It is not only on football fields that derbies between Strasbourg and Metz are played. Christmas markets are also a source of rivalry! Finally, especially according to the mayor of the Moselle capital… François Grosdidier even proclaimed it at the end of October: he wanted his city to become “the first Christmas market in France”.
A little over a month later, his speech was a little more measured with 20 minutes. “Being the leader or the second, it depends on the criteria you take. If it’s the number of chalets, activities, visitors,” adds the councilor, perhaps aware of tackling a world-famous event.
You only have to walk the streets of the Alsatian capital to see it: tourists come from everywhere for this meeting which is almost 500 years old. Like this Canadian family we met on opening day, November 24. “When my partner typed “Christmas market” on the Internet, Strasbourg and Vienna came up most often. We’re going to Austria afterwards but we’re staying here for five nights,” David explained, impressed by “the volume”. “We only have one market per town, there are them everywhere! »
In Strasbourg, around ten places accommodate around 300 chalets. Not to mention the decorated streets, the facades of shops and restaurants arranged in detail… “Yes, they have the advantage of tradition with a stronger involvement of traders and residents”, agrees François Grosdidier, before putting forward the arguments of his city. “We have things that others don’t have. Two major attractions: the Ferris wheel which caresses the gargoyles of the cathedral and the ”City skyliner”, this saucer which rises to almost 80 meters in height and offers a breathtaking view of Metz and the Moselle valley. » From where the 125 chalets spread over five squares are also visible.
In Strasbourg, “we seek authenticity”
So, is the Alsatian capital beaten by all the new developments? “Every year, I am asked if we are going to add a Ferris wheel but I always answer no,” retorts the deputy at the town hall responsible for organizing the event, Guillaume Libsig. “We are not in an amusement park logic. We have been criticized enough for being a large open-air supermarket! Here, we seek authenticity and we therefore offer a multifaceted event that serves it. »
Rather with concerts or specialized markets (that of associations, small producers, artisans, delicacies, off with thrift stores etc.). “People come to see a traditional Alsatian market. There is nothing flashy or flashy but we have reinvented for forty years the relationship with traders, federations and regional associations, as well as the security model,” continues the Strasbourg resident, without wanting to attract even more people. Last year, a record edition, 2.8 million visitors flocked there, with days of large crowds. “The goal is not to go to 3 million, that’s for sure! Our hotels and restaurants are already full. »
In Metz, no overall attendance figures. “For the simple reason that a market is inherently open and it is therefore difficult to count,” justifies François Grosdidier before citing one. “The only one available is attendance at the lantern trail (in a forest of illuminated century-old oak trees) which increased from 35,000 people in 2012 to 170,000 in 2022.”
The councilor accepts it, he wants his Christmas market to gain in attendance. Like her city more broadly, she regularly appears in poster campaigns. “Yes, we did strong marketing. In Paris, you cannot take a metro without seeing Metz and you cannot watch TV without seeing the Moselle,” he enthuses before being more consensual. “Strasbourg has proclaimed itself the capital of Christmas and we are not taking anything away from them. But we want the east of France to be the Christmas destination since it is not naturally there during the summer period. The important thing is that everyone does better every year and that residents are happy and proud of their city. »