NATIVITY SCENES AND LIVING NATIVITY SCENES IN 2026

From 27 November to 4 January 2027: BERGHEIM: Nativity Trail - The Bergheim nativity trail offers an original route to discover more than 80 handcrafted nativity scenes created by the villagers and local associations and displayed around the town, which is illuminated and decorated in Christmas colours. This former medieval town has the largest number of nativity scenes in Alsace, from naive depictions to genuine works of art, made from a variety of materials. Self-guided visits on weekdays - guided tours on Saturdays and Sundays at 6 pm.

From 28 November to 17 January 2027: COLMAR: Discover an authentic mechanical nativity scene from the 1930s, where moving figures and original staging bring the Nativity to life. Displayed in Sainte-Marie Church, this fully mechanical nativity scene dates from 1935. Restored in 1993 by Mr Jost with the help of volunteers and friends, it includes around thirty figures carved in the 1930s and continues to evolve year after year. Also enjoy the exhibition “Le Chemin des Crèches du Monde”, which invites you to travel the world while admiring more than 170 nativity scenes from different countries and cultures, lent by parishioners. A fun trail to explore alone, as a family, with children or in a group. Open on Saturdays and Sundays from 3 pm to 6 pm.

From 21 November to 17 January 2027: ITTENHEIM: Take a stroll at Rosie and Charly's, two lovers of nativity scenes from around the world. The atmosphere of an authentic Christmas is truly there! Immerse yourself in the spirit of the Nativity: here passion has become pleasure! In the courtyard of a fully decorated Alsatian house, softly lit with white lights, you will find the various nativity scenes: new for 2026 is the African nativity scene from Rwanda! Visit Rosie and Charly in Ittenheim. A room also presents an exhibition of nativity scenes from the 1950s. From 5 pm to 9 pm at 2 impasse de l'église, Ittenheim.

From 13 December to 24 January 2027: MAISONGOUTTE: Discover a unique nativity scene in which every figure, from the Holy Family to the shepherds and sheep, is entirely carved in wood, with particular attention to detail. The current nativity scene was set up from 1963 onwards, replacing the old one with its plaster statues. All the figures in the nativity scene are made of wood: the Holy Family of course, but also the angel of the Annunciation, the stable and the star, not to mention the shepherds and sheep. The structure and the sky backdrop are set up by members of the same parish council, helped by volunteers, and the floral decoration that follows is done by the team responsible for the floral arrangements. The old nativity scene has also been preserved and is highlighted and lit beneath the bell tower, where it can be seen from outside as you approach the Saint Antoine church.

From 21 November to 17 January 2027: MUNSTER: More than twenty handcrafted nativity scenes, traditional or very contemporary, spread across the choir and nave of the Catholic church, will delight young and old. A nostalgic exhibition not to be missed! An essential stop on the "Alsace Nativity Trail", the exhibition lets visitors discover, freely and at no charge, dozens of nativity scenes designed, decorated and lit by a team of artists and volunteers from the Munster Valley: traditional nativity scenes set in grottoes or stables, but also more unexpected ones such as the Zacharie nativity scene, the temple nativity scene, the Alsatian hamlet or the cheesemaker's (marcaire) nativity scene. Wood, the emblematic material of the valley, is widely used in these creations, alongside paintings and sculptures. This exhibition, enriched every year with new creations, helps deepen the spiritual meaning of the Christian Christmas. Every day from 9 am to 6 pm at the Saint-Léger Catholic church.

From 27 November to 31 December: OBERNAI: As part of the Noëlies Nativity Trail, the church of Saints-Pierre-et-Paul hosts a large exhibition of nativity scenes devoted this year to Belgium. The church of Saints Pierre-et-Paul hosts a large exhibition of nativity scenes showcasing a region or country. For this edition, the spotlight is on Belgium! Since the end of the 19th century, the art of the nativity scene has taken firm root in Belgium. Specialised workshops known as "sainteries" were set up in Ghent, Namur, Liège, Verviers and Brussels, mass-producing small statuettes in moulded and painted plaster inspired by Italian craftsmanship, each workshop developing its own colours based on pigments mixed with linseed oil. This unique exhibition invites you to discover these works from all over the country, through a remarkable diversity of techniques and skills: ceramics, marquetry, clay, coil pottery, wrought iron... This exhibition is part of the Noëlies Nativity Trail. Open from 9 am to 12 noon and from 2 pm to 6 pm, except on 4, 18 and 31 December, from 2 pm to 6 pm only.

From 27 November to 5 January 2027: SAASENHEIM: Visit the historic nativity scene in the church and discover the amazing nativity scenes around the village. Here, everyone is a passionate collector and an inspired creator, using wood, plaster, cereals, pumpkins,... In the village, the "Nativity Trail" can be visited day and night. Maps and signposts guide visitors through the streets, where they can admire the nativity scenes displayed by the residents. Along the way, you will also discover artistic and poetic decorations skilfully placed here and there, the work of a passionate and dedicated team.

From 25 December to 2 February 2027: SELESTAT: This nativity scene can be seen from Christmas until February. It attracts a multitude of children and their parents, who feel young at heart again. After the first nativity scene of Saint Francis of Assisi in 1223, the Franciscans of Sélestat created a monumental static nativity scene in 1934 based on the same principles. Under the direction of Léopold Holler OFM (1906-1985), its designer, initiator and creator, the Friends of the Convent, together with former altar boys and choristers, created a nativity scene covering a floor area of about 45 m2, with a height of 6 to 8 m. Open every day from 7 am to 7 pm at the St Antoine church.

From 28 November to 31 January 2027: SOUFFLENHEIM: Come and admire a nativity scene made of statues in traditional colours, in a setting that is enhanced year after year! Every day from 9 am to 5 pm. The second, with avant-garde figures, is made of local clay: it was created by Jean-Paul Frindel, a teacher at the Strasbourg School of Decorative Arts, and the statues were thrown and modelled in a local pottery in 1974. They are now joined by very contemporary creations, the work of the town's potters, displayed in new and original locations. Their workshops are open to visitors.

From 29 November to 31 January 2027: THANNENKIRCH: Come and admire this magnificent exhibition of a giant nativity scene with figures practising the trades of yesteryear, carved in wood, in the church of Thannenkirch. Admire a magnificent wooden nativity scene 3 m high and 4 m wide created by Mr Bosshardt, a woodcarver in Thannenkirch. Beyond the usual figures, this nativity scene depicts characters practising the traditional trades of Thannenkirch before and after the war (log hauler, schlitteur (wood-sledge driver), lumberjack, stonemason, etc.).

From 29 November to 31 January 2027: WISSEMBOURG: Visit the exhibition of more than 200 nativity scenes from the personal collection of parish priest Jean-Marc Bottais. In paper, wood, chocolate, ceramics or glass, from here or elsewhere, this exhibition will win your heart! Discover this renewed exhibition of more than 200 nativity scenes from the personal collection of parish priest Jean-Marc Bottais. In the pretty display cases, you will discover them according to their material: paper, wood, chocolate, ceramics, fabric, glass, etc... Large or tiny, from our region or from distant lands, the figures in these nativity scenes catch our eye and command our admiration, filling our hearts with the mystery of the Nativity. Every day from 9 am to 6 pm at the Saints-Pierre-et-Paul abbey church and the Romanesque Chapel.