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Traditions in Alsace
Few French regions are as historically and culturally intertwined with Germany as Alsace — visible to this day in language, architecture and customs, especially around Christmas time.
Christkindelsmärik: France's oldest Christmas market
Strasbourg's Christkindelsmärik dates back to 1570 and is considered France's oldest Christmas market. It runs throughout Advent and is spread across several squares in the old town — smaller but equally traditional Christmas markets can also be found in Colmar and Kaysersberg.
Bilingualism and Alsatian
Alsatian, an Alemannic dialect, is closely related to Badisch and Swiss German — visitors from the border region often recognise individual words. Even though French is now the everyday language, Alsatian place names, house inscriptions and expressions are still present in rural areas.
German-French history
Between 1871 and 1945, Alsace changed nationality between Germany and France several times — this history still shapes the architecture (e.g. Strasbourg's German Neustadt district), family names and the close cross-border ties with Baden and Switzerland today.
Frequently asked questions
When are the Christmas markets in Alsace open?
Most Alsatian Christmas markets, including Strasbourg's Christkindelsmärik, open in late November and run until just before Christmas — exact dates vary slightly each year.
Is German spoken in Alsace too?
The everyday language today is French. In tourist areas, though, German is often understood or spoken, and the Alsatian dialect has linguistic roots that visitors from the German border region often find familiar.