Riquewihr Christmas Market is one of the highlights of the festive season in Alsace, drawing visitors to one of the most beautiful villages in France. Surrounded by vineyards and filled with charming half-timbered houses, Riquewihr offers a truly fairytale setting in the run-up to Christmas.
Riquewihr Christmas Market
The Riquewihr Christmas Market is often considered one of the most beautiful in Alsace, and it is easy to understand why.
Set among half-timbered houses, hidden courtyards and narrow cobbled streets, it enjoys a wonderfully picturesque setting that feels almost made for the festive season.
Every year, more than a hundred stalls welcome thousands of visitors, offering a wide range of Christmas goods, local crafts and seasonal treats.
On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during Advent, the market expands further along the village’s main street, Rue du Général de Gaulle, giving the whole historic centre an even more festive atmosphere.
One of the most original ideas developed in the Riquewihr area in recent years is the concept of the “Caves de Noël”, or Christmas cellars.
These special events give visitors the chance to discover not only the region’s wines but also the deep connection between Alsatian winemaking and Christmas traditions.
In wine cellars specially decorated for the season, visitors are invited into a warm and intimate atmosphere where they can take part in a variety of themed cultural activities.
These may include discovering Christmas traditions in Alsace, exploring local crafts, enjoying food workshops, learning more about wine production, and tasting regional specialities.
It is a lovely way to experience the festive spirit of Alsace through both its culture and its vineyards.
Like many villages along the picturesque Alsace Wine Route, Riquewihr takes on a special charm at Christmas.
Its streets sparkle with festive lights and seasonal decorations, adding even more beauty to an already enchanting setting.
From the medieval Dolder gate to the Town Hall, Rue du Général de Gaulle is lined with wonderfully adorned half-timbered houses, each one seeming lovelier than the last.
At this time of year, the whole village feels like a Christmas card brought to life.
The Christmas shop: “la féerie de Noël”
Near the Dolder, a giant Nutcracker stands guard outside one of the most enchanting shops in the village: the Christmas shop La Féerie de Noël.
Open all year round, this remarkable boutique spreads festive cheer across two levels and offers visitors an experience that feels almost like stepping into a miniature Christmas world.
Inside, the decoration is part of the attraction. Visitors follow a one-way route through a charming re-creation of a snowy Alsatian village.
A little street leads towards a balcony overlooking a tiny town square, at the centre of which stands an impressive white Christmas tree measuring 4.5 metres high.
The space is accessible by staircase and has been designed to immerse visitors in a magical festive setting rather than simply display merchandise on shelves.
Along the way, each carefully arranged scene showcases a wide variety of Christmas ornaments, including figurines, angels, Santa Clauses, baubles and many other festive decorations.
Further on, the visit continues through a woodland-inspired setting, with fir trees adorned with colourful balls and delicate glass ornaments.
Upstairs, the final part of the shop features more traditional Alsatian decorative items, such as doilies, candles, candlesticks and a range of other seasonal objects.
More than just a shop, La Féerie de Noël is one of those places that adds to the unique festive atmosphere of Riquewihr and helps explain why the village is such a memorable destination during the Christmas season.
A good base for exploring other Christmas markets
Riquewihr also makes an excellent base for discovering other popular Christmas markets in Alsace and just across the border.
From here, visitors can easily explore festive favourites such as Ribeauvillé, Kaysersberg, Colmar, Eguisheim, Sélestat, and even Freiburg im Breisgau in Germany.
For travellers planning a wider Christmas itinerary, that makes Riquewihr not just a beautiful destination in its own right, but also a very convenient place to stay.
About Riquewihr
As soon as you arrive in Riquewihr, you have the feeling that this is exactly the kind of Alsatian village people dream of finding.
Surrounded by vineyards and protected from the northern winds by the Vosges Mountains, it enjoys a beautiful setting that feels both peaceful and timeless.
Its half-timbered houses, painted in cheerful shades of red, green and yellow, give the village a wonderfully picturesque character.
Beyond its postcard beauty, Riquewihr also has real historic depth.
The village is still partly enclosed by the remains of its 13th-century ramparts, while its cobbled main street is lined with elegant Renaissance houses, side alleys and charming hidden courtyards.
As the street rises gently through the village, it leads towards the Dolder, the famous 25-metre belfry built of timber and pink sandstone from the Vosges, which has watched over Riquewihr for centuries.
Find out more about Riquewihr.
Where to stay in Riquewihr
If you are tempted to linger a little longer, staying overnight in Riquewihr can be a wonderful choice.
Once the busiest part of the day is over and many visitors have left, the village often feels quieter, gentler and even more atmospheric.
It also makes an excellent base for exploring the surrounding vineyards and other villages along the Alsace Wine Route.
There is a good range of accommodation in Riquewihr, from hotels and guesthouses to holiday rentals and even a campsite.
Among the most charming options in and around the historic village are:
Best Western Hotel Le Schœnenbourg 3*
Gîtes Les Remparts de Riquewihr****
Camping de Riquewihr
To compare locations and find the option that suits you best, it is worth checking the full accommodation map before booking.
How to get to Riquewihr
By train
Riquewihr does not have its own railway station, so the easiest option is to travel by train to Colmar, which is the nearest major station.
From there, you can continue to Riquewihr by car, taxi or regional bus.
Colmar has rail connections with major cities such as Paris, Strasbourg, Basel and Lyon, making it the most convenient gateway for visitors arriving by train.
SNCF currently shows regular services from Colmar to Paris, Basel, Strasbourg and Lyon.
By car
Riquewihr is easy to reach by road and sits just off the Alsace Wine Route, one of the most scenic drives in eastern France.
The Ribeauvillé-Riquewihr tourist office notes that the village is accessed from the A35 motorway, notably via the Ribeauvillé/Riquewihr/Ostheim exit.
For visitors driving from nearby cities, Riquewihr is roughly 15 km from Colmar, about 65 km from Strasbourg, around 70 km from Mulhouse, and a little over 70 km from EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg by road.
For longer drives, it is best to keep the wording approximate rather than overly precise, as routes can vary.
In practice, Riquewihr is also a straightforward drive from Freiburg im Breisgau, Basel, Nancy and Paris, and it fits very naturally into a wider Alsace road trip.
By air
The two most practical airports for reaching Riquewihr are Strasbourg Airport and EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg.
In reality, EuroAirport is usually the closer and more convenient of the two for international visitors, with road and public transport links into Alsace.
The airport itself states that it offers regular transport connections towards France, while onward travel to the Riquewihr area is typically made via Colmar.
For many travellers, especially those coming from abroad, flying into Basel-Mulhouse and then continuing by car or train-plus-bus is often the simplest option.
Those arriving via Strasbourg Airport may find it especially convenient if they plan to combine Strasbourg with villages along the Alsace Wine Route.
English-French Vocabulary
(f) for féminin, (m) for masculin, (adj) for adjective and (v) for verbs
- Advent = Avent (m)
- chalet = châlet (m)
- Christmas = Noël
- Christmas Eve = veille de Noël (f) / réveillon (m)
- Christmas lighting = illuminations de Noël (f,p)
- Christmas market = marché de Noël (m)
- Christmas Tree = sapin de Noël (m), arbre de Noël (m)
- church = église (f)
- Father Christmas = Père Noël (m)
- half-timbered house = maison à colombages (f)
- holiday season = période de Noël (f), temps des fêtes (m)
- Santa = Père Noël (m)
- square = place (f)
- street = rue (f)
