Colmar has several mosques and a handful of halal restaurants, though choice is narrower than in Strasbourg. In the villages, halal food is rare: bring snacks or eat in Colmar.
Museums, shops and the station do not have prayer rooms. Pray at your hotel or one of the mosques, and carry a light mat for village days.
Short days
Sunset is around 4:30pm in December, so Dhuhr, Asr and Maghrib fall close together. Plan village visits around them.
Ask every time
Halal listings change. Ask about certification and whether alcohol is served before ordering.
Christmas market food: what is fine
Usually fine
Pain d’épices, bredele, manala brioches, chocolate, roasted chestnuts, waffles and hot chocolate.
Drinks
Vin chaud (mulled wine) and Christmas beer are everywhere. Ask for hot chocolate or a hot fruit juice; recipes vary by stall.
Pork is common
Sausages, choucroute, ham and tarte flambée with lardons are pork. The gourmet market’s chef huts serve hot dishes; ask what is in each one.
Watch for alcohol in cakes
Berawecka, the Alsatian fruit bread, is made with fruit soaked in kirsch, and some Christmas cakes contain rum.
Muslim traveller note: wine is central to Alsace, and many village stalls and cellars offer tastings. Focus on crafts, lights and sweets; you will find plenty to enjoy without them.