In Colmar in December, the average high is 6.8°C and the average low is 1.1°C, with 13 rain days expected over the month. Daylight on December 15 runs to 8 hours and 23 minutes, among the shortest spans of the year. December is Colmar's least sunny month and ranks only 11th warmest, and it isn't one of the city's computed best months — those are May, June and September. It suits travellers who want a quiet, cool-weather city break around the Christmas holiday rather than mild, outdoor-heavy sightseeing.
December in Colmar at a glance
- Temperature
- Average high 6.8 °C, average low 1.1 °C — the 11th warmest month of the year.
- Rain
- 13 days with at least 1 mm, 80 mm in total — the 5th wettest month by rain days.
- Sunshine
- The least sunny month of Colmar's year (relative ranking — modelled data overstates absolute hours).
- Daylight
- 8 h 23 min on December 15 (8 h 37 min on the 1st, 8 h 26 min on the last day); the shortest day of the year is December 21 (8 h 21 min).
- Crowds
- Busy: visitor nights in the region run at 1.3× an average month. Busiest month August, quietest January (Eurostat, 2022–2025).
- Verdict
- The best months for Colmar are May, June, September; December is for travellers who don't mind the cold.
- Source
- ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2016–2025 averages; daylight computed for the city's latitude; crowds from Eurostat nights spent at tourist accommodation (region by month).
What Colmar is like in December
December in Colmar is cold and dim: average highs of 6.8°C and lows of 1.1°C, with 13 rain days bringing 80 mm of precipitation. That's down from November's 9.6°C high, though it's milder than January's 5.8°C, which also brings one more rain day at 14. Daylight shrinks from 8 h 37 min on December 1 to 8 h 26 min by the 31st, dipping to the year's shortest day, 8 h 21 min, on December 21. Nearby, Basel matches Colmar's 6.8°C high, while Strasbourg, Zurich, Bern and Lucerne run a little cooler, with 14–15 rain days each, so Colmar sits roughly in line with the region this month.
December is ranked Colmar's least sunny month, and there isn't a single day reaching 30°C or a night staying at 20°C or above — unsurprising in deep winter. Christmas Day (25 December) is a public holiday, and school holidays overlap heavily: France's run from 20 December to 3 January, Germany's from 19 December to 12 January, and the Netherlands' from 19 December to 3 January. Visitor nights in the region run at 1.3 times an average month, busier than quiet January but well short of August's peak. It's a month suited to museums, indoor tastings and evening wandering around La Petite Venise's lantern-lit canals rather than long outdoor itineraries.
Flights to Colmar in December 2026
| From | Lowest fare found |
|---|---|
| London | €51 |
| Paris | €51 |
| Berlin | €33 |
| Amsterdam | €107 |
| Stockholm | €124 |
| New York | €397 |
Lowest fares found in recent flight searches (Aviasales), collected 11 November 2026. A guide to price level only — fares change daily and may not be available when you search.
Where else to go in December: warmest, driest and least crowded cities →
Where to stay in December
Holidays in December 2026
- 25 Dec
- Christmas Day — public holiday in France
- Germany
- School holidays 19 Dec – 12 Jan (dates vary by region) — expect more visitors from there.
- Netherlands
- School holidays 19 Dec – 3 Jan (dates vary by region) — expect more visitors from there.
- France
- School holidays 20 Dec – 3 Jan (dates vary by region) — expect more visitors from there.
December in nearby cities
The numbers side by side
| City | Distance | Avg high | Avg low | Rain days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colmar | — | 6.8 °C | 1.1 °C | 13 |
| Basel | 60 km | 6.8 °C | 0.6 °C | 14 |
| Strasbourg | 63 km | 6.5 °C | 1.3 °C | 14 |
| Zurich | 119 km | 5.1 °C | −0.3 °C | 14 |
| Bern | 126 km | 5 °C | −1.4 °C | 13 |
| Lucerne | 135 km | 5.8 °C | 0.7 °C | 15 |
Tips for December
- Pack warm layers and a waterproof coat, since highs sit at 6.8°C, lows at 1.1°C, and rain falls on about 13 days.
- With daylight down to around 8 h 23 min by the 15th and shortest on December 21 at 8 h 21 min, plan outdoor walks like La Petite Venise early in the afternoon before light fades.
- Book accommodation and tables ahead of Christmas Day and the overlapping French, German and Dutch school holidays (19 December–12 January across markets), when the region sees 1.3 times an average month's visitor nights.
- For a similar day trip, Basel is 60 km away and matches Colmar's 6.8°C high, though it gets one more rain day at 14.
Hotels in Colmar
See live prices and availability for stays in Colmar on a major booking site.
Frequently asked
Is Colmar worth visiting in December?
Yes, if you're after a quiet, cold-weather city break — it isn't one of Colmar's computed best months (those are May, June and September), but Christmas Day falls in the month and the canals of La Petite Venise still make for atmospheric evening walks.
How cold is Colmar in December?
Average highs sit at 6.8°C and lows at 1.1°C, with no days reaching 30°C and no nights staying at 20°C or above — it's firmly a winter-coat month.
Does it rain a lot in Colmar in December?
There are around 13 rain days bringing 80 mm of precipitation, making it the 5th wettest month of the year, similar to November's 13 days and just one fewer than January's 14.
How many hours of daylight does Colmar get in December?
Daylight runs to about 8 hours 23 minutes on December 15, shrinking from 8 h 37 min on the 1st to the year's shortest day on December 21 at 8 h 21 min.
More on Colmar
Sources
- Open-Meteo historical weather API — December climate normals for Colmar, 2016–2025 averages (ERA5 reanalysis, CC BY 4.0)
- NOAA solar calculation method — daylight computed for Colmar's latitude (sunrise to sunset, standard refraction)
- Nager.Date — public holidays in France, December 2026
- OpenHolidays API — school holidays in the main source markets, December 2026
- ReasonStay methodology — how figures are computed and checked
An independent guide to Colmar in December — every figure computed from open data, no invented numbers. Booking links are affiliate links (how we're funded).