Ribeauvillé Medieval Christmas Market 2026: dates, hours and how to get there without the stress
Updated 16 October 2026, from the official website of the Colmar region tourist office (noel-colmar.com).
Ribeauvillé does not do an ordinary Christmas market. For two weekends in December, the wine town turns into a medieval village: jugglers, dancers and musicians in the lanes, wild boar on the spit, ale and mulled wine, residents in costume. It is the most theatrical market in Alsace, and one of the shortest: four days in 2026.
So everybody comes at once. The centre is closed to cars, the park-and-ride is in the neighbouring village of Bergheim, and the Christmas shuttles from Colmar sell a limited number of tickets. No train stops in Ribeauvillé. This page gives you the official dates, the ways to get there, and the simplest of them: a private van that drops you as close as possible and picks you up when you decide.
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2026 dates and opening hours
| Dates | Days | Hours | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December 2026 | Saturday and Sunday | Sat 10:00–19:00; Sun 10:00–18:00 | All other days |
| Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December 2026 | Saturday and Sunday | Sat 10:00–19:00; Sun 10:00–18:00 | All other days |
Source: noel-colmar.com, “Marché de Noël médiéval de Ribeauvillé” page, checked on 16 October 2026.
The market is not open on weekdays, on the weekend before Christmas, or on 24, 25 and 26 December. After 13 December, the nearest markets still open are Riquewihr until 20 December, then Eguisheim until 30 December (closed 24–26) and Colmar until 29 December, Christmas Day included.
The market in brief
The medieval market fills the historic centre of Ribeauvillé, along the Grand’Rue and the squares off it, between half-timbered houses and the towers of the old town. It is not a row of chalets but a stage set: craft stalls, actors and musicians, open fires and old-style cooking, under the three castles that overlook the town.
According to the sources, admission is charged: check the price on the official website before you go. Allow two hours on site. The best time is opening at 10:00: the lanes are still passable and the queues for the boar have not formed. On Sunday the market closes at 18:00, an hour earlier than on Saturday.
Getting there: car, shuttle or private van
By car. The centre of Ribeauvillé is closed to traffic during the market. The tourist office runs a park-and-ride at Bergheim, €10 per vehicle, with a shuttle every 20 minutes. Allow for the shuttle wait in both directions. Bus 16 also links Colmar and Ribeauvillé.
By Christmas shuttle from Colmar. From 27 November to 20 December 2026, the Colmar region’s Christmas shuttles leave Colmar station for Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr and Kaysersberg: €17 per person per day from Friday to Sunday, free under 12 with a reservation. Tickets are sold online only, with daily quotas, from 12 November 2026 at noon. From Strasbourg you also need the train to Colmar.
By private van with driver. We collect you in Strasbourg, in Colmar or at your hotel, in a Mercedes V-Class van for up to 8 passengers with luggage, or a saloon car for up to 3. The driver drops you as close to the centre as the day’s road closures allow, and we agree a pickup point and time together. No parking, no shuttle, and your purchases stay in the vehicle. The price is fixed for the whole vehicle and confirmed before departure.
Combining it with other markets
Ribeauvillé fills a morning. The rest of the day belongs to the neighbouring villages, all open on these two weekends:
- Ribeauvillé + Riquewihr + Colmar. Riquewihr is about 10 minutes away by road, Colmar another 20 minutes: medieval market at opening, lunch in Riquewihr, then the lights in Colmar (chalets open until 20:00 at weekends).
- Ribeauvillé + Kaysersberg. Open Friday to Sunday, so on both weekends of the medieval market, about 20 minutes away via Riquewihr.
- Ribeauvillé + Riquewihr + Eguisheim. For a day in the villages only. Eguisheim is about 10 minutes south of Colmar.
Hour-by-hour timings for these days are on the Alsace wine-village Christmas tour page. For the same route outside the Christmas season: Alsace Wine Route with a private driver.
2027 dates
The 2027 dates of the medieval market have not been published. Ribeauvillé usually picks two weekends in December, within the Advent calendar that runs from the last weekend of November to the weekend before Christmas. We will update this page as soon as the official dates are out.
How much does a private van cost?
Price for the whole vehicle, up to 8 passengers, fixed before departure.
- Strasbourg or Colmar → Ribeauvillé, with the driver waiting: price on request
- Full day Ribeauvillé + wine villages + Colmar: price on request
Market admission, tastings and meals are not included. Your exact price in 30 seconds with the simulator, or call us on +33 3 88 26 13 13 (WhatsApp).
Book your day in Ribeauvillé
Tell us which weekend, where you are starting from and how many passengers: we will suggest a realistic schedule with one or two other markets. These two weekends are in high demand, so book as soon as your date is set.
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