Pretzel
Dish
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Pretzel
A pretzel is a knot-shaped bread dipped in an alkaline solution before baking, which gives it its shiny brown crust, then sprinkled with coarse salt, and at the Christmas markets of Alsace it is eaten hot, by hand, with mulled wine. It is one of the Advent treats along with the bredele.
Where to eat a hot pretzel at a Christmas market
In Alsace, Wissembourg serves it hot, Turckheim warm, Saverne topped with cheese. Barr, Sélestat, Haguenau and Thann have it on their stalls, and so does Sarreguemines in Moselle. Our guide to Alsatian Christmas specialities says more about these stalls.
Outside Alsace, Bordeaux sells giant pretzels, Paris, La Défense and Caen have them in their chalets, and so does Saarbrücken, on the German side. In Italy, the German-style chalets of Arezzo, Florence and Verona serve it with Glühwein, and the Efteling, in the Netherlands, offers it along its paths.
Plain, cheese-topped or giant: the pretzels of the chalets
At the stall, it arrives hot or warm, plain with coarse salt, topped with cheese or sweet, and it is eaten while walking. To recognise a good pretzel, its variants and its history, read our article The pretzel, the folded arms that tell the story of Alsace.
Pretzel in pictures
Where to taste it
Opens on 14 November
Arezzo Christmas Market
Arezzo
From 14 November to 6 January 2027
Worth the weekend
Opens on 5 December
Barr Christmas Market
Barr
From 5 to 13 December 2026
Local favourite
Opens on 27 November
Bordeaux Christmas Market
giant
Bordeaux
From 27 November to 27 December 2026
Worth the weekend
Opens on 28 November
Caen Christmas Market
Caen
From 28 November to 29 December 2026
Worth the weekend
Opens on 16 November
Park
Efteling at Christmas: Winter Efteling
Kaatsheuvel
From 16 November to 31 January 2027
Worth the trip · Park
Opens on 14 November
Florence Christmas Market
Florence
From 14 November to 20 December 2026
Worth the weekend
Dates to be confirmed
Forbach Christmas Market
Forbach
Day out
Opens on 20 November
Haguenau Christmas Market
Haguenau
From 20 November to 30 December 2026
Day out
Opens on 12 November
La Défense Christmas Market
La Défense
From 12 November to 31 December 2026
Day out
Opens on 22 November
Paris Christmas Market
Paris
From 22 November to 4 January 2027
Worth the weekend
Opens on 23 November
Saarbrücken Christmas Market
Saarbrücken
From 23 November to 30 December 2026
Day out
Dates to be confirmed
Sarreguemines Christmas Market
Sarreguemines
Local favourite
Dates to be confirmed
Saverne Christmas Market
gratinéed
Saverne
Day out
Opens on 20 November
Sélestat Christmas Market
Sélestat
From 20 November to 27 December 2026
Local favourite
Opens on 20 November
Thann Christmas Market
Thann
From 20 November to 24 December 2026
Day out
Opens on 20 November
Trier Christmas Market
Trier
From 20 November to 22 December 2026
Day out
Opens on 27 November
Turckheim Christmas Market
warm
Turckheim
From 27 November to 30 December 2026
Day out
Dates to be confirmed
Verona Christmas Market
Verona
Worth the weekend
Dates to be confirmed
Wissembourg Christmas Market
warm
Wissembourg
Local favourite