Ribeauvillé

How to Visit the Ribeauvillé Medieval Christmas Market in Alsace, France

Most people have never heard of Ribeauvillé until they start to plot out a bucket list trip to the Alsace wine region. Ribeauvillé is one of the small villages on the outskirts of Colmar and Strasbourg, and has some serious Beauty & the Beast vibes. Besides being known for their wine production, Ribeauvillé also hosts one of the best medieval Christmas Markets in all of Europe. But, because it is only held for two weekends each year, you’ll need to plan carefully if you want to include it on your itinerary.

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I visited Ribeauvillé as a day trip from Colmar. If you will be in Colmar, Strasbourg, or anywhere in the Alsace region in early December, Ribeauvillé is well worth setting a day aside for a visit. In this post, I will share everything you need to know about visiting the Ribeauvillé Christmas Market and what to expect.

Above photo: Ribeauvillé in the distance surrounded by vineyards

Ribeauvillé Christmas market dates

The Ribeauvillé Christmas market only occurs for two weekends during the advent season. Many other Christmas markets across Europe open in late-November and close sometime around Christmas. This is not the case for Ribeauvillé. This is because the market is not just a market. It is a completely animated medieval production with many musicians, theatrical performers, themed settings, and demonstrations. It attracts large crowds and is a major draw for the entire area. Hence, the volunteers of the Pfifferdaj associations who organize this event reach their max bandwidth after two weekends.

Above photo: Ribeauvillé Medieval Christmas Market

How to get to Ribeauvillé

There are really only two viable choices for getting to Ribeauvillé. Option 1 is to drive your own or rental car. Option 2 is to take the bus. Both options are very easy and straight-forward. However, during the Christmas Market, parking is a challenge. There is very limited parking in town. I witnessed cars parked on the main road quite a distance away from the market entrance.

While the bus may not sound like an attractive option, it is actually very comfortable and efficient. From Colmar, bus 106 regularly goes to both Ribeauville and Riquewihr. The bus stop is in front of the Colmar train station. Exit the train station and take a right and look for the sign for Bus 106.

During the Christmas Markets, there is a special bus called the Navettes de Noel that follows a circular route to multiple villages in the surrounding wine region. It is a hop-on-hop-off type of ticket that costs around $15.00 per person. The bus drops off visitors directly at the entrance of the Christmas Markets. Not only does this help save your feet, but it also means you can do a bit of wine tasting without anyone in your group having to be the designated driver.

To purchase your Navettes de Noel ticket in advance and review the schedules, visit the official website here.

Above photos: Navette de Noel shuttle bus to Ribeauvillé Medieval Christmas Market

About Ribeauvillé

Ribeauvillé is one of the small villages along the Route des Vins, the famed Alsace wine route. Once the seat of the Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre (Lords of Ribeaupierre), the town has done an amazing job preserving its medieval heritage. The ruins of three feudal castles built by the Lords can be seen from the old town below. They can also be visited via a hiking trail that goes up the hillside.

Above photo: Ribeauvillé castle ruins

If hiking to see the castles is not part of your plans, you can still see the other medieval fortifications and the Tour des Bouchers (Butchers’ tower) which dates back to the 13th century, just by walking down the Grand Rue. This main artery through Ribeauvillé starts at the Au Cheval Noir Restaurant and goes all the way through the center of town. If you follow it to the Beauvillé linen store, it is about one mile. The main Christmas Market Attractions are within the first half mile and is very easy walking.

Some of the key landmarks to keep an eye out for include:

• Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall) 
• Tour des Bouchers (Butchers’ Tower)
• Old Corn Exchange (Storehouse)
• Maison des Ménétriers (House of the Fiddlers)
• Église Saint Grégoire
• Place de la Sinne

Above photo: Ribeauvillé Town Hall

Above photos: Ribeauvillé Butchers’ Tower

Above photos: Buildings along Grand Rue

The Ribeauvillé Medieval Christmas Market

If you’ve ever been to a full-on Renaissance Faire with costumes and demonstrations, you can expect some similarities at the Ribeauvillé Medieval Christmas Market. While most of the visitors will not be in costume, the volunteers who organize the market will be! The costumes are elaborate and wonderful!!

Above photos: Ribeauvillé Medieval Christmas Market

What’s even better is that there are many live performances, demonstrations, and settings throughout the town that truly make you feel that you are part of a bygone time in history. They really do an outstanding job!

Above photos: Live performance at Ribeauvillé Medieval Christmas Market

Above photos: Ribeauvillé Medieval Christmas Market

The medieval theatrics create an amazing setting for vendor stalls selling crafts and regional specialties. The shops and boutiques are also completely decked out in holiday grandeur. Swags of floral decor, garlands, twinkling lights, and festive displays adorn nearly every building as you walk along the Grand Rue (main street). Come prepared to eat, shop, and have a lot of fun!

For current information about the Ribeauvillé Medieval Christmas Market, visit the official website here.

Above photos: Ribeauvillé Christmas decor

What to buy in Ribeauvillé

Wine — The vineyards of Ribeauvillé produce local Grands Crus Kirchberg, Osterberg and Geisberg. I came away with some bottles of Riesling and Gewurztraminer:)

Storks — Storks are the symbol of Alsace and everywhere you go you’ll spot their nests and stork-themed souvenirs. They are hard to resist!

Pottery — Soufflenheim pottery is made of Soufflenheim clay and crafted using ancestral techniques.  The painted glazed pieces are used for cooking traditional Alsatian dishes such as kougelhopf (a bundt cake looking dessert),  baeckeoffe (a casserole dish), and lamb cakes (Easter cakes molded in the shape of a lamb).

Kelsch — Kelsch fabric is a traditional fabric with checks or stripes in linen or a linen blend. A kelsch apron, dish towel, or other kitchen linens make a great souvenir that is easy to pack in your luggage.

Christmas ornaments and decor — Obviously. Colorful Christmas balls have been a tradition in Alsace since medieval times. Also, look for ornaments in the shape of hearts – an Alsatian tradition found adorning shutters, doors, and home decor.

Beauvillé Table Linens — Beauvillé is a long-standing brand for upscale, Alsatian table linens. Their outlet shop can be visited in Ribeauvillé.

Above photos: Shopping at Ribeauvillé Medieval Christmas Market

What to eat in Ribeauvillé

Every region and every Christmas Market has food specialties that are hard to find anywhere else. When visiting the Christmas Market, you’ll have all of the traditional winestubs and restaurants to choose from, in addition to the many market food stalls.

Alsace is known for wine and cheese (muster, especially). So, be sure to pop into a winestub or cave for some wine sampling and a fromagerie (cheese shop) for some munster!

A few other market eats to keep an eye out for that we enjoyed trying include:

Pretzels are an iconic treat from Alsace. The classic twisted shape is formed from a brioche-like dough, boiled, then baked. They are fat, chewy, and delicious!

Tarte Flambée is a flatbread that is topped with onions, smoky bacon, and white cheese. It is a little bit like a pizza sans the tomato sauce. It is typically formed as a large rectangle and then cut into squares.

Mannele (or mannala) is a brioche in the shape of a little man, made in Alsace on the occasion of Saint-Nicolas (December 6), but available throughout the Christmas Markets and in many bakeries. They can contain either raisins or chocolate chips (the latter for me, please!).

Bredele (or bredala) are small cookies baked during the Advent season. Every home cook has their own recipe, usually passed down through generations. Like Christmas cookies, bredele are traditional confections for end of year celebrations in Alsace. You will find them everywhere, but the best I tried were at Maison Alsacienne de Biscuiterie in Colmar.

Wild Boar is on the menu! Every year wild boar is roasted on spits over an open fire along with simmering soups. The lines are always long, so queue up before the lunch rush.

Vin Chaud is Christmas in a cup! It is made from a blend of red wine, brown sugar, citrus, cinnamon, and ginger. For a non-alcoholic alternative, warm up your hands with a mug of hot chocolate!

Wine Tasting can be enjoyed year-round, not just at the Christmas Markets. Although, you’ll find many producers and outlets have special events and pricing during the Christmas Markets.

Above photos: Food at Ribeauvillé Medieval Christmas Market

Above photos: Keep an eye out for wine tasting tours and special events

More photos of Ribeauvillé

Above photos: Fontaine Place de la Sinne (left); Brasserie les 3 Rois (right)

Above photos: Winstub Zum Pfifferhus at Maison des Ménétriers (left); Atelier Christ toy store (right)

Above photo: Half timbered buildings along Grand Rue

Other travel tips

Guided Tours

If you are not comfortable going on your own or are interested in having a knowledgeable local point out the sights, I have added a few tour options below.

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