Colmar Christmas markets 2026: dates, a walking route and days after Christmas

Colmar's Christmas markets run from 23 November to 29 December 2026, including Christmas Day. The main markets close at 17:00 on Christmas Eve; on 25 and 26 December they open from 10:00 to 20:00. The gourmet market, Ferris wheel and Place Rapp fair continue until 3 January 2027.

That last distinction matters if you are booking the days between Christmas and New Year. Arrive on 27 December and you can still browse the main markets. Arrive on 30 December and the trip is about the decorated town and the remaining food and fairground attractions. It is not the same programme.

Dates and practical details below were checked on the tourist office's Christmas website on 30 October 2026. The cover photograph shows an earlier festive season.

When are the Colmar Christmas markets open in 2026?

The Colmar tourist office's practical guide gives these hours. All times are local.

The gourmet market at the Montagne Verte site and the Ferris wheel have a longer season, through 3 January, with listed hours of 11:00–22:00. They close at 17:00 on 31 December. The tourist office says the Place Rapp Christmas fair follows that extended calendar too.

Keep the official page saved for a final check before travelling. Its older Sunday-shopping list still contains dates from another season; the clearly labelled 2026 market schedule above is the one used here. Shop opening hours and market opening hours are separate questions.

Where are the markets, and how should you walk between them?

Colmar rewards walking slowly. The old town is a collection of small squares and narrow streets, so a route that looks short on a map can fill an afternoon once you stop for food and look inside the craft stalls.

Use the tourist office's market descriptions and the maps in its practical guide to pin the locations before leaving your accommodation. A sensible first-visit route is:

1. Place des Dominicains. Start with the stalls around the Dominican church while you still have daylight to see the buildings.
2. Place de l'Ancienne Douane and the Koïfhus. Continue to the old customs-house area. The outdoor square and the indoor craft displays make a useful pair when you want a break from standing in the cold.
3. Petite Venise. Walk towards the canals and the children's market. If you have a pushchair, leave time for the narrow stretches rather than treating this as a quick shortcut.
4. The gourmet market at Montagne Verte. Make this your food stop, then decide whether you want the fair at Place Rapp or another loop through the illuminated streets.

Place Jeanne d'Arc is another stop on the official market circuit. Add it when you have time to browse rather than turning the afternoon into a race to collect every square. The route above is our suggested order, not an official procession or a timed tour.

Is one day enough, or should you stay overnight?

One full day is a reasonable plan for the central markets. Arrive before lunch, walk the town in daylight, take a proper indoor break, then stay for the lights. Two nights give you more room to change plans if the weather is wet, or to make a separate excursion into Alsace.

For a first visit, an overnight stay solves a practical problem: you do not have to leave just as the streets look their best. A hotel between the station and the old town can also keep the arrival and departure simple. Check the actual walking route with luggage; a central address is less helpful if you have not understood where a taxi can drop you during the pedestrian restrictions.

If you can choose your day, consult the tourist office's attendance forecast before booking. It is more useful than a promise that a particular weekday will be quiet. Leave extra time to reach the station at the end of the visit, especially if your next train is a connection you cannot miss.

Can you visit Colmar from Strasbourg by train?

Yes. A direct train makes Colmar a practical day trip from Strasbourg. When checked on 30 October, SNCF Connect showed typical journeys around half an hour. That is a planning guide, not a promise for your December departure: search your own date, both directions, before choosing the evening train home.

Save the ticket in the format the railway accepts and keep the booking reference available offline. Allow for the walk between Colmar station and the markets as well as the train journey itself. If you are travelling with children or carrying shopping, do not plan around the last possible departure.

A Strasbourg base is useful if your other trains arrive there and you want a second city evening. A Colmar base is useful if the smaller old-town markets are the main reason for the trip. Compare the full cost of accommodation and return transport, rather than choosing only by the room price.

Nearby villages need their own planning. Do not assume Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé or Eguisheim follows Colmar's daily calendar, or that a Christmas shuttle runs every day. The tourist office's Christmas shuttle information is the place to check the season's routes and operating days.

What should you eat, pack and book ahead?

A useful market meal starts with something savoury and leaves the sweet purchases until later. Look for tarte flambée, the thin Alsatian flatbread, and bredele biscuits to take away. Read the displayed price before ordering and ask whether a reusable cup carries a deposit. Keep the cup until you know where it can be returned.

Book a restaurant if you need a guaranteed seated dinner, particularly for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Open markets do not mean that every restaurant around them is open or taking walk-ins. With a group, an agreed dinner reservation also gives everyone a place to meet after browsing separately.

Pack for standing outside: warm socks, shoes that cope with wet paving, a rainproof outer layer and gloves you can remove easily when paying. A small bag is easier to manage in a crowd than a full daypack. Keep some battery for the journey home; photos, maps and cold weather can leave you with much less than you expected by evening.

Will your mobile data work in Colmar?

Check your existing contract first. France is covered by the EU's roaming rules for eligible plans, subject to fair use. A visitor with enough included roaming may need nothing else. UK, US and other non-EU contracts have their own terms; some include France and some charge separately.

If you need a separate allowance, compare the current France eSIM plans. For a route that continues into other countries, check every stop against the selected Europe eSIM coverage list. Do not infer Switzerland's inclusion from the word Europe.

Check device compatibility, then follow the installation guide over reliable Wi-Fi. Choose Horizon for mobile data, disable automatic switching back to your home data line and keep home-line data roaming off. Calls and texts on your usual number remain subject to your home operator's charges.

Download the town map and save your accommodation address before going out. A live connection helps with changed train times and meeting friends; an offline copy still matters in a crowded square.

Short answers

Are Colmar's Christmas markets open after Christmas? Yes, the main markets continue through 29 December 2026. The gourmet market, Ferris wheel and Place Rapp fair run longer, through 3 January 2027.

Are the markets open on Christmas Day? The tourist office lists 10:00–20:00 on 25 December 2026. Restaurant and shop hours need a separate check.

Can you see Colmar and Strasbourg in one day? You can travel between them easily, but we would give each its own market day if the trip allows. Otherwise, choose one for daytime browsing and protect enough time for an evening visit in the other.

Which other market trips work after Christmas? Brussels Winter Wonders continues into January. Our Germany, Austria and Prague market calendar helps you compare destinations with different closing dates.

Last checked: 30 October 2026. Recheck the linked tourist-office timetable and your transport bookings before departure.