If you want the most recognisably Alsatian bites at Strasbourg's Christmas market, begin with bredle biscuits, gingerbread, a maennele brioche and a hot drink. Then use a simple Bonjour, name what you want and finish with s'il vous plaît. Food stands and their menus vary from year to year, so treat this as a guide to choosing and ordering rather than a promise that every item is at every chalet.
What to look for at a Strasbourg Christmas market
Strasbourg sits in Alsace, a region with French and Germanic culinary influences. The official tourist office's Christmas-market selection includes mulled wine, bredle, maennele and gingerbread. Some are a small snack, others are best carried home; ingredients and recipes can differ from one baker or producer to another.
- Bredle
- Small Alsatian Christmas biscuits. The name covers many varieties, including butter biscuits and versions with almond, cinnamon or anise.
- Maennele
- A little person-shaped brioche, traditionally associated with Saint Nicholas Day. It is a sweet seasonal treat, not a full meal.
- Pain d'épices
- Gingerbread. You may see softer sliced loaves as well as flatter, shaped gingerbread; recipes can include honey and spices.
- Vin chaud
- Mulled wine, usually made with wine, spices, sugar and citrus. It contains alcohol; ask what is available if you would prefer a non-alcoholic hot drink.
- Bretzel
- A savoury pretzel. It makes a useful counterpoint to the sweeter seasonal cakes and biscuits.
Try the stalls
Choose a fictional stall to practise an order
Every buying scene is visible below. Select a stall to bring one scene forward; this does not place an order or represent a live menu.
Showing the hot-chocolate scene.
Warm drink
A hot chocolate
A reliable alcohol-free request. Whether hot chocolate is available is up to the stall, so a vendor may offer another hot drink instead.
Vous: Bonjour, un chocolat chaud, s'il vous plaît.
Vendeur: Oui, bien sûr.
Vous: C'est tout, merci.
“Hello, a hot chocolate, please.” “Yes, of course.” “That is all, thank you.”
Sweet biscuits
Bredle to share
Bredle is already plural in this context. At a counter, asking for a quantity is a clear way to start; the selection may be sold by weight, piece or bag.
Vous: Bonjour, deux bredle, s'il vous plaît.
Vendeur: Lesquels voulez-vous ?
Vous: Ceux à la cannelle, merci.
“Hello, two bredle biscuits, please.” “Which ones would you like?” “The cinnamon ones, thank you.”
Spiced cake
A slice of gingerbread
Pain d'épices literally means “spice bread.” It can refer to different shapes and textures, so pointing and asking one short question is entirely practical.
Vous: Bonjour, une tranche de pain d'épices, s'il vous plaît.
Vendeur: Avec plaisir.
Vous: Merci, bonne soirée.
“Hello, one slice of gingerbread, please.” “With pleasure.” “Thank you, have a good evening.”
Seasonal brioche
A maennele
This small man-shaped brioche is traditionally enjoyed for Saint Nicholas Day. If you see it at a festive stall or bakery, the singular request below is useful.
Vous: Bonjour, un maennele, s'il vous plaît.
Vendeur: Voilà.
Vous: Merci beaucoup.
“Hello, one maennele, please.” “There you are.” “Thank you very much.”
Savoury snack
A warm pretzel
A bretzel is a simple savoury option. The word is masculine, so say un bretzel.
Vous: Bonjour, un bretzel, s'il vous plaît.
Vendeur: Il est encore chaud.
Vous: Parfait, merci.
“Hello, a pretzel, please.” “It is still warm.” “Perfect, thank you.”
A small ordering pattern that travels well
At a busy stand, keep the exchange short and polite. Start with Bonjour; then use un for a masculine item, une for a feminine item, or a number for several items. End with s'il vous plaît. When you have finished, C'est tout, merci means “That is all, thank you.” If you do not understand the reply, try Pardon, vous pouvez répéter ? — “Sorry, can you repeat?”
Keep reading
Practise French beyond the market
These short scenes are a starting point, not a live translation tool. Explore French short stories with translations and audio to meet everyday French in longer contexts.
Get one free French story each week at the level you choose.
Before you go
Bring warm layers and give yourself time to compare stalls rather than trying to eat everything at once. Ask before assuming a product is vegetarian, alcohol-free or suitable for an allergy. For a particular stall's ingredients, payment method, cups and opening hours, the vendor and the official market information are the useful authorities.
