LE Magazine

After enjoying the delicacies offered by the Irréductibles Petits Producteurs d'Alsace, come and recharge your batteries and prepare for the festive season with friends or family at the Advent Village.

Strasbourg, the Christmas capital, is known and recognised for the splendour of its numerous illuminations, which transform the city into a veritable showcase of light.

Découvrez les saveurs de Noël à Strasbourg entre Bredle, Männele, pain d’épices et vin chaud blanc, symboles gourmands des fêtes alsaciennes.

At Strasbourg, Capital of Christmas, craftsmanship takes centre stage: local creations, Alsatian know-how, and events dedicated to the arts and crafts.

Step behind the scenes of Strasbourg, Capital of Christmas, and discover the collective effort that makes the city and its Christmas Market shine year after year.

She appears in the 16th century as a popular avatar of the Christ Child, and in 1570, she lends her name to Strasbourg's Christmas market, the Chrìstkìndelsmärik.At the end of the 19th century, Alsatian families begin to freely adopt various traditions. Thus, the Chrìstkìndel also makes its way into Catholic households, before being supplanted, a few generations later, by Father Christmas.

Standing tall in the centre of the square, the Grand Sapin is one of the symbols of Strasbourg, the Christmas Capital. Every year, the public follows its journey from the forests of the Vosges to Strasbourg, like a thrilling soap opera! Felling, transport, installation in the square, decoration... everything is closely scrutinised and, from October onwards, heralds the imminent arrival of the eagerly awaited annual event. At its foot, a magical setting allows you to immerse yourself in a special atmosphere, whether for a moment of reverie or a pretty photo.

Christmas in Alsace is, of course, synonymous with Strasbourg, the Christmas capital, home to Europe's oldest Christmas market with its illuminations and giant Christmas tree, but there are also many other Christmas markets to discover throughout the Alsace region.

Christkindelsmärik, or ‘market of the baby Jesus’, is the name in Alsatian dialect for Strasbourg's traditional Christmas market. Established in 1570, it is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Europe and was for a long time the only one in France.

Discover Alsace’s Advent traditions — wreaths, candles and calendars — timeless symbols of joyful anticipation before Christmas in Strasbourg.

According to legend, he was originally a robber knight with a sinister reputation named Hans von Trotta or von Dratt.

Originally, it was Saint Nicholas, brought to America by Dutch settlers, who gave birth to the American Santa Claus. He first appeared under this name in 1823 in a poem attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, The Night Before Christmas.

Depuis le Moyen Âge en Alsace, comme dans le reste du bassin rhénan, les enfants attendent la visite du Nikläus (Saint Nicolas) le 6 décembre. En effet, l’évêque de Myre en Asie mineure au IVe siècle est considéré comme le saint patron des enfants et son culte est attesté depuis le XIe siècle.