Millions and millions of tourists travel each year and go to Alsace to experience the "magic of Christmas". It is written in tourist brochures all over the world: Alsace is THE Christmas country... and this reputation is hardly usurped. Indeed, from the first Sunday of Advent (1 December 2019), Alsatian towns and villages welcome their Christkindelsmärik - Christmas market - whose small chalets offer stalls filled with light, balls, santons but also local products and sweets, not to mention the shops where mulled wine flows. Let us therefore review the thousand and one Christmas attractions in the region... since for Christmas, the region is symbolically "divided" into seven countries, each of which has its own specific characteristics.
The Mysteries of Christmas
This country is located in the north of the region, and takes us from Haguenau to Wissembourg, via Lembach... It is a fantastic country in the heart of a hilly region that shelters charming villages with traditional houses, such as Seebach, Hoffen or Hunspach, classified among the most beautiful in France. We are here at the edge of the forest, not far from the troglodyte castles that have made the reputation of the place, and the legends populated by elves, giants and other strange creatures... It is not surprising that it is also the country of Hans Trapp, the "black shadow" of the good Saint Nicholas who arrives in the families to punish the children who have not been wise. All the markets of this country, and in particular that of Wissembourg, are then nested with a halo of mystery...
Christmas Lights
It is found nestled between hills and mountains around Saverne - it also includes Wasselonne, La Petite Pierre, Marmoutier and Wangenbourg-Engenthal. A country of medium mountains, the land of the Enlightenment is crossed by the Vosges du Nord Regional Nature Park... but it is also the land of the legend of Christkindel, symbol of light! From the end of November, cities and villages shine with a thousand lights. From the brightness of the glass factories in Wingen-sur-Moder to the illuminated windows of Wangenburg-Engenthal, it is here that all the Christmas light shines brightly..
Christmas Stars
It is one of the most extensive since it includes Colmar, Kaysersberg, Eguisheim, Turckheim, Munster, Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé, Neuf-Brisach, Rouffach... Between famous vineyards, fortified villages and the foothills of the Vosges, the land of the Christmas Stars reveals all the majesty of the Vosges valleys. For lovers of ski or snowshoe rides, the nearby mountain offers spaces where you can recharge your batteries in the heart of nature. Each city has its own specificity: Munster illustrates the theme of bredala - small Christmas cakes -, a soup with munster is also distributed by the Brotherhood of Saint-Grégoire; Turckheim that of the Advent calendar, according to tradition, a part of the calendar is opened every evening; Eguisheim that of Christmas traditions; Rouffach that of traditional craftsmanship; Trois-Épis that of pilgrimage; Kaysersberg is an authentic and intimate market, with very experienced artisans. It is a rather medieval Christmas market for Ribeauvillé. Colmar's Christmas market, with its stands nestled in the old town and thousands of lights lit, is undoubtedly one of the most attractive in the region
Flavours of Christmas
It is Strasbourg - and its region -, the epicentre of the Christmas celebration in Alsace and a true "Christmas capital". Christkindelsmärik - founded in 1570 to replace the St. Nicholas market - has been in existence for almost five hundred years. Over the years, the market - initially established in Place Broglie - has invaded all the streets and alleys of Strasbourg and today there are branches everywhere, from the station to the cathedral... In its alleys, the scents of mulled wine, sweets, the famous Bredele market and spicy pastries are spread with subtlety... Enticing smells, subtle fragrances, sometimes surprising tastes...
The land of Christmas carols and fabrics
It includes the "Balloons" area, Mulhouse, Thann, Saint-Louis, Altkirch and Sundgau. It is no coincidence that southern Alsace honours fabrics. Mulhouse had powerful textile industries. It all began in 1746 when entrepreneurs founded an Indian factory. The famous canvases painted with Far Eastern motifs were the city's success. Emblematic of its industrial past, the fabric is available here on the various Christmas markets, the facades of Mulhouse Cathedral, at the Museum of Printing on Fabrics... But the land of Fabrics is also the land of Songs: choirs, musical ensembles, instrumental groups, Advent concerts and participatory songs will bring you back to the tradition of Christmas in Alsace. Moreover, Mulhouse is undoubtedly one of the places where the Christmas spirit blossoms most brilliantly: in the historic centre, its traditional Christmas Market, Place de la Réunion but also in the surrounding streets, is a pleasure for the senses. This main market, accompanied by small markets in the surrounding squares and museums, offers a wide choice of quality craft products and invites you to discover the gastronomic delights of bredeles - Alsatian cakes -, hot wines or even succulent chestnuts... hot too! "A little crush" for the Altkirch Christmas market: Christmas there is magical! With its famous enchanted forest and firefly cave, Altkirch has stood out for the greatest pleasure of children
The Christmas tree
In the centre of Alsace, it illuminates you with its splendours and lights. Through walks in the regions of Selestat, Obernai, Barr, Gertwiller, Rosheim, Molsheim and Grendelbruch, you can discover different and sometimes original ways to adorn your tree... since it is in Selestat that we find the first written mentions - in 1521, the text is kept in the famous humanist library - of this custom... The ideal place to get the thousand and one ornaments to decorate your tree... Let us remember that the most widespread varieties of fir are spruce - the most common in the past -, black fir from the Vosges, blue fir and Nordmann, which is now a great success with Alsatian families because it is well supplied and does not lose its thorns.
Christmas Eve
It is a bit like the secret garden of the region... Next to the village of Ungersheim, there is one of the most visited places in the region. More than seventy traditional buildings - houses, shops or workshops - are located side by side in a 25-hectare area laid out in the traditional way - fields, streets... Walking around you will discover buildings from the Ried, Kochesberg or Sundgau - each house bears the name of the village from which it originated. This "reconstructed village" provides one of the most original images of the region and goes beyond the simple juxtaposition of houses to become a village in its own right where the life of yesteryear is reconstructed
Smart info
When? When? Christmas markets are held between the end of November and the first Sunday of Advent (December 1 this year).
Getting there. To get to Strasbourg by car: A4 from Paris (488 km), A35 from Lyon (494 km). By TGV, it takes 2h20 from Paris.
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