Christmas markets in Strasbourg

Some 300 booths across 11 sites will form one of Europe’s largest Christmas markets and the oldest one in Alsace. Explore the city that is Christmas central!

• The historic market on place Broglie
• The most delicious markets in Strasbourg
• Alsace’s market of Christmas delicacies
• Small Christmas markets​​​​​​​
• The guest country market​​​​​​​
• The sharing caring village​​​​​​​
• Strasbourg Cathedral at Christmas

In the Middle Ages, the stalls were set up near the Cathedral to mark Saint Nicolas’ Day. In the 16th century, the city became protestant, as did the Cathedral (from 1529). In 1570, the Pastor raised objections against the market dedicated to a non-protestant saint, and so the same year the Marché de l’enfant Jésus (Market of the Infant Jesus) opened 3 days before Christmas! The artisans offer candles, wooden objects, small gift items and more.

In 1830 the market was transferred to place Kléber, and in 1870 to place Broglie. There you could buy decorative items, Nativity scene figurines, artisanal creations and more. In the 1990s there were more and more markets popping up, and Christmas activities too, but the Market of the Infant Jesus remained at place Broglie!

Today

At the entrance, a garlanded gateway reads “Christkindelsmärik” (which translates as The Market of the Infant Jesus), highlighting its origins stretching back in time.

It is an immense market where you will find a wide variety of treats: sweets, gingerbread, fruit skewers dipped in chocolate, mulled wine and everything you need for a beautiful and happy Christmas: costumes, advent trees, nativity figurines, decorations and more. As for gifts, you will find several stalls offering wooden, metal and glass handcrafted items.

I liked:

Mireille Oster’s gingerbread. It’s an institution in Strasbourg! Mireille’s mother had a stall on the market years ago. You can also visit the shop, which is open all year round, at 14 Rue Des Dentelles. Her recipe: flour, honey, spices, butter and love!

Alsace boasts lots of culinary specialities, and the Christmas period brings special treats for foodies. For food shopping, here are two markets in Strasbourg which specialise in special foods for a wonderful Christmas.

The market where Alsace’s hard core of small-scale growers set out their stalls

If you can’t find any inspiration for your Christmas dinner, head to place des Meuniers in the Petite France neighbourhood. It’s not the biggest market, but you can shop knowing that you can’t go wrong as all of the produce is excellent.

 There is nothing but local products on sale: foie gras from Alsace, snails from Kochersberg, preserves from Climont, aromatic herbs and cheeses, mushrooms and much more.

Tasted and approved: the goose foie gras and the mint eggnog!

Place d'Austerlitz turns into a paradise of flavour 

Bakers from Strasbourg and the surrounding region, the wine-growers of the Couronne d’Or, producers of premium Alsatian foie gras and La Tribu des Gourmets du Vin d’Alsace showcase the region’s produce: Bredle biscuits, Alsatian wines, mulled wine and foie gras. You can even make your own premium foie gras, taste Alsatian foie gras with wine, bake a Kougelhopf or pâté, and enter the best pancake competition.

I liked: The huge bakery with its enormous Kougelhopfs.

A number of small markets are dotted across the city, lending it a generally festive atmosphere.

The Three Kings market

On the balcony of the house on place Benjamin-Zix, the three kings on the balcony of the Maison des Tanneurs look down on the market at their feet. There you will mostly find Christmas decorations and a few gift ideas.

I liked: the Meisenthal glass tree decorations. Of course, the price is not the same as that of a bauble made in China, but these look so much nicer. Some Strasbourg locals buy one each year to build up a collection.

is held on place Gutenberg. Every year a guest country takes up residence and sets out its stalls of local produce and traditional items, showcases its culinary specialities and more.

I liked: the 10-metre high blue tree on place Gutenberg has become a Christmas mainstay!

is held on place Kléber, at the foot of the big Christmas tree. Charities and humanitarian organisations offer Christmas decorations, cakes and cards and mulled wine tastings and collect donations and toys to help those in need.

I liked: the Christmas spirit and the big Christmas tree from the Vosges area which has stood on place Kléber since 1994. It’s some 30 metres high, with a decorated lawn around it.

In December, the Cathedral gets ready and sets out its 19th-century nativity scene and wall hangings. In the square, Christmas booths offer Advent specialities.

The market around the Cathedral

The booths are set up on the Cathedral esplanade, offering mulled wine, toffee apples, Alsatian cakes, wooden objects and more.

With its cheery atmosphere, it’s the not-to-be-missed spot for those visiting the city centre. It’s the right place to start a tour through all of Strasbourg’s Christmas markets.

The nativity scene

On the south verge of the cathedral, a painted wooden nativity set represents the scenes of Jesus’ birth: the annunciation, the birth, the three kings and more. 

The different scenes are large enough that all the details and symbols can be easily seen by all spectators.

The tapestries

The tapestries in the Cathedral are only on view during Advent. This unique set of fourteen 17th century tapestries were created for Notre-Dame de Paris and purchased by Strasbourg Cathedral in 1739. The tapestries portray the life of the Virgin Mary over 350 m2.

Pay special attention to the borders edging the tapestries, decorated with little angel motifs, garlands of foliage and fruits, prophet figures and the emblem of Richelieu in the upper corners and that of the Canon Le Masle in the lower corners.