France / Champagne & Alsace / StrasbourgStrasbourg
Half-Timbered Petite France and the Oldest Christmas Market
Alsace's capital on the German border: a pink sandstone cathedral with an astronomical clock, the canals and half-timbered houses of Petite France, boat tours past the European Parliament, and winstubs serving tarte flambée and choucroute. Its Christmas market, the Christkindelsmärik, dates from 1570 and fills the old town from late November to late December. Kehl in Germany is across the Rhine by tram; Germany is a separate country, also in Schengen. TGVs from Paris take about 1 h 50.
Highlights
- Cathedral and its astronomical clock
- Petite France canals
- Batorama boat tour
- Christkindelsmärik Christmas market
- Tarte flambée in a winstub
- European Parliament quarter
- Barrage Vauban terrace view
- Tram to Kehl across the Rhine
Things to do
- Cathedral, its astronomical clock (12:30 show) and the platformMorning · 2h
- Petite France and the covered bridgesAfternoon · 2h
- Batorama boat tourAfternoon · 1h 30m
- Winstub dinner: tarte flambée and Alsace wineEvening · 2h
- Christmas market walkDecEvening · 2h 30m
Tours & tickets
Tourisma may earn a small commission if you book — it never changes your price.
When to go
Best time: May – September; late November – December for the Christmas market
Worth knowing
Christmas Markets: Book Rooms Early
From late November to late December Strasbourg's Christmas market draws millions: rooms cost far more and sell out by summer, TGVs from Paris fill up at weekends, and there are bag checks at the entry points to the old town. Come on a weekday if you can.
- Fête de la Musique — Free music on streets, squares and bar terraces all evening and night in every town, on the longest day. Public transport runs late in Paris; streets in the centres are packed.
- Christmas markets of Alsace · Strasbourg from 27 Nov (closing date not yet published); Colmar 23 Nov – 29 Dec — Strasbourg's Christkindelsmärik (since 1570) and Colmar's six markets fill the old towns with wooden stalls, mulled wine and bredele biscuits. Weekend crowds are heavy and bag checks are in place at the entry points; rooms cost much more and sell out, so book by summer or stay a short train ride away.