At the height of the winter season, we decided to discover the Christmas festivities from a more typical angle, that of Alsace. You'll find our experiences and tips on a series of towns and villages, including Strasbourg and Colmar, to name the biggest.
If you love Christmas trees, tinsel, lights, mulled wine, tartiflette, pretzels and snow, you've come to the right place.
Day 1: Strasbourg
Our journey began on a Thursday to make the most of a long winter weekend. We set off from Brussels and reached Strasbourg in the afternoon. We stayed in the Tandem hotel, which is very well located, comfortable and offers a great breakfast buffet. They have a partnership with the Sainte Aurélie car park, making it very convenient to arrive by car.
Once we'd settled in, we were able to wander around the centre of Strasbourg at random and start enjoying the joys of Christmas. The city is fully decorated for the festive season and we started with the Place Kléber and its big Christmas tree, where we enjoyed our first mulled red wine and a munstiflette (mix of tartiflette and Munster cheese).
Our tour then took us through a smaller market to reach the Place du Château and its unmissable cathedral. These markets are very attractive and we were convinced by a white mulled wine this time and one of those famous pretzels.
A short but very pleasant interlude, the city's public baths and its wellness area. We enjoyed a warm and relaxing break in the various Roman baths, saunas, hammams and jacuzzis. There even is an outdoor area with a heated pool, which must be fabulous when the snow falls.
Once we were invigorated, we took a little tour of the city, which is even more magical once night falls and the lights are switched on. We were able to visit the restaurant la Hache for great French food. The long day ended with a short tour of the pretty Petite France district.
Day 2: Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr, Kaysersberg and Munster
On Friday, we started the day with a delicious breakfast at the Tandem hotel. This was followed by another visit to Little France to enjoy the view of the canals and Alsatian houses in the sunshine.
The rest of the day was spent visiting the region's typical Christmas villages. Ribeauvillé was first on the list, and even though the market wasn't open that day, we were able to find some good local wine. We then moved on to Riquewihr, which was very pretty and decorated entirely for the season, with Christmas songs playing throughout the village. We tried our hand at hot apple juice and chestnuts.
Kaysersberg marked our third stop and was another great experience. The darkness really helps to highlight the decorations on the facades and in the shops. We enjoyed a pan-fried Alsatian dish and another mulled wine despite the crowds.
Our tour ended with Munster, where we will be staying for the remaining two nights. A quick trip to the town's Christmas market was followed by an Alpenhorn concert. With our stomachs screaming, we ate some delicious burgers at la Planque restaurant.
Day 3: Colmar and Eguisheim
Saturday kicked off with some typical viennoiseries like bear paw before we headed to Colmar for its famous Christmas market. There's a beautiful historic centre that's very typical of the region, and an area that looks a bit like Venice with its canals. The city is magnificent and could have been our favourite if it hadn't been so crowded. At times, it's hard to move forward because the crowds are so dense.
We missed the boat trip because it was fully booked, but we made up for it with mulled wine and a ride on the Big wheel. For €9 you can enjoy 10 minutes with a breathtaking view over the city. We found a charming little courtyard where we tried one of the famous flammekueches with bacon and mushrooms.
Eguisheim is a small village not far from Colmar and we were seduced by its atmosphere. There's a slightly medieval feel to the Christmas decorations, which works really well. We tasted a new pretzel and took a tour of the village.
Back in Munster, we tried an unsuccessful course of lights and then moved on to a nice restaurant. The Malkers served us Alsatian dishes made from organic and local produce..
Day 4: Snow in the Vosges
Our last day was filled with sunshine and we decided to take a little altitude in the Vosges to enjoy the snow. The Domaine des Trois Fours offered us a short but beautiful hike with our feet in the snow. The views from the Hohneck and Krappenfels are impressive.
There are some great-looking cross-country ski trails, but unfortunately you have to go further afield to hire equipment. This will be an experience for another adventure.
This stay was a great source of pleasure. We were treated to a multitude of meals and drinks, architectural and decorative gems and breathtaking views. We can't wait to do something like this again, perhaps in Germany or even Belgium!
We hope you found all the useful info from us, and you got inspired and excited about this one!
Enjoy your next trip!
