Alsacien Festivities

This Sunday some of us piled in a car and took a drive over into Alsace, home of the Christmas market in France. Instead of heading to Strasbourg, the Mecca of the Marché de Noël world, we chose to go to Molsheim, for its medieval Christmas festival, and to Rosheim, for its notably authentic marché.

The market and festivities in Molsheim took place around the Metzig, the beautiful Renaissance-era building built in 1525 by an organization of butchers. La Metzig is now used as a community space for expositions and events.

The place in front of the Metzig was the central site of both the (modern) Christmas market and the medieval celebration.

There were games and event for children...

with pretend jousting and other combat games.

There were stations set up giving examples of various crafts, like woodworking and iron smithy.

There was spit-roasted wild boar...

that people lining up for a taste.

Costumed people sold other foods under the satirical sign reading, "The Fat of the Poor."

Hans Trapp is the Alsacien equivalent to Père Fouettard. He accompanies Christkindel (literally, Christ Child), a woman dressed in white, wearing a wreath of candles on her head, much like for the celebration of Saint Lucia in Scandinavia. While Christkindel hands out candies to well-behaved children, Hans Trapp takes away naughty children in the big sack he carries on his back. (Interesting to note, Hans Trapp is based on a real person: Hans von Trotta, a cruel ruler in the neighboring Palatinate region of Germany.)

As we were browsing through the market stalls we heard an announcement for a parade that was about to start. All the costumed townspeople we had seen throughout the day assembled and formed an impressive processional. The parade was led by this fantastical woodland creature.

Knights

The real mayor of Molsheim played the roll of Messire le Bourgmestre.

The Bishop

Farmers

Nobility

Handing out candy to the children

One final stand exhibiting medieval arts

The town of Rosheim had a very beautiful market; simple and nicely illuminated as it was getting dusky at the end of the day.

The 12th century church

One of the city gates

Town hall and market stalls