Alsace Christmas Markets with a Private Driver
Eight Alsatian Christmas markets open between 20 November and 31 December 2026, from Mulhouse to Obernai. A private driver drops you at the entrance of each market and meets you at the agreed time: no car park to hunt for, no shuttle to wait for, and your purchases stay warm in the vehicle.
In December the Wine Route changes character. The villages that host summer tastings line their wooden chalets between the half-timbered houses, and the vineyard roads become the thread linking eight distinct markets. Between Mulhouse and Obernai lie 110 kilometres and a dozen towns worth stopping in.
This page gathers what you need to plan the day: the 2026 dates market by market, our winter tours at a fixed price including tax, the pick-up points, and answers on opening hours and parking.
Why a driver in December
Parking
Colmar and Strasbourg fill their car parks by 10 in the morning on December Saturdays. The vineyard villages have no parking sized for Advent crowds. Your driver sets you down at the market entrance and leaves: the question disappears.
Mulled wine
A Christmas market is visited with a cup in hand. A driver lets you taste the mulled wine, the cremant and the fruit brandies at every stop without deciding who drives home.
Nightfall
Markets are at their best between 4.30 and 7 in the evening, once the lights come on. Driving yourself means leaving before that, or taking narrow and sometimes icy vineyard roads after dark.
Our Christmas market tours
Prices include tax and cover the whole vehicle, driver included, at the market season rate. The tours stay listed all year; they operate from late November to late December.
Alsace Christmas Markets
Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr, Kaysersberg and Colmar: the most authentic Christmas markets in one day, without driving.
Strasbourg and a Christmas Village
The Strasbourg Christkindelsmarik in the morning, an illuminated vineyard village at the end of the day.
Half-Day Christmas Markets
Two illuminated villages from Colmar, in four hours, with no space to hunt for.
Medieval Market and Villages
The Ribeauvillé medieval re-enactment and two neighbouring villages, on the four days it runs.
Lights and Mulled Wine
Two villages at nightfall, on the one slot when the markets are lit.
Heated Cellar and Christmas Market
A tasting in a vaulted cellar between two markets, the Wine Route in winter form.
The markets and their 2026 dates
Dates published by the tourist offices, checked in September 2026. Opening hours and days vary from one village to the next.
| Market | 2026 dates | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Ribeauvillé | 5-13 Dec | Two weekends only, paid entry, medieval re-enactment. |
| Riquewihr | 27 Nov - 20 Dec | Lanes inside the ramparts, very busy on Saturdays. |
| Strasbourg | 27 Nov - 24 DecCustomary dates; the tourist office has not yet published the 2026 edition. | About a dozen sites, more than 300 chalets. |
| Colmar | 24 Nov - 29 Dec | Six separate markets, including Little Venice. |
| Kaysersberg | 27 Nov - 20 Dec | Friday to Sunday only, selected craftspeople. |
| Eguisheim | 27 Nov - 30 Dec | The quietest of the large vineyard villages. |
| Obernai | 27 Nov - 31 Dec | Open until 31 December, the latest in Alsace. |
| Mulhouse | 20 Nov - 27 Dec | Christmas fabric designed anew each year, city setting. |
Guides, market by market
Dates, opening hours, access, parking and how long to allow, market by market.
Where we pick you up
Pick-up takes place at the address of your choice in Alsace: hotel, station, airport or private address. For the markets we advise an early start, ahead of the coach groups, and a return after dark.
A saloon car seats up to 4 passengers, a van up to 8. Purchases stay in the boot between stops, so you are not carrying bags all day.
- Hotels in Strasbourg, Colmar and the vineyard villages
- Strasbourg, Colmar and Sélestat railway stations
- Strasbourg-Entzheim, Basel-Mulhouse and Karlsruhe-Baden airports
- Private address in Alsace or in neighbouring Germany
- Child seats and boosters on request when booking
Réactif (c'était dans l'urgence), très aimable et serviable. Merci !
Très bonne expérience : bonne communication, ponctualité et gentillesse du chauffeur. Nous recommandons
Frequently asked questions
When do the Alsace Christmas markets open in 2026?
Mulhouse opens first, on 20 November 2026. Colmar follows on 24 November, then most vineyard villages on 27 November. Closing dates run from 20 December for Kaysersberg and Riquewihr to 31 December for Obernai.
How many markets can you see in one day?
Three to four, allowing two hours per village market and three hours for Strasbourg or Colmar. Beyond that the day turns into a series of transfers. A six-hour tour comfortably covers four vineyard villages.
How far ahead should I book?
December Saturdays fill up from October, especially the two weekends of the Ribeauvillé medieval market. On weekdays, one to two weeks is usually enough.
Do prices go up over the Christmas period?
Yes. From 24 November to 29 December 2026 the rate carries a 25 percent season increase: for five weeks the whole fleet is committed to the same days and the same hours. The prices shown on the winter tours already include it. The price covers the whole vehicle, driver included, not the number of passengers.
Can a Christmas market be combined with a wine tasting?
Yes. Several vineyard estates receive visitors in heated vaulted cellars during Advent. An hour-long tasting fits well between two markets, usually in the early afternoon.
What happens if it snows?
The vehicles are equipped for winter and the vineyard roads are cleared as a priority. If snowfall makes driving unsafe, we contact you to adjust the itinerary or agree another date.
Let us plan your Christmas day out
Tell us your starting point, the number of passengers and the markets you want to see. You receive a quote at a fixed price including tax.
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