Tis the Season: More Christmas Markets in France and Germany

A bit back in time, the low-key city of Metz in the Lorraine region of France, east of Paris, is a great place to take in the Christmas Market feel without the bus loads of tourists and jam-packed stalls that are more common in the larger Christmas market cities like Strasbourg, France and Nuremberg, Germany - although those too can be magical to visit as long as you have booked ahead for an in-town hotel.

Metz’s Christmas market is spread out over a few large squares that dot the old part of the city. While you can find crafts and trinkets to buy, the emphasis is far more on delicious holiday treats to eat. Chocolate is big here as well as special pastries and candies honoring Saint Nicolas, and Christmas in general. My favorites were the fresh fruit cups or kabobs coated in fresh chocolate, with your choice of dark chocolate, milk chocolate or white chocolate. All I can say is these are not to be missed. Mulled cider and roasted chestnuts are also plentiful and warming, as well as made-to-order crepes- all delicious.

The region of Lorraine is full of beautiful green farmland producing glorious local foods. Mirabelle plums, dark yellow fruit that is a specialty of the region, can be found in everything from jams to liquors. These are proudly on sale throughout Metz and can be found, along with organic items at La Ferme Lorraine, 2 place Raymond Mondon, 57000 Metz; Tel : 387 630 909; Web: www.la-ferme-lorraine.com; open Monday 3:30 to 7:00 pm, Tuesday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 1:00pm/2:30 to 7:00, Friday from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, and Saturday from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm located just a few blocks from the train station. 

The Metz Christmas Market, as well as its larger counterparts, are all magical affairs filled with lights, wonderful food, and good cheer, reminding us of the Christmas spirit past rather than the shopping spirit of the present.

Happy holidays!

Strasbourg Christmas Market – see info on earlier post

Metz Christmas Market - more information on earlier post 

Colmar France Christmas Market is from  November 25 to December 31

Nuremberg Germany Christmas Market has 180 booths with traditional Christmas fare from November 27 to December 24, 2009. Open every day from 9:30 am to 8:00 pm (10:00 pm on weekends).

Munich Germany Christmas Market has a 100-foot tall Christmas tree glittering with 2500 candles from November 27 to December 24, 2009. Open every day from 10:00 am to 8:30 pm (9:00 am to 8:30 on Saturdays, 10:00 to 7:30 on Sundays).

Magical Christmas: Markets in France

If you are thinking about a different Christmas experience and want to travel, both literally, as well as figuratively back in time, I would suggest going to one or more of the traditional Christmas markets that are held in Europe from the end of November to the end of December. France, Germany, Austria and the United Kingdom have the greatest number of markets.

These markets conjure the images I remember from holiday books I used to read to my children -- The Gift by Aliana Brodmann, and The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden – both wonderful tales and with old fashioned Christmas markets featured in the stories.

France boasts over eighty Christmas Markets, or Marché de Noel as they are called in French. Some towns and villages have one Sunday in November or December dedicated to a Christmas market, but the large markets last for around four weeks and are usually open every day and all day.

Strasbourg, in the Alsace region of northeastern France, is home to the oldest Christmas Market in France - over four hundred years old. The Strasbourg market is today much like it was when it started in 1570, filled with musicians, craftspeople, food, and special events. There are special areas like the “Sharing Village” where sixty charity and humanitarian organizations have information about their work and where on December 14th a Flame of Peace from Bethlehem will be lit. You will find beautiful light displays amidst the stalls and historical buildings.

This year the Strasbourg market is held from November 28 to December 31, and is open from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm daily, until 8:00 pm on Friday and Saturday nights. The market is such a tradition that the city has a Web page dedicated to it called Strasbourg Capitale de Noel. On the  “Practical Information” page you can download a PDF map of the practical aspects of the Market from tram routes to market stand locations most of which are located within the pedestrian zone of the city marked in yellow. At the “Editorial” page you can download a fourteen-page program guide listing musical and other performances and exhibits throughout the five-week market.

For green travelers you will be happy to know that Strasbourg is a very biker friendly city with over three hundred miles of bike paths and 18,000 bike racks for parking. Velolocation is a not for profit bike rental program with low cost bike rentals.

Metz, in the Lorraine region of northeast France, is under an hour and a half on the TGV high speed train from Paris with many daily round trips. Known as a Garden City (Ville Jardin), Metz has eleven parks and gardens covering four hundred and seventy acres. It also has one of the largest pedestrian areas in France so walkers rejoice!

Metz hosts a glorious and magical Christmas Market in the old city centre in and around the Place Saint Jacques, Place de General De Gaulle, Place Saint Louis, and the Esplanade. This quintessential Christmas Market with around one hundred stalls and filled with lights, roasted chestnuts, carolers, street musicians and dancers will be held this year from November 21 to December 27, open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, 9:00pm on Saturday night.

These are just two of the beautiful Christmas markets in France – I will cover more in subsequent posts – stay tuned.

Photo from the Metz Christmas Market Web site