Christmas in Colmar with Kids | A Guide to Alsace

Christmas is a magical time for many families. Children light up with joy when lights are hung, the spirit of Santa fills home with excitement and most importantly, we get to spend time with our loved ones. Why not spend your winter holiday break in a country with some of the best Christmas spirit you’ll ever encounter? The Alsace region and Paris have some of the best Christmas events and decor in the world. This is a trip that any family who loves Christmas should take. Alsace is home to some of the best Christmas markets in the world and Paris has well, everything. There’s nothing to not love about France. Then you add Christmas lights and markets to its charm and voilà! Follow us as we travel through the charming town of Colmar in the Alsace region of France. Then head to Paris afterwards for a more lively city feel! Christmas in Colmar with kids is a family trip that will leave you with a lifetime full of memories.

Where is Alsace?

Alsace is a region in Northeastern France on the border of Germany. It was once controlled by Germany in the late 1800s and regained by France in 1918. This is why much of the Alsatian towns have German-style architecture and cuisine. Many locals speak German and French languages.

Filled with gingerbread-looking homes and buildings, the Alsatian towns are quite the charmers. This also happens to be the inspiration behind the town “Villeneuve” in Beauty and the Beast. Fun fact for those Disney-loving families! Riquewihr, Eguisheim and Ribeauvillé have all claimed to be the inspiration for the film.

Which town to make your home base?

Alsace has a few must-visit towns that we encountered. Colmar was by far our favorite and we were relieved to make this our base. However, all of the towns have their own charm and unique qualities. We recommend checking out all of the below areas if you have time, but definitely make Colmar your home. It was the most family-friendly, with all of the Christmas markets and a few playgrounds in walking distance. We felt it was not overly touristy and a little more peaceful than others. For example, Strasbourg is a huge city with lots of hustle and bustle. Some of the other towns are adorable, yet did not have as much activities to offer young families. If you plan to visit Colmar with kids, you will not regret making this your main accommodation base.

Our favorite Alsatian towns

• Colmar
• Riquewihr
• Ribeauvillé
• Eguisheim
• Strasbourg

How to get to Colmar

Colmar and the Alsace region are fairly simple to get to by train. However, it is a couple of hours from major cities. It took us about 3 hours to get to Colmar station from Charles De Gaulle (Paris) airport. We have friends who have rented a car from Zurich and said it took them about 1.5 hours drive time. If traveling from Paris, you will then take the train into Strasbourg first and then take another 30 minute train into Colmar.

We arrived at a decent hour in the night and successfully got a taxi to our Airbnb. To our relief, there was a fabulous pizzeria right outside the train station that we brought back with us. Our savior after traveling over 24 hours with our little girls! All of it was worth the experience, but we unfortunately we experienced some long layovers and delays that were exhausting.

Our less than ideal path to Colmar, France:

Tampa -> London -> Paris -> Strasbourg (Train) -> Colmar

Tip: if you can split this travel day up, we would recommend this with little ones

Renting a Car in Colmar

Planning a trip to Colmar with kids requires a bit more planning. One of the questions to ask is whether you will need a car in Alsace. Small towns are tough to get around with small children. As adorable as Riquewihr and the other towns are, the car was quite a challenge for our family. The Avis in Colmar has strange hours of operation that just did not work for our arrival time. They closed at noon and were not open at all on Sunday. So, keep in mind the strange hours.

Our original plan of spending the day visiting other towns was not worth a single day car rental. Parking in Colmar was a bit of a challenge and there were detours during the Christmas markets that made our Airbnb inaccessible. If your family truly wants to explore the region, you could always travel by local bus. Otherwise, I would recommend timing your trip around the car rental hours of operation or getting a rental outside Colmar.

Christmas Markets in Alsace vs. Paris

Our trip was split between time in Alsace and Paris. The Christmas markets in Alsace versus Paris are a bit different. We enjoyed the variety of markets because going to the same type each night would easily get redundant. The markets in Colmar have a small town, locals feel which we really enjoyed. Strasbourg was one location in Alsace that was very large and almost overwhelming. The rest of the towns were quieter and not quite as lively…in a good way. The markets in Paris definitely felt more like a carnival which was an exciting change from Alsace.

We felt like we were ending the trip with a bang between the large city experience and going to the Champions League PSG game! Most of the markets have their own unique qualities, which made walking around so enjoyable. We highly recommend narrowing down a few must-see’s and visiting others if time permits. Christmas in France with kids isn’t magical without the Christmas market spirit! We will write a separate post on our Paris Christmas experience.

As any family reading this knows, traveling with young children is never seamless. It is fair to say that half of our itineraries are not completed due to unforeseen tantrums, exhaustion, or difficulty reaching. This is always upsetting, but we try to remind ourselves, that this is part of the process traveling with kids. Just remember to slow down, enjoy the moments, and plan your high priority experiences first and fill in if time/energy levels permit.

Where to Stay in Colmar with Kids

When traveling with to Colmar with kids, we try to stay as close to the major attractions as possible. In our opinion, it is always worth paying a little extra. We cannot recommend staying close to La Petite Venise enough! Our Airbnb was literally steps from the children’s market and a short walk to the park. There were restaurants surrounding the apartment complex and easy walking distance to the other markets. The only downside was that the train station was not in walking distance, so we took a cab from there. However, we absolutely LOVED this location. There’s truly nowhere else better to stay in Colmar with kids that we noticed. Read on for a more in depth review of our Airbnb experience in Colmar.

Our Fabulous Airbnb in Colmar

3 Days in Colmar, Alsace

Our favorite Alsace town was by far Colmar. We cannot recommend enough making this your base in when doing Christmas in Colmar with kids. Alsace has many adorable towns, but this seemed to be the most family-friendly. Colmar was lively, yet quiet after the markets ended. There seemed to be the most activities for young children than any other market we came across. It is easy to get to other towns by train or car and overall just super cute.

Day 1

• Arrive to Colmar by train
• Check-in to accommodation
• Children’s Christmas market & Christmas caroling at night

Our first night was a pretty late start as we had been traveling all day from Paris. We arrived to Colmar around 9 PM after the markets had already died down. After picking up some life saving pizza from the train station, we grabbed a taxi to our Airbnb. Our accommodations far exceeded expectations in terms of location and the hosts Laurent and Elena were incredible. Check out Laurent and Elena’s place here. It was an adorable two bedroom apartment with plenty of space for the girls to roam.

The only downside to this apartment was the three flights of stairs poor Gregg had to lug our suitcases up. However, the place itself was perfect, but just be aware that there is no elevator. Although, a lack of elevators seems to be pretty common in France and many parts of Europe. Don’t let this deter you from booking this amazing Airbnb. Location, location, location, baby!

Day 2

• Breakfast before playground (Parc du Champ Mars)
• Rent bikes in Ribeauville
• Strasbourg Market at night

Our second day was fun-filled and busy! Before heading to the parks to get some energy out, we decided to stop at the children’s market in Little Venice (La Petite Venise) for a quick horse ride and bagels. We will not confirm or deny the Vin Chaud first thing in the morning but more pics below 😉

Little Venice Children’s Market

Terrain de pétanque at Parc du Champ de Mars

After visiting the market for a bit, we headed straight to Parc du Champ de Mars for some fun on the playground! This was probably the girls favorite playground on our trip. We stayed here for at least an hour despite the small playground size. The park itself was very festive with a tobbaggon ride and carousel bar (hello vin chaud on tigers!) right next door. Not to mention, there was a crepe and hot chocolate stand. Ordering this was a must when visiting Colmar with kids. There is nothing more winter than warming up with some comfort foods!

Unfortunately, due to our car rental situation, we did not have enough time to rent bikes in Ribeauville

Strasbourg Christmas Markets

Strasbourg is the ultimate Christmas Market and considered one of Europe’s bests. It is by far the largest and most famous in all of France. Visitors come from all over the world to see the commotion. Strasbourg lived up to its hype in terms of what it had to offer. There are 15 markets that are mostly all connected together. Wear comfy shoes! We got a bit lost initially as it is a little bit of a walk to the train station.

Honestly, we had no clue that there was multiple markets and the taxi driver was a bit confused when we asked him to take us to the Marche de Noel. After ordering a taxi, we took about a 5 minute drive to the beginning of the markets. If hailing a cab, ask the driver to take you to Le petit cabinet de Port de Pierre. Cross the bridge and continue straight until you reach the beginning of the markets. Travel addicts does an excellent job describing the individual markets in further detail. Be sure to check out the massive Christmas tree whose lights sync (Place Klèber market) and Place de la Cathédrale towards the end of the markets.

If hailing a cab, ask the driver to take you to Le petit cabinet de Port de Pierre. Cross the bridge and continue straight until you reach the beginning of the markets.

Our Opinion of Strasbourg Market

In our opinion, Strasbourg is a must-do. It is about an hour from Colmar via train, but worth checking out. Despite its large size and crowds, it was still fun activity to do with children. They will be mesmerized by all of the lights and people. The tree in Place Kleber was a pleasant surprise as it light up to the Christmas music beat. Not to mention, there was a carousel for small children to enjoy…and a Starbucks. Yes, we did take advantage of the delicious lattes and warm up. Although we did not enjoy the coffee at the market stands, the Alsatian food was delicious and warmed you right up.

To get back to Strasbourg station, take the tramway that stops close to many of the markets. It is easy to purchase a ticket at each stop and comes frequently. We waited maybe a total of 10 minutes as we had just missed the prior tram. It was cheaper and easier than grabbing a taxi at that moment. I believe we took Tram C back to Gare de Place (Strasbourg station). Here you can find a detailed explanation of the tram system if you are more of a type A planner 🙂

Once your family is Christmas-marketed out, head back to Colmar for some rest. Most likely the kids will crash on the train ride back, so pack light to avoid carrying tired babies and lots of gear. Rest up for another day full of fun tomorrow!

Day 3

• Explore wine region (hike or walk)
• Wine tasting in Riquewihr
• Riquewihr scavenger hunt for older children
• Colmar Christmas markets at night

Your last day in Alsace can be spent however your family prefers. We chose to explore other Alsatian towns, but you could easily spend another day in Colmar. Originally, we wished we had spent all day in Colmar at the kids markets, but it ended up being split up nicely. I would recommend spending the first half of the day in other towns and end the night in Colmar. Just remember to get to the markets as soon as they open, because they close promptly.

Visiting Other Alsatian Towns

If you’re a planner like me, you will make an unrealistic itinerary. When doing Christmas in France with kids, you need to be flexible. We had planned to bike ride or hike through the wine region, but it was a little chilly and we just did not have enough time. After enjoying a wonderful breakfast spread at Les Six Montagnes in Colmar, we spent entirely too long picking up the car rental. By the time we got settled in, we only had time for one town. We passed by the cute town of Ribeauville, as we were not able to access the road to the Château de Saint-Ulrich. Maya enjoyed seeing the castle from afar, but we were definitely disappointed to not be able to take her up close.

After viewing the Château de Saint-Ulrich, we proceeded to the town Riquewihr, an adorable, quaint town that looks like something out of Beauty and the Beast. With colorful Alsatian home and smells of baked goods filling the streets, it is definitely worth a stop. We strolled through the Christmas market, grabbed some snacks and headed to the GeoVino vineyard trail just outside the downtown area.

Domaine Dopff Au Moulin Winery

At the bottom of the GeoVino trail (Grand Cru vineyards), is a lovely winery called Domaine Dopff Au Moulin. We enjoyed a wine tasting here while the girls enjoyed some books in the children’s area inside the warm, modern tasting room. Everything about the winery was a nice break from the cold weather outside. Gregg and I throughly enjoyed the wines that we sampled. The wine knowledge of the sommelier was undeniably impressive. His English was very easy to understand and the staff was accepting of our toddlers roaming the wine room. Fortunately, there were no other customers and the girls were well behaved.

Our favorite wines that we took home with us were the Grand Cru Gerwurtztraminer and the Crémant d’Alsace Blanc de Noirs. Highly recommend these wines as they were sweet and smooth. The perfect wine to enjoy when you head to Paris! Domaine Dopff Au Moulin is definitely worth making a trip to if you are in the Riquewihr area.

Colmar Christmas Markets

Our last night in Colmar was spent enjoying the surrounding Christmas markets that we had not yet visited. They’re all in walking distance which simplified the evening. Unfortunately, due to road closures near our Airbnb, we had to park the car by the largest market and walk to it in the morning prior to checking out. Luckily, my amazing husband Gregg picked up the car in the morning for us. That being said, we were able to park close enough to a different market and stroll through the rest of them on the way home. This was a long day but fun to check out many parts of the Alsatian region.

Best Alsatian Christmas Markets

Our favorite Alsatian Christmas markets were the Colmar children’s Market and the other surrounding markets. Colmar just had a little more of a chill vibe and were not as crazy as Strasbourg. Riquewihr was adorable, but very small and honestly a little underwhelming. Each town has something to offer, but we just felt more in love with Colmar. I think the fact that there was so many activities for children made it our number one. Honestly, I wish we spent a little more time at the Colmar markets. Definitely in the future we will make a point to focus on Colmar or spend an extra day in Alsace.

Colmar with Kids Suggestions

Don’t Arrive Too Late

I would like to preface by saying that Christmas markets begin and end earlier than you would think in Alsace. Most are shutting down around 8 pm. Some of the larger markets such as Strasbourg are open later. Do your best to arrive early so you can get the full experience. We made the mistake of arriving too late a couple of nights and missed out a bit. The plus side is that families with young children can still get to bed at a decent time and the streets are not too loud at night.

…Christmas markets begin and end earlier than you would think in Alsace. Most are shutting down around 8 pm.

Weather & Kids

It can get quite cold in Alsace, especially the closer you are to Christmas. Even the last week of November was very cold for us Floridians. The temperatures typically were 30’s at night and 40’s during the day. Sadly, we did not see snow, but we made sure everyone was bundled up appropriately. When visiting Colmar with kids in the winter, your best friend is base layers. These are key as you can always remove extra clothing if needed. Both girls always wore a base layer, warm fleece or cotton sweaters, pants, fleece jacket, a coat at night, hat and gloves. The gloves are always a debate with little ones, but if they’re really cold, they will wear them.

Read more of our traveling with infant and what to pack guide here!

Colmar with Kids – Stroller or Not?

We used our gb pockit traveller stroller that normally is excellent for city travel. However, the wheels did not hold up to the cobble stone roads well and was frustrating when in large crowds. The main plus was being able to sip vin chaud while strolling around, eat snacks, and feel a little lighter when walking around. Be careful not to spill the hot drink on your child!! The vin chaud is piping hot when they give it to you.

For our stroller, I bought a rain/wind protector that came in quite handy. It was nice at night time to block the wind and noise when Luna or Maya fell asleep in it. It also protected them from vin chaud…..

If you opt to leave your stroller at home, carrying your baby or toddler is a nice way to keep both of you warm. So that is definitely a plus! If you decide to bring a stroller, try to pack one that is lightweight and easy to fold for the trains, yet sturdy enough to handle the uneven cobblestone roads. You will have to disassemble the stroller every time you board a train. Just some little things to keep in mind.

You will have to disassemble the stroller every time you board a train. Just some little things to keep in mind.

Food & Supplies

The Christmas markets appeared to have mostly the same Alsatian cuisine: sausages, meat pastas, pretzels, sauerkraut, and tons of baked goods. That being said, they all are very similar and kids (and adults) may get tired of eating the same foods. If that’s the case, we recommend grabbing your meal elsewhere before heading to the markets. That way you’re not hungry for hours and you can enjoy snacks here and there. You are still in France and can find plenty of delicious options in the area. Be sure to make reservations or head to dinner a little early to beat the long lines for popular restaurants! There was a massive dinner rush as the markets ended each night and we couldn’t try a few recommended spots due to the long wait.

We did not have any problems finding food that our toddler girls would eat. They pretty much lived off of croissants, pretzels, and bread this entire trip. I wasn’t upset about it! Sometimes you have to break the health rules when traveling. We’re out here just trying to survive and make sure every one has a fun family vacation. Not the time to be force feeding veggies. That being said, there is a nice market in Colmar that had plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, milk, and baby goods (diapers, wipes, baby food, etc). We actually made a pit stop here during one of the markets and just stored the groceries in Luna’s stroller bottom. It was colder outside than the fridge, so we figured the milk was safe 🙂

Accommodations

As we elaborate a bit earlier in the post, we highly recommend staying in an Airbnb when visiting Alsace/Colmar with toddlers. Usually we love hotels because you have so much help at your disposal (food, coffee, milk, cribs, recommendations), but this is a small town with limited options. We loved having a large communal space, kitchen, washer/dryer, and separate bedrooms. Sometimes it can be challenging having toddlers or small children all in one room. Everyone has to go to bed at the same time or you at least need to be cognizant of your noise level. It was nice to have Luna’s bedroom on one side of the apartment and ours on the other. Maya shared our bed but there was an option for a sleeper in the living room, which made for a lovely wine and chill spot at night.

Be sure to add the following filters for ease of mind to your Airbnb search: “free cancellation,” “crib,” “self check-in” and any other things you think you’ll prefer on your trip. This is great for peace of mind when traveling. We didn’t have to worry about meeting up with the host when we arrived late at night or canceling last minute if one of the girls was sick.

Our Takeaway

We had the best family experience during our time in Colmar and Alsace region. If you are looking to explore Colmar with kids during Christmas time, this is your sign to book that flight! For a family-friendly, winter wonderland experience, Alsace has so much to offer. The lit up streets alone are enough to mesmerize a young child, let alone all of the treats, decorations, and rides! We cannot wait to return one day to experience Colmar maybe with snow next time. Can you imagine how beautiful it would look with snow falling in the background?? Don’t let the journey deter you from exploring this wonderful region with your family. Prepare to make memories that will last you a lifetime. Now, off to the Christmas markets in Paris!