Where to Stay for the Bas-Rhin Christmas Markets

The Christmas markets within easy reach of the gîte

From Dambach-la-Ville, every great Advent highlight is simple to reach. Here are the ones not to miss, with real driving times from the gîte:

• Strasbourg, the "Capital of Christmas"

  ~40 min

  The Christkindelsmärik, recorded since 1570, is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Europe. A giant tree on Place Kléber, chalets around the cathedral and the floodlit lanes of Petite France set the whole city aglow.

• Sélestat, birthplace of the Christmas tree

  ~15 min

  The oldest known written mention of the Christmas tree — dated 1521 — is kept here at the Humanist Library. The town honours that heritage every Advent, in a warm and unhurried setting.

• Obernai

  ~20 min

  A traditional Christmas market at the foot of the belfry, with Alsatian crafts, food and decorated medieval lanes — one of the loveliest along the foothills of the Vosges.

• Barr

  ~15 min

  A market of local makers and craftspeople in a characterful wine village, perfect for a quiet interlude away from the bustle of the larger towns.

• Dambach-la-Ville

  on the doorstep

  The gîte's own village lights up through Advent: decorated half-timbered façades and an illuminated fortified gate. The Christmas mood begins the moment you step outside.

Strasbourg and its Christkindelsmärik

Strasbourg remains the beating heart of Christmas in the Bas-Rhin. Its market, the Christkindelsmärik, has been recorded since 1570, making it one of the oldest in Europe. Through Advent, the giant tree on Place Kléber, the wooden chalets ringing the cathedral and the glowing façades of Petite France transform the entire old town.

It is also the place where parking is hardest in December. Our advice: leave the car in the village — where parking is free — and take the regional TER train instead. Dambach-la-Ville has its own station on the Strasbourg–Molsheim–Barr–Sélestat line, so you arrive at Strasbourg station a few tram stops from the markets, with none of the stress of full car parks.

From the UK, the US or further afield, the easiest gateways are Strasbourg airport and EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, or the TGV from Paris, which reaches Strasbourg in around 1 hr 50. Once in Alsace, a car is the most comfortable way to explore the smaller villages, while the train handles Strasbourg itself.

Sélestat, Obernai and Barr: the foothill markets

Much of the Bas-Rhin's charm lies in its smaller, less crowded markets, only minutes from the gîte. Sélestat, a quarter of an hour away, is the documented birthplace of the Christmas tree: a 1521 account register, preserved at the Humanist Library, contains the oldest known written reference to a decorated fir. The town celebrates that legacy each Advent.

Obernai, twenty minutes away, lays out a traditional Christmas market beneath its belfry, framed by decorated medieval streets — a foothill classic. Barr, fifteen minutes from the gîte, hosts a more intimate makers' market, ideal for escaping the weekend crowds on a quiet Sunday afternoon.

All these villages share the same magic: timber-framed houses, mulled wine and bredele (the little Alsatian Christmas biscuits), without the traffic of the big cities. You can string several together in a single day and still be home for dinner in the village.

Getting around, parking and practical tips

The region's markets generally run from late November until close to Christmas. Exact dates vary from one town to the next, so check the current year's calendar before planning your visits.

For Strasbourg, forget the car: the TER train from Dambach-la-Ville (heading to Sélestat and on to Strasbourg) spares you the parking headache entirely. For Sélestat, Obernai and Barr, driving stays easy thanks to the short distances — though weekday mornings are far more pleasant than busy December weekends.

Book your accommodation several months ahead, too: Advent weekends fill up early across the Bas-Rhin. And dress warmly — spiced mulled wine, pretzels, gingerbread and bredele are all the better enjoyed with your hands kept cosy.

Why stay in Dambach-la-Ville in the Bas-Rhin?

Dambach-la-Ville makes an ideal central base for a Christmas-market break in the Bas-Rhin: the village sits on the Alsace Wine Route, fifteen minutes from Sélestat and Barr, twenty from Obernai, forty from Strasbourg, and it has its own TER station. You can reach every market in the département without ever being far from home.

After the buzz of the markets, you return to a peaceful winemaking village with medieval ramparts and timber-framed houses. The gîte offers three self-contained apartments (sleeping four to seven, up to fifteen in all), each with a fully equipped kitchen, for calm and comfortable evenings. Stay a few days and the programme rounds out nicely — the Monkey Mountain (Montagne des Singes) is about fifteen minutes away and the hilltop castle of Haut-Koenigsbourg, perched at 757 metres, around twenty-five.