If the alleys still smell good of mulled wine, a smell of nostalgia is already being felt in Strasbourg. The Christmas market closed its doors on Saturday evening. And even if the merchants of the 313 chalets have lost a week compared to last year, they say they are delighted with this new edition.
"This Christmas market was extraordinary because of the influx of people. We had Saturdays where we couldn't believe our eyes to see so many people. It had been a long time since we had seen that", explains Laurence shopkeeper Alsace.
Loss of turnover
This early closure still causes traders to lose business, such as Max Mertz, who sits on a fifth of his usual total by closing on December 24. "It's too early. Commercially, it's a mistake. Next week, there will be a lot of tourists in Strasbourg and they will no longer have a Christmas market", he regrets. The festivities ended a week earlier in order to reduce energy consumption. Nights have also been cancelled. They usually took place until 9 p.m. on Friday and until 10 p.m. on Saturday.