Festival weekend planner
Foire aux Vins d'Alsace — a 3-day weekend in Alsace
21–30 August 2026. Colmar, France. 30 min from the airport.
The weekend, day by day
- Day 1
Arrive in Colmar
Land at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL), settle in and walk the old town in the afternoon. Light dinner near your accommodation — save your appetite for the festival day.
- Day 2
Foire aux Vins d'Alsace
Festival day — arrive early to avoid the lunchtime crowd. Insider tip: Arrive on a weekday morning to avoid 250K weekend crowds and access smaller growers' tables—Domaine Zind-Humbrecht and Domaine Weinbach command lines but smaller producers like Domaine Schoffit offer equally stellar Rieslings with zero wait. The grand crus section is your fast-track to tasting the region's terroir hierarchy in one afternoon.
- Day 3
Wine country day in Alsace
Use the third day for a single winery visit (booked ahead) and a long lunch at one of the regional addresses below before heading home.
Where to stay
Three angles for the festival window. Festival hotels book out 6+ months in advance — apartments are the contingency when the main shortlist is sold out.
- Hotels in Colmar
Live inventory around the festival window — 2 adults, all star ratings.
- 4–5 star options near Colmar
Higher-end shortlist when you want the milestone weekend treatment.
- Apartments in Colmar
Self-catering option — useful when festival hotels sell out 6+ months ahead.
Booking.com links — we may earn a commission. We never recommend hotels we wouldn't use ourselves.
One winery worth a detour
Domaine Weinbach
A Capuchin monastery producing some of Alsace's finest Grand Cru wines, with intimate tastings in the historic cellars.
- Address
- 25 Route du Vin, 68240 Kaysersberg, France
- Appointment
- required
- Tasting price
- EUR 15 · Tasting of 6 wines in historic cellar
- Website
- Visit
Where to eat
Winstub Brenner
€€Colmar winstub (wine tavern) with traditional choucroute, baeckeoffe, and local Pinot Gris
Must try: Choucroute garnie (sauerkraut with charcuterie)
More dining picks in Alsace →Practical
- Nearest airport
- EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL)
- Mid-range daily budget
- ~€170/day for two
- Festival site
- Visit official site
Insider tip
Arrive on a weekday morning to avoid 250K weekend crowds and access smaller growers' tables—Domaine Zind-Humbrecht and Domaine Weinbach command lines but smaller producers like Domaine Schoffit offer equally stellar Rieslings with zero wait. The grand crus section is your fast-track to tasting the region's terroir hierarchy in one afternoon.
Want a longer trip than the festival weekend?
The milestone-trip planner builds a 3–10 day Alsace itinerary with accommodation, tours, and pacing options.
Plan a Alsace trip →