Belfort Christmas Market

Belfort's Christmas market goes by the name of Le Mois Givré, the “Frosty Month”. Beneath Bartholdi's Lion and the Vauban ramparts that tower over the town, the old town fills with chalets, and the event takes its theme all the way: “the mountains in the heart of the city”. This is more than a handful of stalls in a row. Place Corbis gets a 500 m² ice rink, Place des Vosges turns into an ice-karting track, and the P'tits Givrés village sets up an igloo, towed rubber rings and snowshoes right in the centre. This being the Territoire de Belfort, you are bang on the gap between the Vosges and the Jura, a corridor of cold air that gives December its true mountain character.

Le Mois Givré, a Christmas market with an Alpine twist

Place d'Armes is still the anchor, with Saint-Christophe Cathedral as a backdrop and the pink façades of the old town all around. The exhibitors' market is spread over several areas: Place d'Armes, Place des Vosges, Faubourg de France and the Sadi-Carnot bridge. Local craftspeople and producers run the chalets, selling handmade pieces and gift ideas. A little fairy-tale train links the entertainment areas, an illuminated wheel stands out against the sky and Father Christmas's house welcomes younger visitors.

The announced programme runs to more than 250 events over the whole festival: concerts, creative workshops, wellbeing sessions, storytelling and meetings with Father Christmas. For families, the P'tits Givrés village gathers most of the winter games, from sledging to a model igloo, while older children try their hand at karting on the 200 m² circuit.

Belfort, the gap between the Vosges and the Jura

What makes the stroll so pleasant is the town itself. The Vauban citadel looks down on the old town from its rock, and the Lion carved by Bartholdi (the same artist behind the Statue of Liberty) keeps watch over the city at the foot of the ramparts. Take the time to climb up to the castle terrace before heading back down to the chalets: the view over the rooftops and the Belfort Gap repays the effort, especially late in the afternoon when the lights come on.

When it comes to food, Franche-Comté needs no persuading. On the food stalls and in the town-centre cellars, you will come across aged Comté, creamy cancoillotte, Montbéliard sausage smoked over conifer wood and, to round things off, a glass of absinthe Pontarlier-style. Mulled wine flows from chalet to chalet too; if you fancy making it at home, we have put together a mulled wine recipe that really delivers.

Getting there, parking and planning

Belfort is easy to reach by train. Belfort-Ville station drops you right in the centre, a few minutes' walk from Place d'Armes; from Belfort-Montbéliard TGV station, further south, a shuttle and a TER regional train link you to the town centre. By car, the Arsenal and Corbis car parks are the closest to the festivities. As the old town is pedestrianised during the event, you are better off aiming for a car park on the edge of the area and finishing on foot.

Entry to the market and the entertainment squares is free; only attractions such as the ice rink and ice karting are paid for individually. For 2026, the JDS listings site announces the twelfth edition of Le Mois Givré from 28 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, to be confirmed by the town of Belfort. Allow a good half-day to go round the chalets, climb up to the citadel and fit in one or two activities. The central area is accessible to people with reduced mobility, although the cobbles of the old town call for a little care.

Less than an hour's drive away, you can extend your tour of Franche-Comté and Alsace: the big event in Mulhouse with its Christmas fabric, or the more intimate market in Montbéliard, known for its Lumières de Noël.