Marché de Noël de Mulhouse – The Christmas fabric

The Christmas market of Mulhouse, called Etofféeries, is not the most famous one in Alsace but it deserves to be mentioned because it is a market I like a lot. It is smaller than the Christmas market in Colmar or the Christmas market in Strasbourg, but I must say that this is also why I appreciate it. The atmosphere is quite intimate: one meets as many locals as tourists, and it is classic for the Mulhousiens to stroll between the chalets, to buy some handicrafts and then to stop for a glass of mulled wine with friends. I rank it among the most beautiful Christmas markets in Alsace!

Dates 2023 and duration of the Mulhouse Christmas Market

When does the Mulhouse Christmas market start?

The Mulhouse Christmas Market opens on Friday, November 24, 2023.

What are the opening days and hours?

The Mulhouse Christmas Market runs from Friday, November 24 to Wednesday, December 27, 2023, with the exception of December 25. Open Monday to Thursday 11am to 8pm, Friday 11am to 9pm, Saturday 10am to 9pm and Sunday 10am to 8pm. On December 24 and 27, it is open from 10am to 6pm, on December 26 from 12pm to 8pm and on December 27 from 11am to 6pm.

Christmas fabric – A fabric made in Alsace

Mulhouse may not have the charm and fame of some of its neighbors, but it has other assets! One of them is theChristmas fabric created every year, which decorates all the market’s chalets during the Christmas period. The textile industry is truly part of the city’s DNA, and this tradition has become a beautiful way to pay tribute to it. Every year since 2000, a call for tenders is launched and a fabric from a designer is selected and printed locally. This always gives rise to a great deal of excitement when the fabric of the year is unveiled, and the people of Mulhouse are eagerly awaiting it!

In addition to decorating the facades, pedestrian streets and chalets of the Mulhouse Christmas market and giving it this unique atmosphere, the Christmas fabric is also sold by the meter and used to make beautiful objects that can be found at the fabric store. I rave about it every year: the Christmas fabric is always beautiful.

What to do in Mulhouse at Christmas? Not to be missed

The Christmas market of Mulhouse is installed on Place de la Réunion, the very pretty main square of the city. Look up to admire its facades, they are worth a look. From the square, the market extends all around the Temple Saint-Etienne as well as on the Place des Victoires and the rue des Cordiers. The cottages located on rue des Cordiers are particularly dedicated to gastronomy.

For adults

My favorite part of the Mulhouse Christmas Market is the Christmas stores, where you can find very nice things, perfect to bring back a little souvenir from Alsace or to make a gift.

• La boutique des Etoffes. This is where you can find the Christmas fabric: it is sold by the meter but there are also many objects made of this fabric (tablecloths, napkins, tableware, decorations for the tree, jewelry …). The store also offers a lot of nice Alsatian objects made by local creators, as well as a nice exhibition of clothes made with the Christmas fabric.
• The store of the Museum of Printing on Fabrics. The museum is a bit out of the way from the Christmas market (it is near the train station) but you will also find some very nice things: a lot of textiles, of course, but also various decorative objects.
• The Museum Shop, which I’ll tell you about below.

For children and adults

• The 33m high Ferris wheel installed on the Place de la Réunion is worth a visit. The experience is fun and the view of the Christmas market is quite breathtaking! I recommend it especially at night, when the market is all lit up.
• The Museum Shop. This store gathers various objects coming from the museum stores of the Mulhouse region. The decor is very beautiful (photos of Alsace have been printed on fabrics, it’s very successful) and you can find lots of nice things for children (small cars from the Cité de l’Automobile for example) as well as for adults (fabrics from theEcomuseum textile, jams of theEcomuseum of Alsace,…)

For children

• The skating rink. Located in the Cour des Maréchaux, the rink is not very big, but it is already a good source of fun for the youngest!
• The Christmas cottage. Located on the Place de la Reunion, this large wooden chalet hosts many activities: participative workshops to make Christmas ornaments, candle holders, bredalas (traditional Christmas cakes)…

My good addresses for Christmas in Mulhouse

The best mulled wine on the Mulhouse market

After a survey of native Mulhousians and an indispensable tasting, the prize goes to the mulled wine of the chalet Chez Mathilde, which you will find at the back of the market (on the opposite side of the Town Hall). It is delicious! For those who don’t like mulled wine, I hear their hot chocolate is just as good. The gingerbread is excellent too!

The best warm break

If you’ve ever been to a Christmas market, you know that there always comes a time when you start to feel cold (yes, despite the down jacket, scarf, hat and gloves). Instead of drinking liters of mulled wine to try to warm up or to shorten your visit, I suggest you take a little break at the café Le temps d’une pause (which is aptly named), ideally located at 3 minutes walk from the market.

This is a place I love in Mulhouse. You can enjoy teas, coffees, hot chocolates and homemade pastries in a warm setting, on a table or slumped in a comfortable sofa. Small plus, there is even free wifi…You can take advantage of this to post your photos of the Christmas market on social networks 😉

What’s next?

Want to discover other Christmas markets? To continue to live the magic of an Alsatian Christmas, I propose you here the list of my favorite Christmas markets in Alsace!