Alsace Christmas Markets: Strasbourg, Colmar and the Villages, on One eSIM

Half-timbered houses strung with lights, vin chaud in paper cups, bredele biscuits by the bag, and a cathedral spire over all of it. Alsace in December is France's best Christmas trip, and it is small enough to see properly in four days.

Here is a route that works, and how to keep your phone working the whole way, including the day you cross into Germany.

The route

Day 1: Strasbourg. Paris to Strasbourg is under two hours on the TGV, so you can arrive by lunch. The Christkindelsmärik around the cathedral is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Europe, and it is only the start: the city spreads its markets across a dozen squares, from Place Kléber and its giant tree to the quieter stalls in Petite France. Go after dark, when the canals reflect the lights.

Day 2: Colmar. Thirty minutes south by regional train. Colmar runs several small markets within walking distance of each other, and Little Venice, with its painted houses along the canal, is the photo everyone comes for. It is compact, so it gets crowded at weekends; a weekday visit is noticeably calmer.

Day 3: The wine villages. Riquewihr, Kaysersberg and Eguisheim each hold their own market and look like they were built for one. They are close together but poorly linked by public transport in winter, so this is the day to hire a car or book a small tour from Colmar.

Day 4: Across the Rhine. From Strasbourg, the tram runs straight over the river to Kehl in Germany. Go further and Baden-Baden and its market are under an hour away. This is the day your phone matters most, because it is the day you change country.

Timing: the Alsace markets usually open in the last week of November and close around Christmas Eve. Dates move a little every year, so check each town before you book, and book Strasbourg hotels early: they fill up months ahead.

Why your phone matters more in Alsace

• Train tickets for the TGV and the regional TER trains live in the SNCF Connect app.
• Finding the markets. Strasbourg's are spread across the old town, and walking between them in the dark, in crowds, is much easier with a map.
• Wine village opening hours, which change around the holidays.
• Card payments at stalls. Most take tap-to-pay now, and some smaller ones want a minimum spend.
• Photos. There are a lot of photos.

France and Germany on one plan

The border runs down the middle of the Rhine. On a French SIM, or a France-only plan, your data can stop the moment the tram crosses the bridge.

With HOAM, you choose the countries you are actually visiting. Pick France for the Alsace days, or France and Germany if you are crossing the Rhine. The price is that of the most expensive country in your selection, not the two added together, so adding Germany for one afternoon barely changes it.

Your eSIM connects to the major local networks on both sides:

When the tram reaches Kehl, your phone simply moves to a German network. There is nothing to switch and nothing to restart.

How much data you need

Four days of maps, train apps, messaging and photo sharing is light use. A small or mid-sized plan covers most travellers comfortably. If you upload video every evening, size up. If you run low mid-trip, you can top up from your phone.

Practical tips

• Install the eSIM at home, on Wi-Fi, a day or two before you leave. The plan does not start until you first use it abroad.
• Keep your home SIM on for calls and texts if your bank sends codes by SMS, and set HOAM as your data line. Your phone handles both at once.
• Download an offline map of Strasbourg's old town. The streets are narrow and the GPS can wander.
• Keep your phone warm. Alsace evenings in December are often near freezing, and a cold battery empties fast. Carry it in an inside pocket.
• Bring a power bank for the village day, when you will be out from morning to night.

Next year, you are already set

Your HOAM eSIM stays on your phone after the trip. When you go back next December, or anywhere else, you load a new plan onto the same eSIM: nothing new to install and no QR code to find.

Planning your Alsace trip? Choose France, and Germany if you are crossing the Rhine, on hoamesim.com to see your plan sizes and price.