Turckheim Christmas Market

Some villages keep their traditions under glass, and then there is Turckheim, where the Christmas market ends every evening with a lantern-lit round, exactly as it did five centuries ago. Twenty minutes from Colmar, this small wine town on the Alsace Wine Route lays out a market known as the Village des Lutins (the Elves' Village), with its crooked wooden houses and a star character who walks the lanes after dark. Here is the whole story, from the bredele stall to the night watchman's horn.

The night watchman, a round that goes back to 1540

This is Turckheim's signature, and honestly, it is worth the trip on its own. Every December evening at 9pm, a man in period costume steps out onto the square, tricorn hat firmly on his head, halberd in one hand, lantern in the other. Written records of the tradition go back to 1540, which makes it one of the oldest night rounds still alive in Alsace.

The watchman does more than walk. He tells the story of the town as he winds through the lanes, slips in a few anecdotes and punctuates his route with a song in Alsatian that rings out between the half-timbered façades. His horn marks each stop. It is short, free, and it gives the market a depth that few villages manage to offer. A word on timing: plan your evening so you are on Place de l'Hôtel de Ville just before 9pm, as he sets off without hanging about.

The Village des Lutins and its crooked houses

Turckheim Christmas market sets up around Place de l'Hôtel de Ville and Rue du Conseil, in the heart of the walled old town. The setting does a lot of the work: the chalets stand at the foot of the medieval houses, and the whole thing has been designed as a real village, with twisted wooden huts that give the event its name.

When it comes to treats, this is classic, generous Alsatian territory. Bredele, the little Christmas biscuits that come in dozens of recipes depending on the family, rule the stalls. Alongside them you will find warm pretzels, cinnamon-scented pain d'épices (Alsatian spiced bread) and manala, the small brioche figures eaten on St Nicholas' Day. Mulled wine flows too, spiced just right; if you want to make it at home, the homemade recipe is over here.

Children are not forgotten: the Ferme de la Bassette brings its animals along, and a giant Advent calendar marks the days of the season. Local crafts complete the picture, with stallholders selling their own work rather than off-topic imported trinkets.

Getting there, getting organised, making a day of it

You can reach Turckheim without a car, and that is actually the smart move. From Colmar, the TER regional train takes eight to ten minutes to the station, on the line heading towards Munster. When you arrive, you are a few steps from the ramparts and the market, with no parking hassle. If you come by car, free car parks line the entrances to the village, near the station or along the Fecht, the river that runs past the town.

Entry to the market is free. Allow an hour and a half to two hours to wander, taste, and catch the watchman's round at the end of the day. The village is compact, so everything is an easy walk. If you are moving on to other gems of the Wine Route, Kaysersberg and Riquewihr are a short drive away and deserve a market evening of their own.

One last point: opening hours change during the week, with later opening on Saturdays. Check the current edition on the town's website before you set off, so you do not turn up on a closed day.