Best Christmas Market in France?

If you’re looking for an unusual Christmas market that will surprise you, delight you, and make you feel like a kid again — you’ll fall in love with the Ribeauvillé Christmas Market in France!

Located in the heart of the Alsace region, the Ribeauvillé Christmas Market is an interactive medieval market filled with performers who make you feel like you’ve gone back in time.

It takes a lot to impress me, but the Ribeauvillé Christmas Market blew my expectations out of the water. Ribeauvillé (REE-bo-vee-YAY) is one of the most beautiful towns in the Alsace region of France, the German-flavored region that goes all out with Christmas decorations each year.

But while some Christmas markets can be less-than-impressive with the same sausages and mass-produced souvenirs that you’ll find everywhere from Germany to Austria to Hungary, Ribeauvillé is the one that delivers.

Here you have full-on medieval decorations and activities, and performers in full costume who stay in character! From live floggings (jokingly done!) to giants on stilts to gaggles of geese being led through the street, you’ll be laughing with delight and enjoying the Christmas spirit.

And Ribeauvillé’s Christmas market only takes place four days each year — which makes it all the more important to time your visit carefully.

Let’s take a look at what makes this Christmas market so special. (And be sure to read my guide to Alsace Christmas Markets, too!)

This post was published in November 2025.

Christmas in Ribeauvillé: An Interactive Medieval Market

You’ve heard of Christmas markets. You’ve heard of medieval Christmas markets. But you’ve never seen a market quite like the one in Ribeauvillé.

First off, Ribeauvillé is easily one of the most beautiful villages in France. Most of the town is a single road that curves back and forth, lined with colorful half-timbered houses.

In fact, Ribeauvillé was reportedly one of the inspirations for Belle’s village in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, along with the nearby village of Riquewihr. But between you and me, Ribeauvillé is so much prettier than Riquewihr!

During Christmas, all kinds of performers take over the town, and you never know who might be coming from around the corner! Here are some of the things you might see:

A hooded man with a sword throws people into the stocks. And his assistant spanks them gently with a plank of wood. And seems to enjoy it.

On stage, you can enjoy animations of the market: maybe one with a monk, a jester, and an angel, and they are determining whether the poor man in the middle gets to live another day.

A giant on stilts stalks the streets, staff in hand and antlers on his head, and you really want to ask him, “Didn’t I see you on Yellowjackets?”

Time for a snack? Head over to a booth for some freshly made apple rings. All of the food server are wearing red and yellow medieval robes, and they serve them with a smile.

A woman is attacked by THE DEVIL HIMSELF! But it’s okay, she seems to be into it.

And then out of the blue, you hear shouting. A man is clearing a path through the crowd so his friend can herd a well-behaved flock of geese through the streets. GEESE. Where else does this happen?

This market is just so much FUN. Take a look at the video below, which I shot during my visit to the Ribeauvillé Christmas market in 2024.

Ribeauvillé Christmas Market Dates

Ribeauvillé is unique in that its Christmas market only takes place four days. This isn’t like the other Christmas markets in Europe that are open every day.

You need to plan your visit to Ribeauvillé carefully for this reason. The worst thing would be hiking all the way here and finding no market waiting for you.

In fact, I think this is a good thing, because I noticed that just about everyone working at the Ribeauvillé Christmas market was in a great mood. You don’t always have that optimism after working most days for several weeks.

2025 Ribeauvillé Christmas Market Dates and Opening Hours

In 2025, Ribeauvillé Christmas Market is taking place on the following dates:

• Saturday, December 6, 10:00 AM-7:00 PM
• Sunday, December 7, 10:00 AM-6:00 PM
• Saturday, December 13, 10:00 AM-7:00 PM
• Sunday, December 14, 10:00 AM-6:00 PM

Is Ribeauvillé Christmas Market Crowded?

Unfortunately, the worst thing about the Ribeauvillé Christmas Market is how terribly crowded it is. This is a major problem in Alsace — on the weekends, most of the Christmas markets are overcrowded and difficult to enjoy.

There are three main reasons for this. The first is that most French domestic tourism flows into Alsace in December; the second is that Christmas market tourism has become huge on social media; and the third is that river cruises have grown enormously in the last decade, dumping more and more people in the same popular spots.

And no, this isn’t restricted to the big cities. It happens in the smaller villages too, like Riquewihr and Kayserberg, because they’re popular day trip spots for people basing in the bigger Christmas markets cities.

For this reason, I don’t think it’s worth visiting most Alsatian Christmas markets on the weekend.

Ribeauvillé is my one exception. This is one of the best Christmas markets in Alsace, if not the best in all of France, and the crowds are worth it because the market is so special and unusual. (And also because it only takes place on two Saturdays and two Sundays each year.)

A lot of people will advise you to get to the market first thing in the morning to avoid the worst of the crowds. Well, I actually did that and it did not make a difference.

I was on the very first bus of the day on the Navettes de Noël, getting there before the stalls even opened, and it was still incredibly crowded. And it wasn’t any better at that time for photography, because the sun cast shadows along the Grand Rue that didn’t look great.

So yes. Be prepared for the crowds, because they are unfortunately an inevitability. Just go with the flow. It’s worth it.

What to Eat at the Ribeauvillé Christmas Markets

One reason why I love the Christmas markets in Alsace is that French food is so much better than the typical food in German Christmas markets. (Sorry, not sorry!) There are so many delicious things for sale in Ribeauvillé.

Baked goods. Between France’s croissants and Germany’s pretzels, there are so many good baked goods! Once you walk into town, you’ll see the above bakery stall on your left. I had a delicious cheesy pretzel from here.

Those giant gingerbread men-shaped brioches are called manalas. They’re a special treat for St. Nicholas Day on December 6.

Those mini bundt cakes are called kougelhopf. They are yeasted cakes and come with different flavorings — some are made with vanilla, lemon zest, or chocolate.

Wild boar. This is a specialty in Ribeauvillé — eating it is so medieval-feeling and fun! — and you’ll find that there are long lines for it most of the day. The stand is on one of the main squares on the right, shortly after you walk in, and look out for the giant spider! I recommend getting some before noon to avoid the worst of the queues.

Crepes. There is a crepes stand on the same square that sells the wild boar. You can always count on crepes anywhere in France!

Tarte flambée. This might be the most famous dish in Alsace: a thin flatbread topped with creme fraiche, bacon lardons, and onions. It’s so delicious, but eat it quickly — it gets cold fast!

Fried apple rings. There are several food stands on Place Berckheim, and one sells the most delicious fried apple rings. They’re covered in cinnamon and sugar and they make such a festive treat!

Galettes de pommes de terre. Also sold on Place Berckheim, galettes pommes de terre are like potato pancakes — so hearty and delicious.

Cheese. There is a cheese shop on the left side of the Grand Rue, shortly after you walk into town. I believe this is a temporary shop just for the Christmas season. You can sample cheeses and buy, but beware — we bought what we thought was a modest amount of cheese and it ended up costing around 60 euros. YIKES.

And by then we felt too embarrassed to say, “Oh God, that’s too much, put it back.” They had already cut it. So be careful!

And don’t forget the local restaurants. There are plenty in Ribeauvillé.

What to Drink at the Ribeauvillé Christmas Markets

Ribeauvillé’s drinks on offer are perfect for the festive season. Here are some of your options:

Elixir de L’Arboriculteur. You’ll find this nonalcoholic beverage for sale along the Grande Rue, with one stall right before Rue de l’Abbé Louis Kremp. This hot drink contains apple juice, cinnamon, and star anise. It’s as close as you’ll get to American-style apple cider!

Vin Chaud. Vin chaud, or hot mulled wine, is the unofficial drink of the Alsace Christmas markets. You can find it at stalls all over the place in Ribeauvillé! While I’m more of a red wine person, I recommend you try vin chaud with white wine, as they use really nice Alsatian white wines that are hard to find elsewhere.

Wine. Of course — it’s France; it’s everywhere. But if you’d like something special, stop in at Domaine Jean-Sipp, a local winery in the heart of town, where you can sample something local. This winery has plenty of local wines and crémants (Alsace’s answer to champagne) to try. We enjoyed stopping here for a glass.

Beer. Yes, you can find beer on the main square with the wild boar!

Coffee, cafe au lait, tea, and more. Many of the stalls in Ribeauvillé are dishing up hot caffeinated drinks, including Irish coffees, if you’re into coffee with a shot of booze. I also enjoyed a cappuccino at Cafe Paula, which was a nice place to warm up indoors.

How to Get to Ribeauvillé for the Christmas Markets

If you’re coming to the Alsace region from far away, your best option is to get to Strasbourg first. Strasbourg is home to a small airport, and has direct trains from Paris. The city is also well-connected by bus — there’s even a direct bus to my home city of Prague, which takes about seven hours.

If it’s too hairy to fly into Strasbourg and you’re not doing Paris, I recommend looking at flying into Frankfurt, Germany, or Basel, Switzerland. Frankfurt is one of the biggest air hubs in Europe, and Basel, though not as big, has more flights than Strasbourg.

From Strasbourg, you can book direct trains to Colmar, which take about 30 minutes.

It’s easiest to get to Ribeauvillé from Colmar, though there are options from other places. Here you go:

Option 1: Navettes de Noel. The Navettes de Noël are the Christmas shuttles that run in a loop from Colmar. One of the routes runs from Colmar to Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr, and Kayserberg-Vignoble, in both directions.

I booked the Christmas shuttle buses in 2024, and it was a wise decision. The buses were comfortable, ran like clockwork, and the drivers and staff couldn’t have been nicer.

The shuttles go on sale in mid-November. Check the website for details. Book immediately because they can sell out within hours! They also release a few last-minute tickets three days ahead.

Option 2: Drive. Driving is an option, but you’ll find that parking is difficult. There are seemingly never-ending lines of cars parked leading up to Ribeauvillé, and there are no parking garages.

The good news is that now there is a Park and Ride located in the nearby town of Bergheim. The address is 22 Route de Colmar 68750 Bergheim, and it’s off exit 20 from the A35 motorway. Shuttles run every 20 minutes during market hours.

Do keep in mind that if you’re driving, you won’t be able to indulge in the wine and other alcoholic beverages.

Option 3: Tour from Strasbourg or Colmar. There are organized, guided tours that depart from these two cities. Note that these tours don’t guarantee visiting any particular city, so please double-check with the operator that they are visiting Ribeauvillé that day!

You can book this tour from Strasbourg, or this tour from Colmar. Both of the tours visit several villages with Christmas markets in Alsace.

Where to Stay in Ribeauvillé (or Nearby)

When it comes to planning a Christmas trip to Alsace, you need to book as far ahead as possible. And this is even more important on the two weekends of the Ribeauvillé Christmas Market, which are the busiest weekends of all.

Should you stay right in Ribeauvillé? You can, if you’d like. You’ll get to experience the small town at night, after most of the day trippers have gone home.

However, there isn’t much accommodation available in Ribeauvillé, and therefore prices are high. Plus, you don’t necessarily need to spend multiple days in Ribeauvillé when there are so many markets in surrounding towns.

If you choose to stay in Ribeauvillé, here are the top-rated places to stay in town:

• Top-Rated Luxury Hotel in Ribeauvillé: L’Hôtel & Spa Ribeauvillé — Expensive and worth the splurge with a nice spa, hammam, and indoor pool.
• Top-Rated Mid-Range Hotel in Ribeauvillé: Hôtel Le Ménestrel — Very close to the main street, comfy rooms and great value for money.
• Top-Rated Budget Hotel in Ribeauvillé: Hotel Spa Au Chevalier Blanc — Not super budget, but the cheapest decent rooms in town.

Find deals on places to stay in Ribeauvillé here.

So if you don’t want to stay right in Ribeauvillé, where is the best place to stay? I recommend staying in Colmar or Strasbourg. These two cities have lots of hotels and more extensive public transport options.

I stayed in Colmar on my trip, and I found it to be an excellent fit for Christmas time in Alsace. Colmar is home to the main stop of the Navettes de Noel Christmas shuttles, giving you easy access all over the region.

There are also other tours that depart from Colmar, like the Alsace Wine Region tour, and the three-country Christmas market tour to Christmas markets in France, Germany, and Switzerland.

I stayed at the Ibis Budget Colmar Centre Ville, which I highly recommend.

• Top-Rated Luxury Hotel in Colmar: Hotel Le Colombier — Gorgeous rooms and so much charm, in the heart of the Le Petit Venise neighborhood.
• Top-Rated Mid-Range Hotel in Colmar: Paul & Pia Welcome Home Hotel — Really cozy and comfortable rooms, close to the train station and walkable everywhere.
• Top-Rated Budget Hotel in Colmar: Ibis Budget Colmar Centre Ville — I stayed here! Very basic, but decent rooms, private parking, and it’s walking distance from all markets.

Find deals on places to stay in Colmar here and Strasbourg here.

What about staying in other towns in the Riquewihr region, like Riquewihr or Kayserberg? I don’t recommend it. These towns have the same problems as Ribeauvillé — way too many tourists in too small of a space, making parking and getting around difficult, with limited public transportation in and out.

I think staying in those towns would be more of a headache than you’d want for a fun Christmas market trip.

Exploring the Other Alsace Christmas Markets

There are so many wonderful Christmas markets in Alsace! If you’re coming here, you should make an effort to see as many as possible.

My absolute top piece of advice is to see every market other than Ribeauvillé midweek if you can. The weekends are just too crazy. Try to avoid them, or use the weekends for slightly less popular markets like Mulhouse and Obernai.

If you’re seeing Ribeauvillé with tickets on the Christmas shuttle (Navettes de Noël), the other stops on this route are Riquewihr and Kayserberg-Vignoble. Full disclosure — these towns are just as crowded as Ribeauvillé, without the fun medieval characters.

Speaking personally, I didn’t find much value in visiting the Riquewihr Christmas market — while it was super crowded, most of the items for sale were the same mass-produced tchotchkes that you find anywhere, and there were surprisingly few food options.

Kayserberg is a bit more interesting. They are famous for their glass-blowing and art traditions, and you can find a lot of cool crafts for sale. And the scenery there is very nice, especially the half-timbered houses by the river.

You’ll almost certainly stop by Colmar, which has several different Christmas markets and some of the best Christmas decorations in all of France. I loved their carnival with the carousel bar on the Champs de Mars, and they also put on an excellent culinary market with delicious food.

Strasbourg is the big city of the region and many of their central Christmas markets tend to be filled with the same things you see everywhere else — but I recommend dropping by the alternative OFF Market for unusual items made by local artisans.

If you want to go a bit further afield, the Christmas markets in Mulhouse and Obernai are supposed to be nice, and they aren’t quite as crowded as the others mentioned. And if you have even more time, I hear the city of Metz is really underrated at Christmas!

Read More: The Problem with Alsace Christmas Markets

What to Wear at the Alsace Christmas Markets

Packing for a Christmas market trip is different from what you might ordinarily pack for a winter city break in Europe. You are going to be outdoors and standing still for most of the day. It’s important to dress for warmth.

Here are my favorite essentials for Christmas market trips:

Base layers (thermal underwear). I am a huge fan of the Uniqlo heat-teach scoop-neck top and leggings, which are very warm, affordable, and I wear all the time. I find that base layers are essential for Christmas market trips in winter or any winter trip where you’re outside much of the day because they give you an extra layer of warmth.

Warm sweater. Sweaters (or jumpers, Brits!) make the perfect mid-layer between your base layer and your outerwear. Did you know that Uniqlo makes affordable cashmere sweaters in a ton of colors?

Warm winter coat. If it’s not waterproof, that’s okay, but make sure to bring a travel umbrella.

Boots. Waterproof winter boots are ideal, as anyone who’s stepped into a deep slushy puddle can tell you. You might not need them, but they’re a good item to have in your wardrobe for winter travel. If not, you can stick to sneakers, which I did for this particular trip.

Warm socks. I am a big fan of merino wool socks, which I wear during the winter and for hiking year-round.

Hat. I’m not a hat person; nevertheless, I rocked a beanie throughout this chilly winter trip.

Speakeasy travel supply scarf. I love these scarves, which come in a variety of patterns and materials, and they come with a hidden zip-up pocket that is perfect for your valuables!

Is Ribeauvillé Christmas Market worth it?

YES, YES, YES, it’s so worth it! Ribeauvillé Christmas Market is my favorite Christmas market in Alsace, and one of my favorite Christmas markets in all of Europe. It is so different and special and full of life.

If you’re planning a trip to Alsace for the Christmas markets, I highly recommend you time your trip to one of the weekends of the Ribeauvillé Christmas Market, just so you can experience it.

I hope you have a wonderful time at the Christmas markets this year!

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Have you been to Ribeauvillé at Christmas time? Share your tips!