Things to do in Mulhouse in winter

From late November to March, Mulhouse is wide awake: a Christmas market, Alsatian traditions, museums sheltered from the cold, then carnival season, both here and in Basel. Here is our calendar for winter 2026-2027, month by month.

The essentials: Christmas market from 20 November to 27 December 2026, Saint Nicholas' Day on 6 December, Chandeleur (Candlemas) on 2 February and Mardi Gras on 9 February 2027, Mulhouse Carnival from 10 to 14 February, then Basel Fasnacht from 15 to 17 February 2027.

Winter 2026-2027 calendar

November and December: the Christmas market

From Friday 20 November to Sunday 27 December 2026, the chalets stand around the Temple Saint-Étienne on Place de la Réunion, and on Place des Cordiers and Place des Victoires. The market is open 11:00–20:00 Monday to Thursday and 10:00–21:00 Friday to Sunday, and closed on 25 December. Its signature: a fabric printed every year, "Jardin d'hiver" (Winter Garden) in 2026. Father Christmas is there from 22 to 24 December. Holiday opening hours, access and what's new in our article Mulhouse Christmas market 2026.

6 December: Saint Nicholas' Day

In Alsace, Saint Nicholas' Day is eagerly awaited by children. On the night of 5 to 6 December, Saint Nicholas visits well-behaved children and brings them sweets; he is accompanied by Hans Trapp, the Alsatian bogeyman (the local Père Fouettard), who threatens the others with coal. In the bakeries, it is the season of the manala, a brioche shaped like a little man. In 2026, Saint Nicholas' Day falls on a Sunday. Manala, bredala and other treats: see our Alsatian food in Mulhouse.

Ice skating

The city-centre Christmas ice rink no longer exists, but Mulhouse's Olympic ice rink, on boulevard Stoessel, is open to the public on Wednesdays, Saturdays (with themed evenings) and Sundays, with special hours during the school holidays and an ice garden for little ones. Opening hours and prices in our article Where to go ice skating in Mulhouse.

Museums, sheltered from the cold

With its large indoor museums, Mulhouse is a great place to visit in cold or rainy weather:

• the Cité de l'Automobile and the Cité du Train, both fully indoors, close only on 25 December; their opening hours are shorter in winter;
• Electropolis, the electricity museum, is closed in January;
• the Musée historique and the Musée des Beaux-Arts are free (closed on Tuesdays and public holidays);
• the zoo stays open all winter, with shorter hours and a winter rate.

Recommended ages, prices and rainy-day ideas in things to do in Mulhouse with kids, and all our tips in what to do in Mulhouse.

New Year and January: the galette des rois

For New Year's Eve, check the City of Mulhouse's events listing (mulhouse.fr) as the holidays approach. Mind the calendar: 26 December is a public holiday in Alsace, in addition to 25 December and 1 January.

In January, it is time for the galette des rois, the French king cake. Epiphany falls on Wednesday 6 January 2027, but bakers sell it all month long. As in the north of France, it is usually a puff-pastry cake filled with frangipane (almond cream); the brioche crown with candied fruit is mainly a southern tradition. Whoever finds the fève, the small charm hidden inside, is king or queen for the day.

February: crêpes and carnivals

February is the tastiest month of the winter:

• Tuesday 2 February 2027: Chandeleur, the French crêpe day (dates and origins in our article Chandeleur 2027);
• Tuesday 9 February 2027: Mardi Gras, with carnival doughnuts in the Alsatian bakeries (all about it in Mardi Gras 2027);
• Wednesday 10 to Sunday 14 February 2027: Mulhouse Carnival, 74th edition, on the theme "Objectif Lune" (Destination Moon), with the international cavalcade parade on Sunday 14 February (programme in Mulhouse Carnival 2027);
• Monday 15 to Wednesday 17 February 2027: Basel Fasnacht, Switzerland's largest carnival, on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. It begins with the Morgestraich on Monday at 4:00 am: the lights go out in the city centre and the cliques parade with their lanterns to the sound of piccolos and drums. Basel is 22 minutes from Mulhouse by TER regional train (see our guide Day trip to Mulhouse from Basel or Freiburg).

Late February and March

The French winter school holidays for zone B, which includes Alsace, run from Saturday 20 February to Monday 8 March 2027: the ice rink switches to its holiday hours, and the museums keep their winter hours until spring. The zoo keeps its winter rate until March.

Our practical tips

• Dress warmly: the Christmas market and the carnival parades are outdoors, often in the late afternoon or evening. Hat, gloves and warm shoes.
• By car, the P+Tram park-and-ride car parks (€2 for the day, including a return tram journey for everyone in the car) help you avoid the December weekend traffic jams. All our tips in the guide to parking in Mulhouse.

A warm break at the crêperie

At 14 rue des Tondeurs, a stone's throw from Place de la Réunion, the Crêperie Crampous Mad serves all day long: Tuesday to Thursday from 11:30 to 21:00, Friday and Saturday from 11:30 to 21:30. For a late lunch or an afternoon snack between two chalets: hot chocolate (€3.80), hot chocolate with whipped cream (€4.20), our Breizh café (€8.00: espresso, Calvados, cane sugar, honey and whipped cream) or a tea from our tea menu, with a flambéed crêpe or a 100% buckwheat, gluten-free galette. Crêpes and galettes are also available to take away.

Please note: the crêperie is closed on Sundays and Mondays, including during the Christmas market (Sundays 22 and 29 November, 6, 13, 20 and 27 December) and on the Sunday of the carnival cavalcade, 14 February. Over the holidays (24, 25, 26 and 31 December, 1 January), call us on +33 3 89 45 79 43 for our opening hours.

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Information checked in October 2026 on noel-mulhouse.fr, mulhouse.fr, carnaval-mulhouse.com, basel.com, onisep.fr (French school calendar), the websites of the Mulhouse museums and of m2A, and in the Routard guide for Saint Nicholas' Day. Programmes and opening hours may change: please check them before your visit.