From Amiens to Alsace: when the 2026 Christmas markets open

A journey through French Christmas markets does not begin with a single opening weekend this year. Amiens lists 20 November 2026 as its first day, Colmar gives 23 November for its six markets, and Strasbourg announces Friday 27 November. The dates come from the city of Amiens, the official Christmas website of the Colmar area tourism office, and the city of Strasbourg respectively. They provide a sound starting point for choosing a route, although programmes and hours are not yet equally detailed everywhere. A market that has not opened cannot be a dependable stop on the trip.

According to the city, the Marché de Noël in Amiens runs from 20 November to 30 December. Its own page announces more than one hundred chalets. The official launch is on Saturday 21 November from 5.30 pm, which is different from the first market day. Chalets open from 11 am to 7.30 pm on Mondays through Thursdays and Sundays, and until 9 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. On 24 December they close at 5 pm; on Christmas Day they remain shut. The ice rink at Square Saint-Denis has its own season from 21 November.

Colmar spreads six markets around the town. The area’s Christmas website gives 23 November to 29 December 2026. Nearby villages do not all start on the same day. Eguisheim and Turckheim begin on 27 November and run through 30 December according to the tourism office, while Riquewihr finishes as early as 20 December. In Kaysersberg, the market is scheduled only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between 27 November and 20 December. A route through the wine villages needs more than a map: the day of the week also determines which stalls will be open.

Bergheim makes that difference clearer still. The tourism office lists two market weekends there: 27–29 November and 4–6 December. According to the same overview, Ribeauvillé’s medieval Christmas market weekends do not begin until December. A visitor based in Colmar in late November will therefore find a different offer from someone returning in December. The dates for the surrounding villages come from the regional Christmas site, not from each organiser’s website checked separately. Their current programmes should be reviewed once a travel date is set.

Strasbourg opens on Friday 27 November. The city mentions locations around the cathedral, Place Kléber, Place Broglie, Petite France and Place Grimmeissen. Its 2026 programme is still being assembled on the city website. The consulted material does not yet establish a closing date or daily hours either. The market’s history may be appealing, but 2025 dates must not quietly be reused for 2026. The opening day is confirmed for planning a visit; a more exact route will depend on the later programme.

The sequence of openings offers a practical choice. A trip beginning on 20 November can start in Amiens. From the 23rd, Colmar becomes an option; on the 27th, Strasbourg and several villages along the Alsace wine route follow. The regional tourism office mentions park-and-ride facilities and shuttle transport on weekends near places including Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr, but particular timetables depend on the chosen weekend. Leaving enough time between places makes room for different squares, villages and opening hours.