Discover the Mulhouse Christmas market in Alsace © French Moments
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Last Updated: 18 November 2023

You’ve been to the Strasbourg and Colmar Christmas markets. And you’re looking for another fantastic festive market in Alsace? You’ll have to go to Mulhouse, Alsace’s second most-populated city, to the South of Alsace. The Mulhouse Christmas market is a not-to-miss event in the area. It will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2020. What started as a small market has become so popular over the years, one of the most visited Christmas markets in Alsace, alongside Strasbourg and Colmar. Over Advent, more than 1.5 million visitors experience an enchanting Christmas in Mulhouse. I hope you’ll like it as much as I did!

 

The location of the Mulhouse Christmas Market

 

The Mulhouse Christmas market occupies the very central Place de la Réunion.

This is the main square of the old Mulhouse. Well-known monuments illuminated for Christmas border the square:

The neo-Gothic Temple St. Etienne (France’s tallest Protestant church at 97 metres high).

Mulhouse Christmas Market © French Moments
The neo-Gothic Temple St. Etienne, Mulhouse © French Moments

The remarkable painted-façade of the former Town-Hall, a masterpiece of Renaissance style in the Upper Rhine.

Mulhouse Christmas Market © French Moments
The former town-hall of Mulhouse © French Moments

And a number of old buildings dating from the Renaissance era.

Mulhouse Christmas Market © French Moments
Old buildings from the Renaissance, place de la Réunion © French Moments

A Ferris wheel dominating the market

Until 2019, a 38 metre tall Ferris Wheel stood in the centre of the square.

Mulhouse Christmas Market © French Moments
The Ferris Well of Christmas in Mulhouse © French Moments

It offered a fantastic view over the Christmas market spread out across Place de la Réunion, as well as the neo-Gothic façade of the St. Etienne Protestant church and the roofs of the old town of Mulhouse.

Mulhouse Christmas Market © French Moments
The view from the Ferris Wheel, Mulhouse © French Moments
No Ferris wheel from 2021!

⚠️ The Christmas Ferris wheel is gone from the 2021 edition.

Why? The municipality has announced the disappearance of this flagship attraction to allow visitors to stroll around in peace, “without feeling like they’re standing shoulder to shoulder with the others”. To save space and to separate the 80 chalets, the Ferris wheel will no longer dominate the centre of the Place de la Réunion.

The market around the St. Etienne Temple

Originally the Christmas market only occupied the square.

Mulhouse Christmas Market © French Moments
Mulhouse Christmas Market on place de la Réunion © French Moments

Over the last couple of years it was extended to the streets around the St. Etienne Temple: rue de la Lanterne, rue Roger Jacquel and place Lambert.

Mulhouse Christmas Market © French Moments
Rue de la Lanterne, Mulhouse © French Moments

87 wooden chalets make up the Christmas market, including 25 dedicated to food and beverages.

Mulhouse Christmas Market © French Moments
By the fountain of the Hallebardier © French Moments

The rich fabric of the Christmas market

The Mulhouse Christmas market is themed on rich fabric. Each year in December, thousands of metres of fabric decorate the Christmas market and make it different from any other market.

Mulhouse Christmas Market © French Moments
The 2018 Christmas Fabric of Mulhouse © French Moments

It is not by chance that Mulhouse uses extensively rich fabric in an extravagant way! In the past, the city was known for its powerful textile industry and the city hosts a renowned Textile museum. Between 2014 and 2016, the Christmas market was even renamed Les Étofféeries.

The 2018 Fabric © French Moments
The 2018 Christmas Fabric of Mulhouse © French Moments

The Christmas tree on Place des Victoires

On Place des Victoires, just a stone’s throw from Place de la Réunion, stands the 30 metre-tall Christmas tree from the Vosges mountains.

Mulhouse Christmas Market © French Moments
The Christmas tree on Place des Victoires, Mulhouse © French Moments

Each year the decoration at its foot is renewed. In 2018 the theme was “a catastrophic slide”.


The Children’s Christmas village on the Place de la Bourse

Head to Place de la Bourse to discover the village dedicated to children. The decoration is the work of local artists and is inspired by the world of the famous nutcracker tale. Come on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays for special animations and activities.


The Christmas lights in the streets of Mulhouse

Don’t miss strolling along the main streets of the historic town to discover the spectacular fairy lights.

Gigantic luminous arches adorn Rue Mercière between Place des Victoires and Place de la Réunion.

Mulhouse Christmas Market © French Moments
The luminous arches of rue Mercière, Mulhouse © French Moments

The shopping streets of rue des Boulangers and rue Henriette are finely decorated.

Mulhouse Christmas Market © French Moments
Rue Henriette in Mulhouse © French Moments

Maybe you’ll find some exciting animations when strolling in the old town.

Such as alpine horn players…

Alpine horn players © French Moments
Alpine horn players © French Moments

And St. Nicolas!

Saint-Nicolas © French Moments
St Nicolas in Rue Mercière © French Moments

In 2019, the Mulhouse Christmas market starts on 23 November and ends on 29 December (closed on 25/12).


English-French Vocabulary

Mulhouse Christmas Market 02 © French Moments
Mulhouse Christmas Market © French Moments

(f) for féminin, (m) for masculin, (adj) for adjective and (v) for verbs

  • Advent = Avent (m)
  • Christmas market = marché de Noël (m)
  • Christmas tree = sapin de Noël, arbre de Noël (m)
  • fabrics = étoffes (f,p)
  • Father Christmas = Père Noël (m)
  • Ferris wheel = grande roue (f)
  • holiday season = période de Noël (f), temps des fêtes (m)
  • Santa = Père Noël (m)
  • square = place (f)
  • street = rue (f)

Find out more about Mulhouse and Alsace


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Christmas in Paris ebook
Journey to the Land of Christmas
About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of Discovery Courses and books about France.

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