Colmar Christmas Market: What Six Markets in One Small Town Actually Feels Like

We visited Colmar on the same Christmas trip as Strasbourg. They’re less than an hour apart by train, but the two cities feel very different at Christmas. Strasbourg is bigger and busier, while Colmar is much smaller and easier to cover in a day. Colmar is already one of the prettiest towns in France, so it doesn’t take much to make it feel like Christmas. Add lights, decorated half-timbered houses and six small markets spread through the old town and there’s a lot to see for such a small place.

Colmar doesn’t have one central Christmas market. There are six spread through the old town, so you see most of Colmar just by walking between them.

Six Markets, One Small Old Town

Place des Dominicains is one of the main markets, set beside the Dominican Church with stalls selling crafts, decorations, food and hot drinks. It’s a good place to start before heading toward the smaller markets.

From there, the markets lead you through the old town. Half-timbered houses line the narrow streets, Christmas lights hang overhead and every few blocks you come across another small group of stalls. None of the individual markets are especially big, but that works in Colmar because the town itself is a big part of the reason to go.

Petite Venise at Christmas

Petite Venise was our favorite part of Colmar at Christmas. The market sits along the canal and is smaller than Place des Dominicains. It’s also a good stop if you’re traveling with kids, with a carousel, puppet shows and a giant letterbox for letters to Santa.

If you only have a few hours in Colmar, I’d make sure you see Petite Venise and then walk through the old town toward Place des Dominicains. You don’t need to force yourself to check off all six markets.

Food and Wine in the Heart of Alsace

You’ll find a lot of the same Alsatian food in Colmar that you see in Strasbourg, including flammekueche, bretzels and vin chaud. Colmar is right in Alsace wine country, though, so wine is a bigger part of the experience here.

Colmar Christmas Market 2026: Dates and Hours

Colmar's markets are officially confirmed to run November 23 through December 29, 2026, with the Gourmet Market staying open a bit longer, through January 3, 2027. Hours run Monday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the Gourmet Market open later most days. Expect shortened hours on Christmas Eve and a later opening on Christmas Day itself.

Practical Tips for Visiting

Go at night if you can. The lights on the half-timbered buildings are one of the best parts of Colmar at Christmas.

Bring cash alongside a card. Smaller stalls, especially in the wine and food sections, are more likely to be cash-only than the bigger craft stalls.

You can see a lot of Colmar in half a day, but give yourself a full day if you want to visit all six markets without rushing. We paired it with Strasbourg and think the two work really well together.

Where to Stay in Colmar

If you're visiting Colmar for the Christmas markets, stay in or close to the old town if you can. The center is compact and most of the markets are within walking distance of each other, so you won't need a car once you're there.

Use the map below to compare hotels and prices in central Colmar. We’re also putting together a full Where to Stay in Colmar guide with specific hotel recommendations.

Continue Planning Your Alsace Christmas Trip

We visited Colmar and Strasbourg on the same Christmas trip and would absolutely recommend doing both. They’re less than an hour apart by train and feel very different from each other.

For the full lineup of markets we've covered, see our guide to the best Christmas markets in Europe, or browse more Christmas markets in France.