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Obernai Christmas market: what to see and when to go
In brief
The Obernai Christmas market gathers 45 chalets across five squares of the old town, from 27 November to 31 December 2026. It is the latest-closing market in Alsace and one of the few running to New Year's Eve. Focused on food and crafts, it is reachable by train from Strasbourg in about thirty minutes.
Obernai is the northern gateway to the vineyard, thirty minutes from Strasbourg, and its market stays open longer than any other in Alsace. That makes it the answer for a stay between Christmas and New Year, when most villages have already taken their chalets down. This page covers the market; visiting the town is dealt with elsewhere.
Forty-five chalets across five squares
The market does not sit on one square but spreads through the whole old town, which lengthens the walk without ever making it dense:
- Place du Marche, around the town hall and the Six-Bucket Well.
- Place du Beffroi, at the foot of the Chapel Tower.
- Place de l'Etoile.
- Place Neher.
- Cour Athic, the most sheltered of the five.
A market of food and crafts
That is the stated positioning, and it shows in the stalls. Foie gras, cured meats, gingerbread, bredele biscuits, jams, Alsace wines and Christmas beer take up a far larger share than elsewhere, where Kaysersberg leads with the crafted object and Colmar with decoration. For anyone looking to fill a festive table rather than find a souvenir, it is the best stocked market in the northern sector.
2026 dates and opening hours
From 27 November to 31 December 2026, every day, with hours that vary:
- Sunday to Thursday: 10 to 8.
- Friday and Saturday: 10 to 9, the latest slots in the vineyard.
- 24 and 31 December: 10 to 4 only.
- Closed on 25 December.
The events, and the ones worth the trip
The programme goes beyond the chalets. Choir concerts are held in the church of Saints-Pierre-et-Paul, a Saint Nicholas parade crosses the town on 6 December, and torchlit descents mark the opening weekends. For children there are bredele and Advent wreath workshops, plus a treasure hunt of about two kilometres through the town, allow an hour and a half. These events have their own timings, worth checking before fixing the day.
Coming from Strasbourg
Obernai is about thirty minutes by train from Strasbourg, with the station in the town centre, which makes it the only village market genuinely reachable without a car from the Alsatian capital. By road it is also thirty minutes. The town is the classic starting point for Mont Sainte-Odile, so the market can be paired with a climb into the Vosges on the same day, provided you place it before nightfall.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 2026 dates of the Obernai Christmas market?
From 27 November to 31 December 2026, every day except 25 December. It is the latest-closing market in Alsace.
Is the Obernai Christmas market open after Christmas?
Yes, through 31 December, with reduced hours of 10 to 4 on New Year's Eve. Only Colmar, to the 29th, and Eguisheim, to the 30th, also run past Christmas.
How many chalets does the Obernai market have?
Forty-five, spread across five squares of the old town rather than grouped on a single one.
Can you reach the Obernai Christmas market by train?
Yes, in about thirty minutes from Strasbourg, the station being in the town centre. It is the only vineyard village market directly reachable by train.
How long do you need at Obernai?
Two hours for the five squares at an unhurried pace. Add an hour if you follow the treasure hunt with children or attend a concert in the church.
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