently asked questions

Questions before you go

When is Colmar Christmas market in 2026?

23 November–29 December 2026 (six main markets)

Official market information →

What are the opening hours?

Main markets Mon–Thu 11am–7pm; Fri–Sun 10am–8pm.24 Dec 11am–5pm;25–26 Dec 10am–8pm. Gourmet Market has its own longer season and hours.

Check the organiser’s hours →

Do I need an entry ticket?

The official tourism listings describe the markets as free; food, drinks and attractions cost extra.

Official entry information →

How can I arrive by train?

Colmar

Check the full guide and sources

Can I bring my dog?

Check the organiser’s current pet-dog rules before travelling. Assistance-dog arrangements are separate; use the accessibility guide for the published information.

Check the full guide and sources →

What access information should I check?

Colmar has several market locations rather than a single entrance. Start with one square, then ask the tourist office for the current route between the next market and an indoor rest stop. The official tourism listings for individual markets carry reduced-mobility information, but that does not establish a smooth, independently audited route through every historic street. Ask about cobbled surfaces, kerbs, temporary barriers and the width left between stalls. Little Venice and the Koïfhus should be considered as specific places with their own approach and building access, rather than assumed to be identical to Place des Dominicains.

Check the full guide and sources

Official links

Keep exploring

More market trips

Back to the full market calendar

Compare our ranked European Christmas markets.

Prefer an organised break?

Compare packages, coach trips and river cruises

Words at the market

Read the Christmas market glossary