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Colmar Christmas Market Dates and Opening Hours
The Colmar Christmas market dates this season are 23 November to 29 December, with six free markets across the old town. The Gourmet Market, Place Rapp and the ferris wheel keep going to 3 January.
Quick answer Dates, hours and the January extension at a glance
The Colmar Christmas market dates are 23 November to 29 December and entry is free. Stalls open Monday to Thursday 11:00-19:00 and Friday to Sunday 10:00-20:00, with shorter hours on Christmas Eve.
Key takeaways
- Book a guided Colmar Christmas market walking tour to make sense of the six markets in one visit.
- Coming by train? Compare the Colmar Christmas market day trip from Paris by overnight coach.
- Short on time? The Colmar Christmas market walking tour with a local covers the old town in an hour.
- Want villages too? The Enchanting Christmas Experience from Colmar adds the surrounding markets.
What is the schedule for the Colmar Christmas market?
The markets run 23 November to 29 December, Monday to Thursday 11:00-19:00 and Friday to Sunday 10:00-20:00, with special hours on 24, 25 and 26 December.
The tourist office publishes one set of hours for all six markets, with short exceptions for the holidays and a longer season for a few locations. Every row below comes from that page, so you can check your travel date at a glance. One warning before the table. The stalls close exactly on schedule and the tourist office says this is enforced for security reasons. A 19:00 close on a weekday means 19:00, so buy your mulled wine before the last hour.
Every hours variant of the season in one table
Check the row that matches your dates and you know whether the chalets will be open.
During market hours the old town is closed to all vehicles from 23 November to 29 December, Monday to Thursday 11:00-19:00 and Friday to Sunday 10:00-20:00. Arrive on foot, by train or by shuttle.
| What | Dates | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| The six markets, Monday to Thursday | 23 Nov - 29 Dec | 11:00-19:00 |
| The six markets, Friday to Sunday | 23 Nov - 29 Dec | 10:00-20:00 |
| Christmas Eve | 24 Dec | 11:00-17:00 |
| Christmas Day and 26 December | 25-26 Dec | 10:00-20:00 |
| Gourmet Market and Place Rapp | 23 Nov - 3 Jan | 11:00-22:00 |
| Ferris wheel | 23 Nov - 30 Dec and 1-3 Jan | 11:00-22:00, 31 Dec 11:00-17:00 |
| 31 December | 31 Dec | Gourmet Market and wheel close 17:00 |
| Illuminations | Fridays, Saturdays and every night during Christmas in Colmar | Lit at nightfall |
Source: Colmar Tourist Office.
What is the Colmar Christmas market start date?
The season starts on 23 November, when the six markets open and the old town closes to cars for the rest of the market period.
The opening weekend is busy and the illuminations switch on from the start. The 1,150 computer-driven light sources on fibre optic, grouped around four themes of water, air, earth and fire, are lit at nightfall on Fridays and Saturdays and every night during the Christmas in Colmar period. If you can, come on a weekday before the crowds build. One guide notes that visiting at 9:30 in the morning on a weekday, before stalls open, means empty streets and good photos of the half-timbered houses.
What is the Colmar Christmas market closing date?
The six stall markets finish on 29 December. After that only three places carry on: the Gourmet Market, the ferris wheel and the Christmas Fair on Place Rapp with its illuminated ice rink. They run daily 11:00-22:00 to 3 January, with the wheel closing at 17:00 on 31 December.
That gives you two different trips. For the full circuit of wooden chalets, book before 29 December. For food, rides and the ice rink square without the biggest crowds, the first days of January still work.
| Period | What is open |
|---|---|
| 23 Nov - 29 Dec | All six markets, Gourmet Market, Place Rapp, ferris wheel, illuminations |
| 30 Dec - 3 Jan | Gourmet Market, Place Rapp and ferris wheel only, daily 11:00-22:00 |
| 31 Dec | Gourmet Market and wheel close early at 17:00 |
Source: Colmar Tourist Office.
Place de l'Ancienne Douane, one of the six markets that run 23 November to 29 December. Photo: rene boulay, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Where is the Colmar Christmas market map?
There is no single market, there are six of them in the historic town centre, all within a short walk of each other, so any old town map works as a market map.
The six markets sit in the pedestrian core, about 180 chalets in total. Colmar is 2h 20 from Paris by train, according to Alsace tourism.
The six locations
You can walk the whole circuit in an afternoon, but each square has its own character. Place de l'Ancienne Douane is the postcard shot with the Lauch running through it, while the Koifhus is the indoor option when it rains.
If you would rather have someone stitch the squares together with stories, Secrets and Magic of the Christmas Markets is a two-hour guided walk for $23 per person.
| Market | What it is known for |
|---|---|
| Place des Dominicains | About 60 chalets, the biggest cluster |
| Place de l'Ancienne Douane | About 50 chalets with the Lauch running through |
| Place Jeanne d'Arc | Regional food products |
| Koifhus | Indoor craft market with about 20 craftspeople |
| Gourmet Market | Food focus, open daily 11:00-22:00 to 3 January |
| Place Rapp | Christmas Fair and illuminated ice rink, same dates as the Gourmet Market |
Tours That Fit
Guided options that work around these dates, all starting in Colmar.
Secrets and Magic of the Christmas Markets
A short 2 hour guided walk through Colmar's old town and Christmas markets from $23, with no transport needed.
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Detour Alsace
Enchanting Christmas Experience
A small group of 7 maximum with hotel pickup, three market villages in one day and a Ribeauvillé wine cellar tasting included.
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Alsace Original Experiences
Christmas Markets Across 3 Borders
One day, three countries: Christmas markets in Germany, Switzerland and France from Colmar in a small group of up to 7.
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Alsace Original Experiences
Where do I park during the Colmar Christmas market?
The old town is closed to vehicles during market hours, so use the weekend Park & Ride at the Parc des Expositions, or come by train.
The pedestrian area is closed to vehicles from 23 November to 29 December. The official practical page gives the details below, and they only apply on the dates listed. The Christmas shuttles from Colmar station to the surrounding villages are separate from the Park & Ride bus. They run 27 November to 20 December, online tickets only, and go on sale at 12:00 CET on 12 November, with extra tickets released three days before travel.
Park & Ride and coach parking
The Park & Ride runs on eight weekend days only, so check the dates before you rely on it. On other days use the paid covered parking near the markets that the tourist office lists on the same page.
For the village markets, the station shuttles cost $18.92 (€17) per day on Friday to Sunday on the Kaysersberg, Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr lines, and $8.90 (€8) Monday to Thursday on the Eguisheim line, per the official shuttle page. Riquewihr's market runs 27 November to 20 December and Ribeauvillé's medieval market runs two weekends, Saturdays 10:00-19:00 and Sundays 10:00-18:00. Eguisheim itself is a 15-minute drive with a market of about 30 stalls that needs one to two hours.
| Option | Details |
|---|---|
| Park & Ride, Parc des Expositions | $5.57 (€5) per day, weekends only, bus to the centre included, open 28-29 Nov and 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20 Dec |
| Saturday shuttle from the Park & Ride | First bus 9:00, every 10 minutes 9:30-21:30, last return 23:30 |
| Sunday shuttle from the Park & Ride | Every 10 minutes 9:30-21:10 |
| Coach parking, Exhibition Centre | $33.39 (€30) Monday to Thursday booked ahead, $50.09 (€45) Friday to Sunday booked ahead |
| Christmas village shuttles from the station | 27 Nov - 20 Dec, five lines, online tickets only, on sale from 12 Nov 12:00 CET |
Sources: Colmar Tourist Office, Colmar Tourist Office, Christmas shuttles.
What date is Strasbourg Christmas market?
Strasbourg's Christkindelsmärik runs 27 November to 24 December, daily 11:00-21:00, opening at 14:00 on the first Friday and closing on Christmas Day.
Many travelers do both cities. Strasbourg's market closes on 24 December while Colmar keeps going to 29 December.
Colmar or Strasbourg, which is better?
Strasbourg is bigger and grander, Colmar is smaller and easier to walk in one evening. Strasbourg closes on Christmas Day, while Colmar runs the six markets to 29 December and the Gourmet Market, Place Rapp and ferris wheel to 3 January.
If you are based in Strasbourg, the Alsace Christmas markets tour from Strasbourg handles the train and the timing for you, or the Strasbourg to Colmar Christmas market tour focuses on Colmar itself.
| Feature | Colmar | Strasbourg |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | 23 Nov - 29 Dec | 27 Nov - 24 Dec, closed 25 Dec |
| Hours | Mon-Thu 11:00-19:00, Fri-Sun 10:00-20:00 | Daily 11:00-21:00, 24 Dec 11:00-18:00 |
| After Christmas | Gourmet Market, Place Rapp and wheel to 3 Jan | Nothing, closes 25 Dec to New Year's Day |
Sources: City of Strasbourg, Colmar Tourist Office.
Is there a Colmar Christmas market in 2027?
Dates beyond this season are not published yet, so check the official Colmar tourist office page closer to your trip.
Colmar's Christmas in Colmar event is the town's flagship season and returns annually. For planning beyond this year, the tourist office publishes each season's dates and practical details on its own site.
How far ahead should I book?
Weekends in December are the busiest days, and one guide's advice is simple: come on a weekday in early December and avoid weekends.
If you want a guided day that stacks several Alsatian markets onto the Colmar dates, Christmas in 4 Alsatian Villages costs $145 per person for 7.5 hours, and Christmas Markets Across 3 Borders costs $153.36 per person for 9 hours.
| Day type | Crowd level |
|---|---|
| Weekdays, early December | Quietest, per one travel guide |
| Weekends, all of December | Busiest, Park & Ride operates, shuttles every 10 minutes on Saturdays |
| After 29 Dec | Quieter, only Gourmet Market, Place Rapp and wheel open |
Light sculptures on a market square, where the stalls close at 19:00 Monday to Thursday. Photo: 0x010C, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Colmar Christmas Market Dates FAQ
Is Colmar Christmas market worth visiting?
Yes, if you like a walkable market town: six markets and about 180 chalets sit inside a small illuminated old town, and entry to all of them is free. A guided Christmas market walk adds the stories behind the squares.
How much does the Colmar Christmas market cost?
Entry is free. You only pay for what you eat, drink and ride, and for extras like the tourist office's Christmas city break package, which starts from $244.86 (€220) per person, according to the Colmar tourist office, for three days and two nights with museum admission and the sound and light show in the cloister.
Is the Colmar Christmas market open on Christmas Day?
Yes, the six markets open 10:00-20:00 on 25 and 26 December, after a shorter 11:00-17:00 day on Christmas Eve.
How do I get to Colmar for the Christmas market?
The train from Paris takes 2h 20, according to Alsace tourism, or you can take a day tour from Basel that combines Ribeauvillé and Colmar.
Can I visit the Colmar Christmas market after Christmas?
Partly, the six stall markets close on 29 December, but the Gourmet Market, the ferris wheel and Place Rapp with its ice rink stay open daily 11:00-22:00 until 3 January.
Where can I find other Alsatian market dates?
Kaysersberg opens Friday to Sunday 10:00-20:00 on three weekends to 20 December, Riquewihr runs 27 November to 20 December, and Ribeauvillé's medieval market runs two weekends in December, all reachable on the Enchanting Christmas Experience day tour.
More Guides
- Is Colmar Christmas Market Worth It?
Is Colmar Christmas Market worth it in 2026? Six free markets, about 180 stalls and a 30-minute train from Strasbourg. See the verdict and plan your visit.