What's on in Strasbourg, France through the year

Busy — Christmas holidays in France, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

• Rule

  Parliament plenary weeks

  1 Jan – 31 DecBook early

  The European Parliament sits here for four days, twelve times a year. In those weeks the hotels are full at business rates and the restaurants near the Wacken take bookings only. Check the calendar before you pick dates. Source ↗

Busy — Winter (February) holidays in France, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

• Nature

  Storks on the nests

  15 Feb – 31 Aug · usuallyBirdlife season

  Storks are back on the chimneys and church roofs of the villages around the city from February, and the young are flying by August. Plenty no longer migrate at all, so a winter nest is not unusual.

Still on: Parliament plenary weeks (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Busy — Winter (February) holidays in France, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: Parliament plenary weeks (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Storks on the nests (15 Feb – 31 Aug (usually))

Busy — Spring holidays in France, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in April.

Still on: Parliament plenary weeks (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Storks on the nests (15 Feb – 31 Aug (usually))

Busy — Spring holidays in France, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Parliament plenary weeks (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Storks on the nests (15 Feb – 31 Aug (usually))

Busy — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in June.

Still on: Parliament plenary weeks (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Storks on the nests (15 Feb – 31 Aug (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in France, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

• Opening

  Cathedral summer light show

  1 Jul – 5 Sep · usuallySummer season opens

  A projection on the cathedral front runs nightly through the summer, free, with the Petite France bridges lit alongside it. It starts late in July because the light does. Source ↗

Still on: Parliament plenary weeks (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Storks on the nests (15 Feb – 31 Aug (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in France, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Parliament plenary weeks (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Storks on the nests (15 Feb – 31 Aug (usually)), Cathedral summer light show (1 Jul – 5 Sep (usually))

Busy — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

• Season

  Alsace vendanges

  1 Sep – 20 Oct · usuallyHarvest

  The wine villages start half an hour south-west and pick through September into October, late harvest last. Weekend village fetes follow the crop rather than the calendar.

Still on: Parliament plenary weeks (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Cathedral summer light show (1 Jul – 5 Sep (usually))

Busy — All Saints (autumn) holidays in France, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Parliament plenary weeks (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Alsace vendanges (1 Sep – 20 Oct (usually))

Peak crowds — Christkindelsmarik, All Saints (autumn) holidays in France

• Festival

  Christkindelsmarik

  27 Nov – 27 Dec · usuallyChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook early

  The oldest Christmas market in France, running since 1570: around three hundred chalets across eleven squares of the Grande Ile. Weekends are one-way pedestrian flow with bag checks at the bridges, and rooms are gone by September. Source ↗

Still on: Parliament plenary weeks (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Peak crowds — Christkindelsmarik, Christmas holidays in France

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Parliament plenary weeks (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Christkindelsmarik (27 Nov – 27 Dec (usually))