A journey around France Christmas markets by train turns a winter getaway into an unforgettable experience. From the medieval streets of Strasbourg, home to the oldest Christmas market in France, to the canal-side magic of Colmar and the festive lights of Paris, the best Christmas markets in France are perfectly connected by rail.
Covers come off ice rinks and food stalls, the mulled wine is heated up, and for a brief period, historic centers burst with festive vitality.
The best Christmas markets in France are well connected by rail. There’s no easier or more relaxed way to roam around France and discover more of the culture and festive traditions.
Rail Escape specialises in multi-destination tour packages of France’s Christmas markets by train. It is one of our most sought-after seasonal experiences, and our travel specialists can plan your ideal vacation. With a seamless itinerary, smooth rail connections, first-class seats, and select hotels in prime locations.
France has been hosting Christmas markets since the late Middle Ages. The tradition runs deepest in Alsace, where the entwined French and German culture sees the region host some of the best Christmas markets in France. Among them are Strasbourg and Colmar, beautiful destinations that put on some of the continent’s most celebrated festivities.
Paris, a city that always glitters, takes on extra sparkle at Christmas. While cities like Lyon and Reims add to their already sizable cultural appeal with spectacular Christmas markets on historic squares.
Facilitating a rail tour of French Christmas markets is an excellent and expansive intercity rail network.
Strasbourg sits less than two hours from Paris on a direct TGV. From Strasbourg, regional trains fan out to Colmar and a string of Alsatian villages along the picturesque Route des Vins. Many other cities are just a few hours apart, with high-speed trains via Paris opening up the entire map of France.
First-class carriages on the TGV add a touch of comfort when touring France’s Christmas markets by train. Arrive and depart from city centers, often near the main Christmas market. Travel with Rail Escape, and we’ll reserve superior hotels that are also close to the stations, so you can drop off your luggage and quickly join the festive fun.
With your luggage traveling with you and no airport lines to worry about, this environmentally friendly transport offers so much more than flying. More cities and towns to visit, more time to relax and take in the scenery.
Our guide to France rail travel packages reveals some of our most popular year-round French rail vacations.
Rail Escape can adapt tours during the festive season that visit more of France’s Christmas markets by train. Or craft a tour around a personal itinerary, including our pick of France’s best Christmas markets.
Strasbourg’s Christkindelsmärik is the oldest Christmas market in France and one of Europe’s biggest. It’s also connected to Paris by direct high-speed trains.
As far back as 1570, locals have gathered to celebrate Advent on streets that retain their medieval character, a city shaped by French and German culture -and the undisputed highlight of any Christmas markets in France itinerary. The headliner sits under the illuminated Notre-Dame Cathedral, a landmark sight for visitors.
Over 300 chalets fill the Old Town on the Grande-Île, the atmospheric island whose old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Dishing up Alsatian cuisine and local wines, you can savor the fusion of two festive traditions in a city shaped by French and German culture.
Strasbourg is a centrepiece of Rail Escape’s Paris to Basel: Swiss and French Delights tour, a scenic journey linking the French capital with Switzerland’s French-speaking Rhine River city. Three well-connected cities ideal for French Christmas market tours by train.
If Christmas markets top your agenda, speak with our travel specialists to tailor your Alsace experience, perhaps adding time to visit another of France’s iconic Christmas markets in Colmar.
The Colmar France Christmas market, jewel of the Alsatian wine route, rivals Strasbourg as the best Christmas market in France. Smaller and more intimate than Strasbourg, Colmar’s Christmas markets light up a medieval old town that draws visitors all year round.
Colmar runs five markets across its old town neighbourhoods, each with its own theme and character.
The family highlight is a dedicated children’s Christmas market around the canals and painted houses of the Petite Venise quarter, a stunning backdrop for festive fun. Another takes place in the tanners’ district on fairytale streets lined with tall half-timbered houses.
The Colmar Christmas market is designed to enjoy the city’s architectural and cultural heritage. Sampling your way around Franco-German traditions and a rich gastronomic heritage at the city’s biggest party.
Regional trains from Strasbourg to Colmar run frequently, making it an alluring stop on a rail tour of French Christmas markets.
Paris is a magnetic destination when exploring France’s Christmas markets by train. A key entry point for trans-Atlantic travelers, the French capital is a major rail hub with high-speed connections to many of the best Christmas markets in France.
Moreover, the City of Light pulls out all the stops for Christmas. The Champs Élysées is illuminated. Window display artists reveal their finest work in the city’s biggest department stores. Bistros change up their menus and embrace the season.
Around 15-20 Christmas markets pop up across arrondissements. A fun fair takes over the royal gardens of the Tuileries, while elegant Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the village-like Montmartre host authentic neighbourhood markets. The Christmas market at the Trocadéro is particularly photogenic, with the Eiffel Tower illuminating the background.
Rail Escape can build Paris into your dream festive vacation. Head to Alsace or other French regions, or build a multi-country Christmas tour to neighboring countries like our sweeping Grand European Capitals Tour, effortlessly connecting France with Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
The historic city of Reims hosts one of France’s biggest Christmas markets. The capital of the Champagne region is a relaxed high-speed rail journey from both Paris and Strasbourg, making it a captivating stop on a circuit of France’s Christmas markets by train.
Sip champagne from local vineyards or savor a warming vin chaud (mulled wine) in the shadow of Reims Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site that crowned French for eight centuries. With over 150 stalls, you’ll get a full flavor of French Christmas traditions with an incredibly rich heritage.
Speak with Rail Escape’s travel specialists to shape your own itinerary, with Reims just one of many enticing stops on a bespoke rail tour of French Christmas markets.
France is made for rail vacations. High-speed TGV trains link all cities, making it the practical and relaxed way to explore the country, from Mont Saint Michel in the north to the French Riviera in the south.
Rail vacations like our French Riviera Tour from Paris to the glittering Côte d’Azur. An all-season delight fusing Paris with the Mediterranean coast.
Christmas is an especially exciting time to embark on a rail tour, adding a festive layer to the country’s most compelling destinations.
Head to Brittany and Normandy, two regions dotted with castles and quaint towns hosting timeless Christmas markets. Or along the Loire Valley, through vineyards and grand decorated for Christmas.
Our travel specialists can craft personalized trips around France’s Christmas markets by rail. It’s an unbeatable way to immerse yourself in Christmas traditions across l’Hexagone.
Marchés de Noël are major events in the French social calendar. Whether you’re visiting the grandest Christmas markets in France or stumbling upon a village market between train stops, the festive spirit is everywhere.
A vin chaud is a staple, often served in a collectible and reusable goblet. Stalls sell regional handicrafts and gourmet delights like cured sausages, artisanal beer, and local wines. And of course, cheese.
In fact, the best Christmas markets in France are a gastronomic delight. Melting raclette cheese and hearty tartiflette, gingerbread and pain d’epices, Alsace sausages and flammekuche, and crepes with myriad fillings. You can even look forward to eating chestnuts roasted on an open fire, a Christmas staple in France.
Beyond the food and crafts stalls, you can find ice rinks and carousels. Nativity displays appear in and outside churches. Choirs and concerts join the revelry. And a Pere Noel (Father Christmas) often hides in a chalet dishing out sweets and assurances that kids are on the ‘good’ list.
Strasbourg is the king of French Christmas markets. The country’s oldest and biggest is rightfully considered one of Europe’s best Christmas markets.
Colmar and Reims are also home to incredibly atmospheric Christmas markets.
Start in Paris, where Christmas markets light up quartiers across the city. Then take advantage of excellent rail connections and head to Reims, in Champagne country. Then head further east to Strasbourg and Colmar in Alsace, contenders for the best Christmas markets in France.
Ask our travel specialists for a tailor-made rail tour of French Christmas markets.
Yes. France has an extensive and highly developed rail network. High-speed TGV trains link all major cities and offer first-class comfort on modern carriages. Frequent regional trains let you explore further.
Train stations are often located in the heart of cities, close to amenities and Christmas markets. Visiting French Christmas markets by train is often quicker and always more relaxed than flying or renting a car.
Certainly. Eight countries border France, with daily rail connections to Paris and other major French cities. Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and Italy are all countries you can fold into a rail tour of French Christmas markets.
Let Rail Escape’s travel specialists know your preferred multi-country itinerary; we’ll design a rail and hotel package to match.
Every Rail Escape tour can be fully customized. Whether adapting our popular pre-crafted itineraries or starting from scratch, we include carefully planned routes, seamless connections, and premium hotels perfectly placed for rail vacationers.
Seven nights is a great starting point. A few nights in Paris, then time to savor the Christmas markets in Strasbourg and Colmar at leisure.
Add more nights to extend a tour of France’s Christmas markets by train to cities like Reims or Dijon. Or to cross borders to Switzerland or to the home of Christmas markets, Germany.
Christmas markets in Strasbourg and Colmar typically open on the last weekend in November. They open daily through to December 24th. This is a common pattern across France, although Paris markets may open slightly earlier.
Specific dates vary by year. Rail Escape confirms current season dates when planning French Christmas market tours by train.
Strasbourg and Colmar are just 30 minutes apart by train, making them the ideal pairing on a tour of France Christmas markets by train.
Rail Escape’s Christmas market packages include a carefully planned and easy-to-follow itinerary, first-class seats on available trains, superior 4-star hotels chosen for proximity to rail stations and city centers, and support to ease your journey at every stop.
Contact our travel specialists and let us know what your dream tour of France Christmas markets by train looks like. Then let us make it happen.
Traveling around France’s Christmas markets by train itinerary is one of Europe’s most rewarding journeys. Whether drawn to the history of Strasbourg, the canal-side charm of Colmar, or the festive lights of Paris, Rail Escape builds the journey around you.
We plan the rail connections, reserve premium hotels in the right locations, and lock in first-class tickets on the fastest trains. The itinerary is planned from the first train to the last, so you can focus on the experience.
Browse our full range of European rail tours for festive and year-round inspiration. Or ask our travel specialists for a personalized rail tour of French Christmas markets made just for you and the merriest of Christmases.
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