Besançon Christmas market 2026: opening on 27 November, a transition year according to the mayor

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The Besançon Christmas market will open on 27 November 2026. The mayor, Ludovic Fagaut, elected in March, promises an edition « different » from previous ones, with « more lights and more Father Christmases ». However, he admits preparation time was tight and is already looking ahead to 2027. Here is what is confirmed, the neighbourhood markets to note and the lesson for other towns.

When does the Besançon Christmas market open in 2026?

According to the city council magazine, macommune.info, the market will open « from 27 November ». The mayor announced it on 10 October at a press conference on the results of the summer tourist season. Besançon is the main city of the Doubs département, in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of eastern France.

However, nobody yet knows the closing date, exact venues, opening hours or full programme. The council is due to present the activities, lights and new features « soon ». You should therefore check these details before planning a trip.

What is changing at the Besançon Christmas market?

The mayor says the 2026 market « will be nothing like the Christmas markets of the past ». In particular, he promises more lights and more Father Christmas activities.

However, he tempers expectations himself. In his words, the 2026 edition « will not yet be at full cruising speed because we had limited time ». In other words, the new council team, in office since the spring, has had only a few months to prepare it.

For reference, the 2023 edition brought together around fifty wooden chalets on Place Granvelle, from 25 November to 24 December. We do not yet know how many chalets are planned for 2026.

At least a year of preparation

This is probably the most useful lesson for other local councillors. Indeed, the mayor points out that a Christmas market « takes at least a year of work ». That is why the council says it will « start working on the 2027 Christmas market ».

In practice, a council has to book chalets, call for stallholders and plan security well before the autumn. Some councils now publish figures on their events, such as the Valence Christmas village. This kind of review then helps to adjust the following edition.

Other December events around the city

While waiting for the main market’s programme, organisers have already announced several events for 2026, according to the local listings site eVous:

• Christmas pop-up shop, 52 Rue Battant: 27 November to noon on 24 December, Wednesday to Saturday 10am to 7pm, with extra openings on 20, 21 (afternoon) and 22 December;
• Grette-Butte market, neighbourhood centre, 31 bis Rue du Général-Brulard: 28 and 29 November, Saturday 11am to 8pm and Sunday 10am to 6pm;
• Culture Club Besac market, diocesan centre courtyard, 20 Rue Mégevand: 5 and 6 December, with 30 craftspeople and free entry;
• charity Christmas market, in a marquee at the Chamars tram stop: 9 to 20 December, 11am to 7pm, except Mondays from 2pm.

In addition, the Musée du Temps (Museum of Time) offers free story readings for children aged 3 and over, on Saturdays from 28 November to 19 December, 4pm to 5pm, booking required.

Why it matters for local tourism

A Christmas market extends the tourist season into midwinter. For Besançon, it follows the summer season we covered in our French article on tourism in Besançon. It also directly benefits shops in the centre, which can open on some Sundays in December under French rules.

Finally, the council has not published visitor numbers or economic results for its previous markets on the pages we consulted. We will return to the subject as soon as an official review is available. You can also read this article in French.

Besançon Christmas market: key takeaways

• The Besançon Christmas market opens on 27 November 2026.
• The mayor promises a « different » edition with more lights, but prepared at short notice.
• Venues, opening hours and closing date are still to be published by the council.
• Several neighbourhood markets are already scheduled: Rue Battant, Grette-Butte, Rue Mégevand and Chamars.
• The council is already preparing 2027: a Christmas market takes at least a year to plan.

Sources: macommune.info, City of Besançon magazine (articles of 10 October 2026 and November 2023), eVous Besançon listings (1 November 2026), accessed on 12 November 2026; geo.api.gouv.fr for the municipality code. Featured photo: T (tanyabarrow) / Unsplash.