Besançon Christmas Market
Christmas festivities and chalet village in the heart of Besançon
2026
About Besançon Christmas Market
Our team has not been able to confirm with an official source that this 2026 edition is taking place. The dates and program shown below may be outdated. We strongly recommend that you contact the organizer directly to verify before any travel or registration.
Besançon Christmas Market — edition 2026
The Besançon Christmas Market returns in 2026 with a municipal budget that has quadrupled to €400,000, up from €100,000 in 2025, as announced by the city hall on April 20, 2026. The lights and festivities are set to begin a week earlier than in 2025 and will run until the end of the Christmas school holidays. The chalet market will remain at Place Granvelle, while the new funding will also enhance Place de la Révolution, Place du 8 Septembre, Square Saint-Amour, and Place Jouffroy d'Abbans. Precise dates and the full program had not yet been released as of mid-2026.
A fourfold budget increase for 2026
On April 20, 2026, Besançon Mayor Ludovic Fagaut and his team announced that the Christmas market budget would be increased from €100,000 to €400,000. Approximately €100,000 will remain dedicated to the chalet market at Place Granvelle, designed by the same Dijon-based agency as in 2025, while the additional €300,000 will fund entertainment and illuminations across several city center locations: Place de la Révolution, Place du 8 Septembre, Square Saint-Amour, and Place Jouffroy d'Abbans.
The municipality plans to start the festivities a week earlier than in 2025 (when they ran from November 28 to December 24) and extend them through the end of the Christmas school holidays. Deputy Mayor Serge Couësmes has mentioned the potential return of a Ferris wheel, though its location remains to be determined due to the recent greening of Place de la Révolution.
The exact dates and detailed program for the 2026 edition had not yet been published as of mid-August 2026.
Programme Besançon Christmas Market 2026
The program for the 2026 edition has not yet been released by the organizers. On April 20, 2026, the Besançon city hall announced an increased budget of €400,000 and an extended duration compared to 2025; precise dates and the detailed schedule will be announced in the autumn of 2026.
Prices Besançon Christmas Market 2026
Practical information — Besançon Christmas Market
Access to the Christmas Market
Location
Place Granvelle, Besançon city center. Activities are also spread around Place de la Révolution and in several neighborhoods of the city.
By public transport
Ginko network: tram and bus serving the city center of Besançon. Nearest stops: Granvelle, Révolution, Huit-Septembre.
By car
City center parking lots: Parking Chamars, Parking Battant, Parking Marché Beaux-Arts, Parking Mairie.
Opening Hours
- Monday: 2 PM to 9 PM
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday: 11 AM to 9 PM
- Friday and Saturday: 11 AM to 10 PM
Prices
Free admission.
Contact
City of Besançon
Tourist Office: www.besancon-tourisme.com
The Besançon Christmas Market: Christmas magic in the heart of the Boucle
Each year, from late November to December 24th, the Besançon Christmas Market transforms the historic center of the capital of the Franche-Comté region into a magical setting. Created in 1993 on the initiative of the Union of Shopkeepers and its president Jean-François Diéterlé, this market has become over the years one of the most anticipated events of the Besançon winter.
The Christmas Village on Place Granvelle
Place Granvelle, in the heart of Besançon's historic Boucle, hosts the traditional Christmas Village with about fifty decorated and illuminated wooden chalets. Visitors will find:
- Local crafts — jewelry, ceramics, candles, wooden objects
- Christmas decorations — baubles, garlands, nativity scenes
- Gastronomic products — mulled wine, gingerbread, chocolates, Franche-Comté specialties
- Original gifts — creations by local artisans and artists
Activities for the whole family
The Besançon Christmas Market offers a rich program of family activities:
- Santa's House — open Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 2 PM to 7 PM
- Shows and concerts — by the Compagnie Caravailes, on Wednesdays and Sundays
- Craft activities and face painting for children
- Christmas carols and street entertainment
- Traditional carousel for the little ones
Illuminations and magical atmosphere
Christmas festivities in Besançon are not limited to the market. The City deploys a spectacular illumination program throughout the city center: Grande Rue, Place de la Révolution, Place du Huit-Septembre, and several neighborhoods are adorned with lights. The official inauguration of the illuminations marks the start of the festivities.
An accessible and friendly market
The Besançon Christmas Market is designed to be accessible to all. The aisles are wide and the facilities are adapted for people with reduced mobility. Admission is free and the market is open every day during Advent, with extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays.
Where does it take place — Besançon Christmas Market
Besançon Christmas Market in brief
Other festivals near Besançon
Festival-goer reviews
No review yet. Be the first!
No rating yet — be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community
Have you spotted an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every suggestion is reviewed by our team before publication.
Festival-goer photos
No photo yet. Share yours!
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Published by Valentin Contard, festival listings writer. Reviewed, corrected and approved by Christophe Contard, editor-in-chief. .
A quick word
Find us more easily on Google
Add Festivals en France to your preferred sources: our line-ups and calendars will show up more often in your Google results. It’s free, it takes two seconds, and you can undo it whenever you want.
Add us to my sourcesYou stay on this page: Google opens a window, then brings you back here.