Colmar Christmas Market 2026: dates, the six markets and how to get there from Strasbourg
Colmar is the other great Christmas town of Alsace. Smaller than Strasbourg, it spreads six markets through an old town of half-timbered houses, canals and cobbled squares, so you discover them one after another as you walk. In 2025 around 1.6 million people came.
Most visitors staying in Strasbourg ask the same question: how do I get from Strasbourg to the Colmar Christmas market, and is it worth the trip? This guide answers both, with the official 2026 dates and hours, the honest pros and cons of the train, the Christmas shuttles and a private van, and tips for a relaxed visit.
At the time of writing (October 2026), the official site has published the 2026 dates and hours below. Check noel-colmar.com before you go.
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Colmar Christmas market 2026: dates and hours
Monday 23 November to Tuesday 29 December 2026, two days longer than in 2025.
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday to Thursday | 11:00–19:00 |
| Friday to Sunday | 10:00–20:00 |
| Thursday 24 December | 11:00–17:00 |
| Friday 25 and Saturday 26 December | 10:00–20:00 |
The gourmet market and the Ferris wheel stay open until 3 January 2027, every day 11:00–22:00 (closing 17:00 on 31 December).
Two things stand out compared with other Alsace markets: Colmar opens earlier in the season (23 November) and is open on Christmas Day, which makes it the obvious choice if you are in Alsace between 25 and 29 December.
The six Christmas markets of Colmar
- Place des Dominicains: around 60 chalets at the foot of the 14th-century Dominican church, whose stained glass windows are lit at night.
- Place de l’Ancienne-Douane: around 50 chalets around the Schwendi fountain, next to the Koïfhus, the old customs house.
- Place Jeanne-d’Arc: a little Alsatian village scene with houses and a church, focused on regional food: foie gras, charcuterie, wine, gingerbread.
- Little Venice (Place des Six-Montagnes-Noires): the children’s market, with animals, a mechanical nativity scene, a carousel and Santa’s letterbox.
- Inside the Koïfhus: an indoor market of artisans (ceramics, glass, wood, jewellery), welcome when it is cold or raining.
- Rue de la Montagne-Verte: the gourmet market, “9 cabins, 9 chefs”, with dishes to eat on the spot or take away.
On Place Rapp you will also find the winter attractions, which run until 3 January.
How long to plan? Three to four hours lets you see all six markets, stop for a vin chaud and walk along the canals of Little Venice. If you want to eat in a restaurant, add time and book ahead, especially at weekends.
How to get from Strasbourg to Colmar Christmas market
Colmar is roughly 75 km south of Strasbourg, about 50 minutes to an hour by motorway (A35) outside traffic jams.
By train (TER)
Strasbourg and Colmar are on the same regional line and trains are frequent. From Colmar station you walk to the markets. It is a simple option if you are two travelling light, staying in Strasbourg and only want Colmar. Watch the last trains back and expect busy carriages at weekends.
By car
The town centre is pedestrianised and closed to traffic during market hours (Monday–Thursday 11:00–19:00, Friday–Sunday 10:00–20:00). Covered car parks (Mairie, Rapp, Gare/Bleylé, Saint-Josse, Lacarre, Montagne-Verte) fill up fast at weekends. On the weekends of 28–29 November, 5–6, 12–13 and 19–20 December 2026, a park-and-ride at the Parc des Expositions costs €3 per day with a free shuttle bus every 10 minutes.
By Christmas shuttle to the villages
From Colmar station, the “Navettes de Noël” go to Kaysersberg, Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé, Eguisheim and other towns from 27 November to 20 December 2026 (€17 per person per day at weekends; tickets online only, from 12 November 2026 at noon, limited numbers). Useful to know if you want to add a village, but you still need to get to Colmar first.
By private van or sedan with driver
Door to door from your hotel, airport or cruise ship: we drop you as close to the markets as traffic rules allow, wait or come back at the agreed time, and drive you back to Strasbourg in the evening. It becomes particularly good value for 4 to 8 people, since the price is for the vehicle.
Without traffic, allow about 50 minutes (75 km) each way between Strasbourg and Colmar, and extra margin on December Saturdays.
Strasbourg vs Colmar: which Christmas market should you choose?
- Size and atmosphere: Strasbourg is a big city with a huge market and a lot of people (over 3.4 million visitors in 2024). Colmar is smaller and more compact, and many visitors find it easier to enjoy.
- Dates: Colmar opens on 23 November and stays open until 29 December, including Christmas Day. Strasbourg opens on 27 November 2026; its 2026 closing date is not yet published (24 December in 2025).
- Access: both close their centres to cars during market hours.
- Our honest answer: if you can, do both. With a driver, one day is enough: Colmar in daylight, Strasbourg in the evening, or Colmar plus one or two wine villages.
Avoiding the crowds in Colmar
- Weekdays are calmer, and the market opens at 11:00 Monday to Thursday.
- Weekends from 10:00: arriving at opening time gives you an hour or two before the peak.
- Check the forecast: the official site publishes day-by-day crowd forecasts (from “fluid” to “very busy”) at noel-colmar.com/fr/previsions-de-frequentation.
- Late December (after 25 December) is a good moment: Colmar is still open while most other markets have closed.
Make it a day: Colmar + wine villages
Colmar sits at the southern end of the most visited stretch of the Wine Route. In a day with a driver you can add:
- Eguisheim (about thirty artisans, open until 30 December, closed 24–26 December);
- Riquewihr (every day until 20 December);
- Kaysersberg (Friday to Sunday only, until 20 December);
- Ribeauvillé medieval market (only 5–6 and 12–13 December 2026).
See our Alsace wine-village Christmas tour for a timed itinerary.
How much does a private van cost?
Price for the whole vehicle (up to 8 passengers):
- Strasbourg → Colmar: about €190
- Strasbourg ↔ Colmar return: about €360
- Return trip with the driver waiting for you in Colmar: price on request
- Day in Colmar + Wine Route villages: price on request
- Half day in the villages from Colmar: price on request
- Basel-Mulhouse airport → Colmar: ask us for your price
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