After touring the most popular Christmas markets in France—Strasbourg, Colmar, and Kaysersberg—I have to say they were pretty spectacular. Yet there was nothing quite like the Alsace Christmas markets we found in the smaller towns that followed: Eguisheim, Riquewihr, and Ribeauvillé. Each village felt like stepping into a holiday postcard where time slows down, the air smells of spice and wood smoke, and every shop window glows with warmth.
3 Magical Christmas Markets
When my friend Paula and I started our tour of Alsace Christmas Markets, we knew we wanted to see Strasbourg, Colmar, and Kaysersberg. Yet the three market towns we discovered next were the most enchanting of all. Eguisheim, Riquewihr, and Ribeauvillé each had its own charm and rhythm. In their own way, each was a scene out of Santa’s Workshop.
Eguisheim: The Inspiration for “Beauty and the Beast”
The animation team for WalDisney’s’s Beauty and the Beast thought Eguisheim was pretty special—it inspired the opening scene of the film.
Wandering through the circular lanes of Eguisheim, lined with pastel half-timbered houses and snow-dusted rooftops, you understand why. The village square sparkles with a petite Christmas market where every stall seems designed for delight: candles, ornaments, and Alsatian sweets wrapped in ribbons. In the evening, the scent of mulled wine mingles with the sound of carols drifting from the church. Eguisheim’s beauty isn’t just cinematic; it’s real, authentic, and filled with heart.
Riquewihr: A Living Christmas Card
A short drive away, Riquewihr proves its reputation as one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. The walled town is a medieval gem, its cobblestone streets winding between crooked houses that lean toward each other as if sharing secrets. During the holidays, garlands stretch across the lanes, and the air is thick with the aroma of roasted almonds and gingerbread. The Riquewihr Christmas Market may be small, but it feels like a living Christmas card—colorful, traditional, and joyfully local. We browsed handmade toys, sipped vin chaud, and watched children marvel at the nativity display beside the town gate.
Ribeauvillé: A Medieval Celebration
Ribeauvillé, however, won my vote for “favorite Christmas market.” Maybe it was luck that we arrived on the final weekend of the village’s Medieval Christmas Market, or perhaps it’s just that Ribeauvillé has a special kind of energy. Musicians in period costume played lutes and drums along the main street. Knights, jesters, and storytellers mingled with visitors. Stalls sold roasted boar, honey cakes, and spiced wine served in earthen mugs. It felt like we had traveled back in time—yet the friendliness and laughter made it wonderfully human and modern. Ribeauvillé’s market isn’t the largest, but it’s the most alive.
A Journey Through Alsace at Christmas
The beauty of traveling through Alsace at Christmas is how close everything is. Within just a few kilometers, you move from city grandeur in Strasbourg to the Colmar Christmas market’s canal-side charm, then into villages that seem untouched by centuries. Each stop has its own unique rhythm and flavor, and together they form a holiday experience unlike any other in France.
For travelers who love history, food, and the romance of old Europe, Alsace offers it all — bakeries selling bredele cookies, and markets where locals still greet you with “Joyeux Noël.”
Enjoy!
Continue your Alsace Christmas journey, Strasbourg’s Market Magic, or return to the overview of The Very Best Christmas Markets in France.
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