Season guide · Strasbourg · France
Strasbourg in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Jonathan M, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Christmas market crowds and lights in December, then cold, quiet and low-priced January and February. Expect highs up to 6°C (43°F) and lows around -1°C (30°F), with about 29 rainy days across December–February. December is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -1°C (30°F) to 6°C (43°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 29
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4°C (39°F) | -1°C (30°F) | 10 | 8.7 h | 1/5 |
| February | 6°C (43°F) | -1°C (30°F) | 9 | 10.1 h | 1/5 |
| December | 5°C (41°F) | 0°C (32°F) | 10 | 8.3 h | 5/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 5°C (41°F) against a yearly 15°C (59°F), and 29 of the year's roughly 115 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Winter sales (usually from early January)
- December: Strasbourg Christmas market — stalls across the old town (usually late November to late December)
Good choices for winter
Gallery · Gare district
Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
Visit after the Barrage Vauban; it is just across the water.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
Religious site · Grande Île
Strasbourg Cathedral
Built from pink Vosges sandstone between the 12th and 15th centuries, Notre-Dame de Strasbourg has an intricately carved west façade and a single 142-metre spire, the tallest building in the world for over two centuries.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Historic site · Grande Île
Astronomical Clock
Buy a ticket for the midday show and arrive early, as the viewing area fills quickly.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
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Palace · Grande Île
Palais Rohan
The 18th-century palace of the prince-bishops, beside the cathedral, houses three museums: the Museum of Decorative Arts in the state apartments, the Museum of Fine Arts with European painting from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, and the Archaeological Museum in the basement.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Grande Île
Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame
Visit before or after the cathedral to compare the originals with the copies on the façade.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Day trips in winter
- Obernai and Mont Sainte-Odile (About 30 minutes by train to Obernai) — Obernai is a walled wine town with a market square of half-timbered houses.
- Baden-Baden (About 1 hour by car or train) — The German spa town at the edge of the Black Forest has thermal baths such as the Friedrichsbad and Caracalla Therme, the Kurhaus casino and the Lichtentaler Allee park.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Strasbourg?
Yes: December is among the best months. Christmas market crowds and lights in December, then cold, quiet and low-priced January and February.
+What is the weather like in Strasbourg in winter?
Highs of up to 6°C (43°F) and lows around -1°C (30°F), with about 29 rainy days over the season.