In 2026, four Alsace villages open their Christmas markets between 27 November and 31 December. Riquewihr opens every day until 20 December, Eguisheim until 30 December, Obernai until 31 December, and Kaysersberg only from Friday to Sunday. The Colmar shuttle is listed at €17 per person per day, to be confirmed.
Checked on against the official sources cited (noel-colmar.com, kaysersberg.com, tourisme-obernai.fr).
Four villages, four ways to spend the day. This guide compares the 2026 dates and opening hours of Kaysersberg, Riquewihr, Eguisheim and Obernai, explains car-free access and parking, then suggests a choice based on your travel style. For the Colmar market, see our Colmar Christmas market guide. Strasbourg’s city centre is covered in our Strasbourg market guide, and for something off the beaten track, see our selection of off-circuit Christmas markets.
1. Four villages, four rhythms
Riquewihr opens every day, and the press reports the biggest crowds there. Kaysersberg only runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Obernai, which the regional portal noel-colmar.com does not list, keeps its market open until 31 December. The table below gathers the official dates and opening hours, checked on 25 October 2026.
| Village | Dates 2026 | Days and hours | Car-free access | By car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaysersberg | 27 to 29 November, 4 to 6, 11 to 13 and 18 to 20 December | Friday to Sunday, 10 am to 8 pm | Colmar shuttles, lines 1 and 2, €17 per day (listed, to be confirmed) | Hinteralspach-Mauffrey park-and-ride, €4, weekends only |
| Riquewihr | Every day, from 27 November (to be confirmed) to 20 December | Monday to Friday, 10 am to 6:30 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 7 pm | Colmar shuttles, lines 1 and 2, Friday to Sunday, €17 per day (listed, to be confirmed) | Perles de Noël park-and-ride at Hunawihr, €10 including the shuttle, weekends only |
| Eguisheim | 27 November to 30 December, except 24 to 26 December | Monday to Thursday, 12 pm to 7 pm until 10 December, then 10 am to 7 pm from 14 December; Friday to Sunday, 10 am to 7 pm | Line 3 from Colmar, every day, €8 or €17 depending on the day | No park-and-ride confirmed for 2026; traffic restricted during the market |
| Obernai | 27 November to 31 December, closed 25 December | Sunday to Thursday, 10 am to 8 pm; Friday and Saturday, 10 am to 9 pm; 24 and 31 December, 10 am to 4 pm | Not served by the Colmar shuttles; TER from Strasbourg, about 30 minutes | No park-and-ride confirmed; weekend shuttles announced, no timetable published |
Source: noel-colmar.com, village pages and tourisme-obernai.fr, market listing, checked on 25 October 2026.
Choosing by travel style
- First visit: Riquewihr for its wine-village setting and its 40-plus chalets, according to most sources. Kaysersberg for a more handmade feel.
- Couples: Eguisheim on a weekday, with its wine cellars open for tastings. Kaysersberg on a Friday evening.
- Families: Obernai, which has the longest calendar and which one blog describes as quiet, or Kaysersberg on a Friday, right at opening time. Official sources say nothing about pushchairs: check the cobblestones before you go.
- Without a car: Kaysersberg or Riquewihr by shuttle from Colmar on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Eguisheim on line 3 every day, Obernai by TER from Strasbourg.
2. Getting there without a car: shuttles, TER and line 3
Without a car, the simplest route starts at Colmar station. Shuttle tickets are sold online only, and the first sales window opens before the market season begins.
Christmas shuttles from Colmar station
Lines 1 and 2 link Colmar station with Kaysersberg, Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé. On Fridays, a shuttle leaves every hour; at weekends, every 30 minutes. The ticket, listed at €17 (to be confirmed), is valid all day. Children under 12 travel free, but they need to book a free ticket. Tickets are sold exclusively online, at billetterie.l-k.fr, and sales open on Thursday 12 November at 12 pm. Places are limited: small batches go back on sale 3 days before departure. Groups are not accepted, and dogs are sometimes refused at peak times. Official Christmas shuttle page.
- Line 3: Colmar and Eguisheim every day, €8 Monday to Thursday and €17 Friday to Sunday (listed, to be confirmed).
- TER Colmar to Strasbourg: 30 to 35 minutes according to a journey planner; the official timetable was not checked.
- TER Sélestat–Ribeauvillé–Riquewihr: Sundays and public holidays only.
If you’d rather not plan the trip or the timings, a guided tour leaves from Colmar. According to the Viator listing checked on 21 October 2026, it runs by minibus with a driver and includes a wine tasting. On the Viator check of 25 October 2026, only four dates were open for two adults between 27 November and 20 December (8, 16, 17 and 20 December): check them when you book.
Shuttle lines in 2026
| Line | Route | Days | Frequency | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colmar, Kaysersberg, Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé | Friday, Saturday, Sunday | Friday every hour from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm; weekends every 30 minutes | €17 per day (listed, to be confirmed) |
| 2 | Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr, Kaysersberg, Colmar (reverse direction) | Friday, Saturday, Sunday | Friday every hour from 10 am to 7 pm; weekends every 30 minutes | €17 per day (listed, to be confirmed) |
| 3 | Colmar, Eguisheim | Every day | 4 departures on weekdays, 5 from Friday to Sunday | €8 Monday to Thursday; €17 Friday to Sunday (listed, to be confirmed) |
| 4 | Colmar, Turckheim, Munster | Friday, Saturday, Sunday | Friday 10:40 am to 5:40 pm; weekends 9:30 am to 7:30 pm | €17 (discovery ticket €10) |
| 5 | Colmar, Neuf-Brisach | Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December | Times to be confirmed | €17 |
Source: noel-colmar.com, Christmas shuttles page, checked on 25 October 2026. An extract from the same page mentions « 2026 fares to come »: check the price on the site before you buy.
3. Kaysersberg: four weekends of artisans
A craft market, weekends only
The Kaysersberg market runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays of the four Advent weekends: 27 to 29 November, 4 to 6 December, 11 to 13 December and 18 to 20 December 2026. About thirty wooden chalets set up in the Arsenal courtyard and behind the Sainte-Croix church, with selected craftspeople: blown glass, wooden toys, ceramics, textiles and decorations. The farmers’ market takes over the Place de la Mairie, with foie gras, gingerbread, honey, wines, bredalas and cheeses from the valley. Official Kaysersberg programme.
The official programme also lists concerts: at Sainte-Croix on 29 November at 3 pm and on 13 December at 4 pm, and at Kientzheim on 5 December at 5 pm. No entry price is listed for these concerts.
- Hinteralspach-Mauffrey park-and-ride, business zone, 77 route de Lapoutroie: €4 per vehicle, weekends only.
- Free shuttle, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 8:30 pm, to Place Gouraud: one shuttle every 15 minutes according to the official page; a press release says every 30 minutes, to be confirmed with the tourist office.
- Paid town-centre car parks: Théo Faller (20 rue des Tilleuls) and 5e DB Kientzheim, €4 each.
4. Riquewihr: open every day, with crowds reported in the press
Riquewihr, every day until 20 December
Riquewihr hosts the market every day, from 27 November (to be confirmed, since the official page reads « Friday 28 Nov ») to 20 December 2026. Official opening hours are 10 am to 6:30 pm Monday to Friday, and 10 am to 7 pm on Saturday and Sunday. The chalets gather on Place Fernand Zeyer, on the Esplanade des Remparts and in two side markets. The village is car-free: mulled wine, bredele, tarte flambée and gingerbread are eaten as you wander the streets. Official Riquewihr market page.
The downside is the crowds: the regional press reports large numbers at weekends and local measures (shuttles, park-and-ride). No figure is confirmed by an official source. Sources advise avoiding Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
The Perles de Noël park-and-ride, at the Naturoparc in Hunawihr, has 220 spaces. It only opens on 28 and 29 November, 5 and 6, 12 and 13, and 19 and 20 December. The €10 per vehicle fee includes the shuttle, which runs every 30 minutes from 9:45 am to 6:30 pm, and is paid in cash or by card. On weekdays, the official site lists no park-and-ride.
- Coaches: drop-off at Place Jean-Monnet, booking required Friday to Sunday, €90 (€120 on the day).
5. Eguisheim: the most compact, until 30 December
A round village, with cellars open
Eguisheim’s streets wind in concentric circles around the Château Saint-Léon. The village, one of France’s Most Beautiful Villages (Plus Beaux Villages de France), hosts some thirty artisans and makers selling decorations, pottery and carved wood. Several wine cellars open for tastings of Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris. On the food side, there is spiced mulled wine, bredalas, flammekueche and gingerbread. The village has no station: line 3 leaves from Colmar station. Official Eguisheim page.
Opening hours change during the period. From 27 November to 10 December, the market opens 12 pm to 7 pm Monday to Thursday; from 14 December, 10 am to 7 pm Monday to Thursday. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, it opens 10 am to 7 pm throughout the period. The official site does not give the hours for 11 to 13 December: check before you go on those days.
Parking is the tricky part. A 2025 municipal order cuts traffic and limits parking during market hours. We could not find the 2026 order: before driving, check with the town hall, or take line 3, which runs every day.
The night watchman, in period costume with an accordionist, makes his rounds at 5 pm. The municipal newsletter mentions rounds on Tuesdays and Fridays at 5 pm, but no official source confirms the 2026 dates: ask the tourist office before planning an evening around the round.
- Saint-Léon Chapel: visits by arrangement, open 8 am to 6 pm according to the tourist office (undated page), price not published.
6. Obernai: the longest calendar and mulled wine from the cauldron
Obernai, until 31 December
The Christmas Market of Gastronomy and Crafts (Marché de Noël de la Gastronomie et de l’Artisanat) takes over the Place du Marché, the Place du Beffroi, the Place de l’Étoile and Place Neher, with 45 wooden chalets. It is open Sunday to Thursday, 10 am to 8 pm; Friday and Saturday until 9 pm; 10 am to 4 pm on 24 and 31 December; and closed on 25 December. Entry is free. Official market listing.
White mulled wine from Obernai is served from the cauldron of the Corporation des vignerons, on the Place du Marché. Every evening from 1 to 24 December, the town hall façade hosts the video-mapping « Les fenêtres de l’Avent » (Advent windows), at 6 pm and 7 pm. Among the guides we checked, only the town’s official listing mentions this event.
Obernai is not served by the Colmar shuttles. You reach it by TER from Strasbourg, about 30 minutes according to journey planners, or from Colmar with a change, between 1 h 03 and 1 h 23 according to a SNCF Connect screenshot from July 2026. The tourist office announces free shuttles from the outer car parks, with no timetable published: call them at Place du Beffroi, on +33 3 88 95 64 13, before driving.
- Advent windows video-mapping every evening from 1 to 24 December, at 6 pm and 7 pm.
- White mulled wine from Obernai served from the cauldron, Place du Marché.
- Open on 31 December from 10 am to 4 pm; closed on 25 December.
7. Budget: entry is free, transport costs the most
Entry is free at all four markets. The real cost is transport, especially for a group. Official sources publish no prices for mulled wine or food, so we give no figures for those costs.
| Item | 2026 price | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Market entry | Free in all four villages | Listed; Riquewihr based on guides, to be confirmed |
| Colmar shuttle, adult, per day | €17 | Listed on 25 October, to be confirmed |
| Colmar shuttle, under 12 | Free, with a free ticket to book | Listed on 25 October, to be confirmed |
| Line 3 to Eguisheim | €8 Monday to Thursday; €17 Friday to Sunday | Listed on 25 October, to be confirmed |
| Kaysersberg park-and-ride | €4 per vehicle, weekends only | Listed on 25 October on noel-colmar.com |
| Riquewihr park-and-ride | €10 per vehicle, shuttle included, weekends only | Listed on 25 October on noel-colmar.com |
| Parking in Obernai | Not published | Not confirmed for 2026 |
| Mulled wine and food | Not published | Not checked |
Source: noel-colmar.com, Christmas shuttles, Kaysersberg practical info and Riquewihr practical info, checked on 25 October 2026.
Example for a family of four, two adults and two children under 12, travelling from Colmar to Riquewihr without a car: two adult tickets at €17 listed (to be confirmed), so €34 per day, with children travelling free on a ticket to book. By car, the park-and-ride costs €10 for the whole vehicle, shuttle included, but only at weekends.
8. Field tips and mistakes to avoid
- Don’t rely on the first-day date at Riquewihr. The official page mentions a « Friday 28 November » with 10 am to 8 pm hours, but 28 November 2026 falls on a Saturday. 27 November is the probable date, not yet confirmed. Check the first-day hours with the tourist office before you plan.
- Book the shuttle early. Tickets are sold exclusively online, at billetterie.l-k.fr, and sales open on Thursday 12 November at 12 pm. Places are limited, small batches go back on sale 3 days before departure, and groups are not accepted.
- Wear flat shoes. The centres are medieval, with cobbles, slopes and sometimes ice in December. None of the sources we found documents step-free access in these villages, and none mention pushchairs, so check this yourself. Before coming with a pushchair or wheelchair, contact the Kaysersberg tourist office (39 rue du Général de Gaulle, 68240 Kaysersberg Vignoble, +33 3 89 78 22 78) or Eguisheim’s (22A Grand’Rue, 68420 Eguisheim, +33 3 89 23 40 33). For Riquewihr, we have no confirmed number: the office website did not respond when we checked.
- Don’t rely on the bus numbers quoted by guides. The Fluo network renumbered its lines on 1 September 2026. Lines 816 and 817, quoted by guides, are not confirmed: check timetables on the network’s website.
- Don’t park on the road in Eguisheim during the market. Traffic is cut or restricted. The one-way system on rue de la 1re Armée appears in the November 2025 municipal newsletter.
- Don’t rely on the press attendance figures. None is confirmed by an official source, including the one circulating for Riquewihr.
9. What other guides don’t tell you
Five points checked on official pages, one of them still to be confirmed, consulted on 25 October 2026.
- Riquewihr, the park-and-ride only opens four weekends. Guides mention a « park-and-ride » without dates or prices. The official page lists 28 and 29 November, 5 and 6, 12 and 13, and 19 and 20 December only, at €10 including the shuttle. noel-colmar.com, Riquewihr practical info (consulted 25 October 2026).
- Kaysersberg, a shuttle every 15 minutes according to the official page. Guides give no frequency. The official page announces a free shuttle, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 8:30 pm, to Place Gouraud, leaving every 15 minutes. A press release says 30 minutes: that is the point to confirm with the tourist office. noel-colmar.com, Kaysersberg parking (consulted 25 October 2026).
- Eguisheim, two sets of hours. Guides give 10 am to 7 pm every day. The official page lists Monday to Thursday, 12 pm to 7 pm until 10 December, then 10 am to 7 pm from 14 December. noel-colmar.com, Eguisheim (consulted 25 October 2026).
- Riquewihr, the train only runs on Sundays. The TER Sélestat–Ribeauvillé–Riquewihr line only runs on Sundays and public holidays. Guides that recommend the train to Riquewihr leave out this restriction. noel-colmar.com, Riquewihr practical info (consulted 25 October 2026).
- Obernai, a video-mapping missing from national guides. « Les fenêtres de l’Avent » plays every evening from 1 to 24 December at 6 pm and 7 pm, on the town hall. Only the official town listing mentions it. tourisme-obernai.fr, market listing (consulted 25 October 2026).
10. Practical info before you go
To check the shuttle and TER timetables on the go without hunting for Wi-Fi, an eSIM can be activated before you leave, without changing your SIM card.
Plans depend on duration and data volumeSlippery cobbles, steep streets and train delays are all possible in December. Compare the cover before you go.
Plans vary by age and length of stay11. Frequently asked questions
Riquewihr or Kaysersberg Christmas market: which should you choose?
Choose Riquewihr for more than 40 chalets, since it opens every day, from 27 November (probable date, to be confirmed) to 20 December. Choose Kaysersberg for a calmer craft market that only runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays of the four Advent weekends, from 10 am to 8 pm. Both are reached by shuttle from Colmar, listed at €17 per person per day, to be confirmed.
Where can I park in Riquewihr for the Christmas market?
The easiest option is the Perles de Noël park-and-ride, at the Naturoparc in Hunawihr. It only opens at weekends (28 and 29 November, 5 and 6, 12 and 13, 19 and 20 December) and costs €10 per vehicle, shuttle included. The shuttle runs every 30 minutes from 9:45 am to 6:30 pm. On weekdays, the official site lists no park-and-ride or shuttle: check the connections before you go.
Where can I park for the Kaysersberg Christmas market?
The Hinteralspach-Mauffrey park-and-ride costs €4 per vehicle, but only on Saturdays and Sundays. A free shuttle runs to Place Gouraud, from 10 am to 8:30 pm: every 15 minutes according to the official page, every 30 minutes according to a press release, to be confirmed. The town-centre car parks, Théo Faller and 5e DB Kientzheim, cost €4 each.
Where can I park for the Eguisheim Christmas market?
We found no official park-and-ride for 2026. Traffic is cut and parking limited during market hours, under the 2025 municipal order; we did not find the 2026 order. The safest option is line 3 from Colmar station, which runs every day: €8 Monday to Thursday, €17 Friday to Sunday (listed, to be confirmed).
Where can I park for the Obernai Christmas market?
No park-and-ride is confirmed for 2026. The tourist office announces free weekend shuttles from the outer car parks, with no timetable published. The TER from Strasbourg, about 30 minutes, avoids the parking problem. Check with the tourist office, on Place du Beffroi, before you leave.
Can you visit the villages without a car?
Yes. From Colmar station, the Christmas shuttles serve Kaysersberg and Riquewihr on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, for a listed price of €17 per person per day, to be confirmed. Line 3 serves Eguisheim every day. Obernai is not served by these shuttles: you reach it by TER from Strasbourg, about 30 minutes. Shuttle tickets are sold online only.
Are the village Christmas markets free?
Yes, entry is free in all four villages. The official pages consulted for Obernai, Kaysersberg and Eguisheim confirm it; for Riquewihr, it rests on the official noel-colmar.com pages and on guides. The costs therefore come from transport: shuttles listed at €17 per day for an adult (to be confirmed), park-and-rides at €4 or €10. Official sources do not publish food prices.
Sources
- noel-colmar.com, Kaysersberg page: market dates and hours
- noel-colmar.com, Riquewihr market: dates and hours
- noel-colmar.com, Riquewihr practical info: park-and-ride, TER, motorhomes, coaches
- noel-colmar.com, Eguisheim: hours and events
- noel-colmar.com, Christmas shuttles: lines, fares, ticketing
- noel-colmar.com, Kaysersberg parking and shuttle: park-and-ride and shuttle
- kaysersberg.com, Christmas in the Kaysersberg valley: programme and concerts
- tourisme-obernai.fr, Christmas market: dates, hours, video-mapping
- Eguisheim municipal newsletter, November 2025: traffic order and one-way street
Consulted on 25 October 2026. Press guides and aggregators (JDS, Onivapp, Lonely Planet) are only used to confirm a point or to flag one to check.
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