Alsace wine-village Christmas tour: a private van day from Strasbourg
The Christmas markets of the Alsace wine villages are what many people picture when they think of Christmas in Alsace: a narrow main street, half-timbered houses in red, yellow and blue, a medieval gate, chalets selling mulled wine and handmade decorations, and the vineyards around the village in the winter light.
They are also the hardest markets to reach without a car. Most are not on a railway line, the Christmas shuttle buses run on fixed timetables with limited seats, and village car parks fill up at weekends. A private van solves that: we pick you up in Strasbourg (or Colmar, or your hotel along the Wine Route), drive you from village to village at your pace, and bring you back after the lights come on.
This page gives you the 2026 dates and hours of each village market, verified on official sites, two hour-by-hour itineraries (weekend and weekday), and honest advice on what you can realistically see in one day.
At the time of writing (October 2026), all the village dates below come from the official tourism site of the Colmar region. Hours can change: check noel-colmar.com shortly before your trip.
Get my price · WhatsApp us · Call +33 3 88 26 13 13
The villages, their 2026 dates, and the trap to avoid
The biggest mistake visitors make is planning a Tuesday around Kaysersberg. Each village has its own calendar, and some are only open on weekends.
Riquewihr
- Dates: Friday 27 November to Sunday 20 December 2026, every day.
- Hours: Monday to Friday 10:00–18:30; Saturday and Sunday 10:00–19:00. (The official page also mentions a late opening on “Friday 28 November” until 20:00; in 2026 the 28th is a Saturday, so this late opening is still to be confirmed.)
- What it is like: a walled village with one main street rising to the Dolder gate tower. Compact, very photogenic, and busy from late morning.
- Access: at weekends a park-and-ride at the Naturoparc (€10 per vehicle, shuttle every 30 minutes); bus line 16 from Colmar; Christmas shuttles from Colmar.
- Time to plan: about 1.5 hours.
We drop you off and wait for your group at the edge of the town centre, and pick you up at the same place.
Kaysersberg
- Dates: Friday to Sunday only: 27–29 November, 4–6 December, 11–13 December and 18–20 December 2026.
- Hours: 10:00–20:00.
- What it is like: a craft-focused market in the Cour de l’Arsenal and behind the Sainte-Croix church, below the ruined castle. The official tourism site notes it was voted “best Christmas market in France 2022”.
- Access: at weekends, three park-and-ride car parks on the Lapoutroie road (€4 per vehicle) with free shuttles every 15 minutes from 10:00 to 20:30 to Place Gouraud.
- Time to plan: 1.5 to 2 hours, more if you climb to the castle.
Eguisheim
- Dates: 27 November to 30 December 2026. Closed 24, 25 and 26 December.
- Hours: Friday to Sunday 10:00–19:00. Monday to Thursday: 12:00–19:00 until 10 December, then 10:00–19:00 from 14 December.
- What it is like: about thirty artisans and creators along the Grand’Rue of a village built in circles around its castle. Holds the “Villes et Villages de Noël” label.
- Time to plan: about 1.5 hours.
Ribeauvillé: the medieval Christmas market
- Dates: only 5–6 and 12–13 December 2026 (two weekends).
- Hours: Saturday 10:00–19:00; Sunday 10:00–18:00.
- What it is like: a costumed medieval market with performers, dancers and jugglers, spit-roasted wild boar with ale or wine, Advent wreaths, nativity scenes and candles.
- Access: park-and-ride at Bergheim (€10 per vehicle, shuttle every 20 minutes).
- Time to plan: 2 hours. If your dates match, it is worth building your day around it.
Obernai (closer to Strasbourg)
- Dates: Friday 27 November to Thursday 31 December 2026. Closed 25 December.
- Hours: Sunday to Thursday 10:00–20:00; Friday and Saturday 10:00–21:00; 24 and 31 December 10:00–16:00.
- What it is like: 45 chalets on five squares in a lively small town. About 30 km from Strasbourg, easy to add at the start or end of a day.
Also on the route
- Bergheim: a fortified village with a short market season (27–29 November and 2–6 December 2026; hours not yet published).
- Sélestat: market from 20 November to 27 December 2026, and exhibitions on the history of the Christmas tree (the oldest written mention of a decorated tree, from 1521, was found here).
Colmar, the finale
Colmar’s six markets are open from 23 November to 29 December 2026: Monday–Thursday 11:00–19:00, Friday–Sunday 10:00–20:00. Ending the day there means arriving as the lights come on. See Colmar Christmas Market.
Hour-by-hour itineraries
These timings are a realistic starting point from a hotel in Strasbourg. Your driver adapts them to traffic, weather and how long you want to linger.
Itinerary 1: Friday, Saturday or Sunday (with Kaysersberg)
| Time | Stop |
|---|---|
| 08:45 | Pickup at your hotel in Strasbourg |
| ~10:00 | Riquewihr: arrive at opening time, before the main street fills up |
| 11:45 | Short drive to Kaysersberg |
| 12:00–14:30 | Kaysersberg market, lunch in a winstub (book ahead) |
| 14:45 | Drive to Eguisheim |
| 15:15–16:30 | Eguisheim, the circular streets in the late afternoon light |
| 16:45 | Short drive to Colmar |
| 17:00–19:30 | Colmar’s six markets after dark (open until 20:00 at weekends) |
| ~19:45 | Departure for Strasbourg |
| ~21:00 | Drop-off at your hotel |
Variant for 5–6 or 12–13 December: replace Eguisheim with the Ribeauvillé medieval market (until 19:00 on Saturday, 18:00 on Sunday).
Itinerary 2: Monday to Thursday (Kaysersberg is closed)
| Time | Stop |
|---|---|
| 08:45 | Pickup in Strasbourg |
| ~10:00 | Riquewihr (opens 10:00 on weekdays) |
| 11:45 | Drive to Eguisheim (opens 12:00 on weekdays until 10 December; 10:00 from 14 December) |
| 12:15–14:15 | Eguisheim and lunch |
| 14:30–18:30 | Colmar, calmer on weekdays (11:00–19:00) |
| 18:45 | Optional stop in Obernai on the way back (open until 20:00 Sunday to Thursday) |
| ~20:30 | Back at your hotel |
Shorter option: half a day
Obernai plus one village (for example Riquewihr), or Colmar plus Eguisheim. Good with young children or if you want the evening free for Strasbourg.
Without traffic, allow about 20 minutes from Colmar to Riquewihr, 10 to 15 minutes from Riquewihr to Kaysersberg and about 20 minutes from Kaysersberg back to Colmar. Allow extra margin on December Saturdays.
How many villages in one day?
Three villages plus Colmar is the comfortable maximum. Beyond that you spend more time getting in and out of the van than walking through the markets. Two villages plus Colmar is often the best balance, especially with children or older travellers.
Christmas shuttle, rental car or private van?
The official Christmas shuttles (“Navettes de Noël”) run from Colmar station to Kaysersberg, Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé, Eguisheim and other towns from 27 November to 20 December 2026. A day ticket costs €17 per person at weekends (Eguisheim line €8 Monday to Thursday), children under 12 travel free with a reservation. Tickets are sold online only, from Thursday 12 November 2026 at noon, in limited numbers. For a couple based in Colmar, it is good value.
A rental car gives freedom, but you will be hunting for parking in each village at weekends, and somebody has to stay sober while everyone else tastes the vin chaud and the Riesling.
A private van is the most comfortable option when:
- you are starting from Strasbourg, an airport or a river cruise ship, not from Colmar;
- you are a family or group (up to 8 passengers in the Mercedes van);
- you want to choose your villages and timing yourself, and come back after dark without watching for the last bus;
- you want to taste local wine without worrying about driving.
How much does a private van cost?
Price for the whole vehicle (up to 8 passengers):
- Full day in the villages from Strasbourg (Itinerary 1 or 2): price on request
- Half day in the villages from Colmar: price on request
Your exact price in 30 seconds with the simulator, or call us on +33 3 88 26 13 13 (WhatsApp).
Practical tips
- Check the day of the week first: Kaysersberg (Friday–Sunday), Ribeauvillé (two weekends), Bergheim (short season).
- After 20 December, the map shrinks: Riquewihr and Kaysersberg have closed, but Eguisheim (except 24–26 December), Obernai (except 25 December) and Colmar stay open.
- Start early: villages are quietest at opening time. Coach groups tend to arrive from late morning.
- Book lunch: winstubs in the wine villages are small and full at weekends in December.
- Wear proper shoes: cobblestones, slopes and sometimes ice.
- Bring cash and a bag for fragile purchases: glass baubles and pottery travel better wrapped.
- What to taste: vin chaud, bredele biscuits, pain d’épices, kougelhopf, bretzels, and a flammekueche for dinner. Ask your driver about a winemaker who welcomes visitors in December.
Plan your wine-village Christmas day
Send us your date, the number of passengers and where you are staying. We will check which villages are open that day, suggest a route and send a price for the vehicle, calculated in advance.
Get my price · WhatsApp +33 3 88 26 13 13 · Call +33 3 88 26 13 13