Confirmed 2026 dates for France's Christmas markets, city by city: Colmar, Metz, Bordeaux, La Défense, plus what a vendor chalet really costs.
The 2026 Christmas market season in France opens in mid-November: Paris La Défense starts on November 12, Aix-en-Provence follows on the 13th, and most major cities open between November 20 and 27. This guide gathers the dates officially confirmed for 2026, the reference dates for cities that have not announced yet (Strasbourg included), and something travel guides never cover: what a vendor chalet actually costs. Every date below comes from the cities and official organizers.
Twelve major markets have already confirmed their 2026 dates. Colmar, Metz, Nancy, Montbéliard, Bordeaux, Toulouse and Paris La Défense are locked in; Strasbourg and Lille are still to come (see below).
| City | 2026 dates | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Paris La Défense | November 12 - December 31 | 300 chalets announced on the esplanade, free entry |
| Aix-en-Provence | November 13 - December 31 | cours Mirabeau, 49 vendors selected by the city |
| Metz | November 20 - December 30 | 5 squares across the old town, Lantern Trail from late November |
| Nancy | November 20 - January 3, 2027 | Saint Nicholas festivities, parade on December 5 |
| Montbéliard | November 21 - December 24 | 40th edition of the Lights of Christmas, 170 artisans, Switzerland as guest of honor |
| Colmar | November 23 - December 29 | 6 markets in the old town, festivities until January 3 |
| Toulouse | November 26 - December 27 | new organizer for the 2026 edition |
| Bordeaux | November 27 - December 27 | the market moves to place des Quinconces |
| Kaysersberg | the 4 Advent weekends (from November 27) | around thirty chalets, famously authentic |
| Ribeauvillé | December 5-6 and 12-13 | medieval market, two weekends only |
| Meaux | December 11 - 13 | place Henri IV, a smaller local market |
| Lyon (Festival of Lights) | December 5 - 8 | the place Carnot market lists November 20 - December 24, pending city confirmation |
Two notable changes this year: Bordeaux leaves the allées de Tourny for the larger place des Quinconces, and Toulouse has a new organizer, which may reshape the usual four city-center sites.
Several of the biggest markets only announce their dates in the fall, usually between September and October. Until then, the previous edition is a reliable guide: these markets return to a near-identical slot every year.
| City | Reference (2025 edition) | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Strasbourg | November 26 - December 24 | 3.05 million visitors in 2025 according to the city, France's most visited market |
| Mulhouse | November 21 - December 27 | around a hundred chalets on place de la Réunion, a new Christmas fabric designed every year |
| Sélestat | November 21 - December 28 | birthplace of the Christmas tree, first written record in 1521 |
| Obernai | November 28 - December 31 | 45 wooden stalls across 5 squares |
| Reims | November 26 - December 28 | 150 chalets, billed as France's third-largest market |
| Lille | November 19 - December 30 | place Rihour; the organizer lists the same dates for 2026 as provisional |
| Amiens | November 21 - December 30 | 2 km of red chalets, 1.2 million visitors in 2025 according to the metropolitan authority |
| Rouen | November 21 - December 28 | some fifty chalets at the foot of the cathedral |
| Nantes | November 20 - December 28 | close to 140 vendors, billed as the largest in western France |
| Paris Tuileries | November 15 - January 4 | 80 chalets between the Louvre and Concorde |
| Paris Notre-Dame | November 26 - December 27 (announced by the organizer for 2026) | about forty chalets, French craftsmanship |
| Annecy | November 29 - January 4 | more than 160 chalets according to the tourist office, lake to old town |
| Marseille (santons fair) | November 15 - January 4 | 223rd edition in 2025, the oldest fair in France |
The sweet spot is late November on weekdays: every major market is open, the crowds of the December weekends have not arrived, and hotel rates in Alsace are noticeably lower than during the Advent weekends. For a first trip, the classic base is Colmar: the town center holds 6 markets, and Kaysersberg (Advent weekends) and Ribeauvillé (December 5-6 and 12-13, medieval theme) are both under 30 minutes away. Strasbourg deserves a full day on its own; its market spans a dozen squares around the cathedral.
If you are flying into Paris, La Défense opens as early as November 12 with 300 chalets, the Tuileries funfair-market usually runs from mid-November, and the Notre-Dame market focuses on French craftsmanship in a quieter riverside setting.
A question travelers ask when they see the little wooden huts: renting one ranges from 90 euros for a 3-day village market to 8,950 euros before tax for six weeks at a major urban market like Lille (small chalets there go for 4,450 euros). Mid-size cities sit in between: Narbonne charges 1,620 to 2,250 euros for five weeks, per its official 2024 price list. Strasbourg bills by the square meter (114.60 euros per m² on prime squares, per the city's published tariff), plus mandatory fees for security, promotion and electricity. Cities select vendors through formal spring applications, and handmade craftsmanship is favored: Metz even grants a 50 percent discount to artisans selling their own production. For organizers managing dozens of chalet applications, French Keyqo, specialized in exhibitor management and interactive floor plans, covers that workflow in one tool.
The earliest major markets open in mid-November: Paris La Défense on November 12, 2026 and Aix-en-Provence on November 13. Most large cities open between November 20 and 27 (Metz and Nancy on the 20th, Colmar on the 23rd, Toulouse on the 26th, Bordeaux on the 27th), and most close between December 24 and 31.
Yes. Colmar has officially confirmed November 23 to December 29, 2026, with the big wheel and gourmet market staying until January 3. The town hosts 6 distinct markets within walking distance of each other.
Strasbourg has not announced its 2026 dates yet; the announcement usually comes in early fall. The 2025 edition ran from November 26 to December 24, and the market keeps a near-identical slot every year, ending on Christmas Eve.
Strasbourg is the most visited, with 3.05 million visitors in 2025 according to the city. Colmar, with close to 1.6 million visitors and its canal-side setting, is the favorite for photographers, while Kaysersberg and Ribeauvillé are the picks for authenticity. In the north, Amiens drew 1.2 million visitors in 2025 according to the metropolitan authority.
Traveling to or exhibiting at other French events this season? These guides complete the picture:
The 11 must-attend job events in France for 2026: Salon du Travail Villette, Forum Objectif Emploi Sorbonne, Paris pour l'emploi des jeunes, 24H Emploi Tours, Cap Emploi. Dates, cities, target profile.
Complete 2026 calendar of car and auto shows in France: Paris Motor Show (Mondial de l'Auto), Rétromobile 50th edition, Tour Auto at the Grand Palais, Le Mans 24h, Epoqu'Auto Lyon. Dates, venues, tips.
Home & Real Estate Fairs in France 2026: 13 confirmed dates in Bordeaux, Lyon, Paris, Strasbourg, Marseille, Lille and more. Spring & autumn calendar, exhibitor tips.