A Christmas classic is coming back! If you can imagine celebrating the holiday season in a region filled to the brim with festive Christmas markets in quaint medieval villages nestled among hillside vineyards with mountains on one side, Germany’s Rhine River on the other, and Paris thrown in for good measure (because…um…Paris!), then this is the trip for you!
We’re taking over a 17th century inn and transforming it into Vegan Centrale while we go about exploring the region in a comfortable and relaxed way. This includes walking tours of walled villages, a wine tasting at an Alsatian winery, a visit to a bear & wolf sanctuary as well as a small farmed animal sanctuary. And it all starts with a stay in Paris like you’ve never had before!
Come enjoy all of this with vegan author and animal advocate Colleen Patrick-Goudreau and like-minded new friends, all in deluxe & cozy comfort in our very own hotel, and despite being in France, never EVER having to worry about plant-based food! This is fast becoming a World Vegan Travel/Joyful Vegan Trips tradition, and there are fewer places in the world we’d rather celebrate the Christmas holidays than beautiful Alsace, France!
ABOUT ALSACE
Part French, part German, and 100% Alsatian, this is a place unlike any other in France. A veritable fairy tale land sprinkled all over with perfectly preserved walled medieval villages that look as though they’ve popped up from a children’s bedtime story. Colorful higgledy-piggledy half-timbered houses lean against each other, overlooking a backdrop of rolling countryside striped with vineyards as far as the eyes can see. Add a string of mountain-top castles to keep guard and you’ll quickly agree there is no better place than this idyllic little corner of Europe in which to spend the Christmas holidays.
USD 5895$/person
USD 750$/person
Colleen Patrick-Goudreau meet your host!
16-28 travelers
Paris, France
Mulhouse train station and Basel EuroAirport, France
Confirmed!
Alsace is an amazing place, full of memorable sights, the cutest villages and cozy Christmas markets. But we feel it’s our hotel and local guide that really make the trip!
Our home for 6 nights is Auberge La Couronne, in the small town of Ensisheim, on the south end of Alsace. Located midway between Colmar and Basel, and close to the hub city of Mulhouse, it’s a great location for which to go out and explore the region every day. But it’s the staff that makes it truly special. Everyone, from management to the housekeeping, is extremely friendly and helpful, and all of them jump wholeheartedly into making our trip as vegan as possible. The chef and his staff create what we think is the best vegan French cuisine anywhere, and they are not afraid to tackle local and French favorites. Expect local specialties like choucroute, tarte flambée and black forest cake, as well as famous French fare like croque-monsieur, bourguignon, hachis parmentier, and more. Even cheese fondue makes an appearance!
Learn more about our amazing 17th Century Inn here.
Once we hit Alsace, we’ll have an addition to our group: our local French guide, Muriel! We’ve tried for many years to stump her with random questions about the local history and culture, but she’s been able to give us an answer every time.. even if it means a trip to the library! Muriel is also able to share her encyclopedic knowledge of the area (including the Black Forest and Basel!) while making sure it’s kept entertaining. That’s good because we often surprise our travelers with a bit of trivia on our last day 😉 You can learn more about Muriel here.
Do note that the itinerary below is subject to change. Some activities, times and even days may get switched around, but once you sign up you will be kept updated. Please rest assured that if anything does change, it will be for the best and make the trip even better. We’re hoping that the itinerary below should, at the very least, whet your appetite — pun definitely intended!
Today is arrival day, where we all meet up in PARIS. How exciting!! If it’s your first time in the city of lights, we highly recommend arriving a couple of days before the trip so you can check out the sights. We won’t have too much time to do so once we get going! Please let us know if you need help with any hotel bookings and tips on sightseeing!
Our hotel is centraly located near tourist attractions and facilities while managing to remain very french and local. The neighborhood is filled to the brim with bistros, parks and history, and home to several vegan eateries and shops!
Our trip officially begins at 4pm, with a WELCOME MEETING where we’ll introduce each other. We’ll be close friends by the week’s end, so obviously this needs to be celebrated with some bubbly. 🙂
Then we’re off to our FIRST DINNER at a nearby restaurant. By now it’s a World Vegan Travel and CPG Vegan Trips tradition that we make sure our first meal together is memorable. Definitely expect this one to be as well!
Accommodation:
Hôtel Maison Mère (4-star)
Included:
welcome meeting & drinks
dinner
non-premium drinks during dinner
all transportation once the trip begins
Excluded:
breakfast & lunch
transportation to our meeting place in Milan
premium drinks
After filling up on our vegan breakfast, we pack up and board our coach for our first-class TGV train to Strasbourg (~2 hours). This means an early-rise as we want to get to Strasbourg for lunch!
As soon as the train pulls into the Strasbourg station, we’ll put our belongings on our bus and say “bonjour!” to our driver and local guide Muriel, who will be with us for the rest of the trip. We’ll have plenty of time to get to know both during lunch at a local vegan restaurant. Be sure to leave some space for their amazing french patisseries!
Right after lunch, it’s time to burn those calories with a guided walking tour of Strasbourg! The self-proclaimed Capital of Christmas, Strasbourg wears its slogan proudly, and there’s little chance you’ll disagree. Its old town, actually an island, was the first ever city centre to be entirely classified as World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It will not take long for you to see why. Our guide will take us back in time to medieval Strasbourg, weaving in and out the alleyways of its old town and ending up 1.5hrs later at its stunning cathedral.
Following the walking tour, you’ll have about 2 hours to wander the narrow streets lines with several Christmas markets. Every cute alley seems to lead to a square, and each square seems to have its own market. It’s nonstop Christmas everywhere, with merchants peddling mulled wine, pretzels (make sure they’re vegan before ordering!) and all kind of Christmas knickknacks.
Finally we’ll board our bus for the 1 hours drive to our home for the next 6 nights: La Couronne is a 16th Century Inn beautifully restored and located in Ensisheim, a small village on the south end of Alsace. We’re taking over the entire hotel so unpack your suitcases and make it your own home!
We’ll be having dinner at the hotel — as every night — thanks to the amazing kitchen staff that create, what we think, the best vegan French cuisine in the world. Come hungry!
Accommodation:
Hôtel Restaurant La Couronne (4-star)
Included:
1st class TGV train Paris-Strasbourg
guided walking tour of Strasbourg
breakfast, lunch & dinner
non-premium drinks during meals
all transportation
Excluded:
premium drinks
After an early breakfast, we’ll board our bus for the ~30 minute drive to the Kazersberg, one of the most beautiful small town in the Alsace region. Our guide Muriel will take us around for a short tour before letting you loose to explore on your own. This is a great place to grab some Christmas souvenirs for your loved ones back home!
Lunch is back at the hotel.
Afterwards, we board our bus once again for the 30 minute drive to the region’s gem, Colmar. Surprisingly big for a medieval city, and perfectly preserved, this was actually the last town in France to be freed after the second World War! It is so beautiful that both the American and British military were careful NOT to bomb the cobbles lanes and half-timbered houses that seem to populate every inch of town.
Our guide will take you on a 2-hour stroll through the stunningly beautiful streets, alleyways and squares. At times you’ll feel like you’ve stepped 500 years into the past.
By now darkness will have set in, which means Colmar’s streets and Christmas market will be all lit up. You’ll have some free time to wander around, join the locals for some mulled wine, and maybe get a few souvernirs!
Dinner is back at the hotel where you can expect yet another 5-star meal!
Accommodation:
Hôtel Restaurant La Couronne (4-star)
Included:
guided walking tour of Kayzersberg
guided walking tour of Colmar
breakfast, lunch & dinner
non-premium drinks during meals
all transportation
Excluded:
premium drinks
This morning we set off north for about an hour to visit a farm sanctuary. La Ferme D’Henni Le Cochon is simply awesome. This labor of love is founded and run by Jean-Luc Daub, who decided to start a sanctuary in order to deal with the trauma of having seen so many horrors and deaths during his years as a meat-packing industry inspector. His story is very touching, while the animals are super friendly and adorable.
After our visit, we’re off to a nearby town to visit a local winemaker. He’ll tell us all about Alsatian wine while we eat lunch, and, of course, taste the fruit of his labor! And yes, we’ll have plenty of cheese on-hand!
On the way home we’ll stop at one of the cutest village in all of France, Enguisheim. A cup of mulled wine will be a great way to cap off a fun day!
Accommodation:
Hôtel Restaurant La Couronne (4-star)
Included:
visit and donation to the farm sanctuary
wine tasting at a local Alsatian winery
breakfast, lunch & dinner
non-premium drinks during meals
all transportation
Excluded:
premium drinks
With Germany so close, it would be a shame not to go check it out… so let’s do it!
After breakfast, we board our private coach and meet our local guide who will take us over the border.
We’ll start with a drive through the valleys and hills of the Black Forest, a mountainous area famous for its cuckoo clocks, watchmaking, hiking trails and fresh mountain air.
Our first stop is the Wolf and Bear Park. Don’t let the name fool you – this is a real sanctuary, primarily for bears rescued from European circuses and tourist traps, as well as for wolves and even a few lynxes, also rescued and given a new life in this protected environment. As we’ll visit in winter, it’s not guaranteed we will get to see the bears, but we’ll still enjoy a private tour of their compound and learn about the plight of these animals as well as getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse on what it takes for such an operation to function.
Lunch will be at the park. On the menu: a real German feast of vegan bratwurst and spreads!!
After lunch, we’re off to the nearby town of Freiburg to see how Germans do their Christmas market. Despite being so close to France, you’ll notice a few differences, and while wine is the drink of choice in this part of Germany, it’s still very easy to find great beer.
We’ll then head back to France, arriving just in time at our Alsatian home, just in time for an apéritif and “le diner” at our hotel.
Accommodation:
Hôtel Restaurant La Couronne (4-star)
Included:
visit and donation to the farm sanctuary
guided walking tour of Freiburg
breakfast, lunch & dinner
non-premium drinks during meals
all transportation
Excluded:
premium drinks
We will start the morning off with a talk by Colleen, which will take us to a leisurely lunch.
The afternoon is free for you to build your own adventure. We’ll be providing transportation to Colmar where you can visit its amazing art museum or simply explore the Christmas market further. This is also a great time to purchase any Christmas gift for your family & friends back home!
We’ll be back a bit early at the hotel today in time for a cooking demo from Colleen! We’ll follow this up with a fun pre-dinner drink before our usual evening feast!
Accommodation:
Hôtel Restaurant La Couronne (4-star)
Included:
talk by Colleen
cooking demo from Colleen
breakfast, lunch & dinner
non-premium drinks during meals
all transportation
Excluded:
premium drinks
Oh no, our last full day! All good things must come to an end, but we’ll go out with a bang!
We start the day off our usual delicious vegan breakfast. We’re then off to Switzerland (~40 minutes drive) with a walking tour of Basel‘s wonderful old town. Yes, there’s a Christmas market here too!
We’ll have lunch at a local vegetarian restaurant before boarding the bus and returning back to France and the hotel for our afternoon festivities. It’s time to have our (pre)Christmas party!
Bubbly, wine and snacks will be served throughout the day as we take over the hotel’s basement. Stockings will be hung up. “DJ David” may even put on some Christmas carols!
Finally, the moment has come: Christmas dinner. We think nothing will beat having a beautifully prepared Christmas feast all spent in the company of your new lifelong friends!
Accommodation:
Hôtel Restaurant La Couronne (4-star)
Included:
guided walking tour of Basel, Switzerland
Christmas party!
breakfast, lunch & dinner
non-premium drinks during meals
all transportation
Excluded:
premium drinks
Today is unfortunately departure day. Nothing is planned today except for your transfers to Mulhouse train station, or the Euroairport at Basel.
After breakfast it’s time to say our goodbyes with a final word from Colleen and a (orange juice) toast to fantastic memories and new friends! Until next time!!
Included:
breakfast
transfer to train station, airport or another hotel
Excluded:
lunch & dinner
SINGLE ROOM AVAILABILITY: due to the number of rooms at our hotels, we are currently offering a maximum of 4 single rooms available for booking and they will be available on a first-come-first-served basis. Please note that the single supplement of 750USD applies.
SHARING ROOM WITH ANOTHER SOLO TRAVELER: if you prefer to share a room with another fellow traveler, please let us know when booking. We will put in touch with another solo traveler of the same gender who also wishes to share, to see if you’re a good match.
We expect this trip to sell out quickly so ensure your spot on the trip and sign up early by paying the sign-up deposit (1500$/person).
Once we have the necessary numbers for the trip to go ahead, we will confirm the trip. Please see the TRIP INFO section for the confirmation date.
Do note that the sign-up fee and subsequent payments are non-refundable. Please see our cancellation policy section below for more information.
In order to sign up, click the booking link on this page (once it’s live). Any problems or questions? Email us!
If you are signing up as a solo traveler, do so quickly! We only have 4 single room available and we foresee them going quickly. Please read our solo travelers section for more information.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Following the sign-up fee (PAYMENT #1), the remaining balance will be due in 2 installments:
We can work with you on a payment plan: pay your trip in the usual 2 installments, or opt for several. Contact us to discuss what works best for you!
PAYMENT METHODS
We currently accept US DOMESTIC BANK TRANSFERS and CREDIT CARDS PAYMENTS.
EXTRA PAYMENT FEES
Online Bank Payment – US only: also called eCheck or ACH, we do not charge a fee for this, although your bank may do so. Please inquire with them directly.
Credit card payment: the following fees will be added to the total:
Since our trips are highly catered and made of activities that need a lot of planning and organization, all payments (the initial sign-up fee, 50% deposit and final payment) are all non-refundable. This is because we must forward payments for accommodation, transportation, suppliers, etc. very early on, in order to privatize our accommodation, activities and our meals.
To see our booking terms and conditions you can click here. You will find the cancellation policy in section 9 and 10.
TRAVEL MEDICAL INSURANCE – MANDATORY
This is a World Vegan Travel requirement. You will need to provide a policy and emergency contact number in order to join the trip. This can be done just prior to the trip’s date.
Trip Insurance (ie. covering your flight tickets, luggage, etc.) is definitely recommended as well, but not mandatory.
ITINERARY
The itinerary is therefore subject to change, especially if we find an experience that we believe would make the trip even better.
DIET RESTRICTION & ALLERGIES
We do try to accommodate everyone’s food restrictions, especially allergies. We can only do so if you let us know of any requirements when you sign up. We begin working with all our hotels and restaurants a long time in advance, and meals are usually locked several months before the trip. At this point, it is often no longer possible to change menus.
In other words: it is your responsibility to alert us of any dietary requirements, restrictions, allergies and needs, when you sign up.
We do realize our prices seem high. However, when compared to many other tours to the region, we are actually comparatively priced when you take into account that our trips include all meals (and vegan to boot!) and drinks, all the tips for drivers and local guides, and many other extras like a amenities/essentials bag, a free laundry day, the support of 2 full time tour leaders (most tours have only one), and, finally, the chance to travel with author and animal advocate Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.
It’s also worth noting that there aren’t many 100% fully vegan tours to Alsace. We may be the only one! Veganism is still somewhat of a new concept in France. Our trip cost does factor in the lengthy and hard work done with all our hotels, restaurants and local partners in educating and preparing them for our visit (meals, advocacy, toiletries, etc), which is far beyond any tasks that other tour companies are faced with. This work begins several months before the trip, and approaches full-time hours around 2-3 months prior to the trip’s start date.
We also realize that for many, these types of trips are something they’ve dreamed about for many years. As such, we’ve constructed an itinerary that will make this trip truly memorable in regards to our accommodation, meals, and choice of activities.
Colleen Patrick-Goudreau and World Vegan Travel work closely together to create JOYFUL VEGAN TRIPS, which are specifically curated by Colleen to ensure the high quality that she has come to be known for. All trips include activities and dedicated time with Colleen, such as Q&A session, round-table discussions, sharing, and more.
Absolutely! We have many people on our trip that sign up as solo travelers. However do note that single rooms availability is low, so book quickly! Please see our COST & SIGN-UP section for more information.
Should you still be on the waiting list when the trip closes and gets confirmed, we may be able to offer you a single room (depending on availability).
FLIGHTS
You are in charge of your own transportation — whether it be flights, train, bus, car, etc. — to our starting city and hotel, and your return transportation from our departure points. Both of these locations are in the trip info section above.
For your arrival, we ask that you try and arrive early on the first day, as our first meeting tends to be in late afternoon. Do plan ahead adequately to leave you enough time to get to our meeting place by that time. Even better is arriving one or more days before. This would provide you with a chance to take care of jet-lag and visit the town.
Please note that your transportation to our first meeting point is not included.
Our trip finishes up in ENSISHEIM, ALSACE. There are a few options from there. You could choose to return to Paris, or head to another big airport like Frankfurt and ZURICH, by train from Mulhouse (around 20-25 minutes from our hotel). The nearest airport to our hotel is the Euroairport at Basel, Switzerland, about 30 minutes away.
We will provide transfers to Mulhouse train station and Basel EuroAirport airport on departure day, between breakfast and noon only. If you need to leave before or after those times, the transfers are not included.
VISAS
For citizens of western countries (ie USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc), no visas are necessary for a stay of 90 days or less in the Schengen Area, of which France is a member. Other European citizens do not need a visa to enter France.
TRAVEL/MEDICAL INSURANCE
Medical travel insurance is mandatory on our trip. We need to have assurances that you are fully covered in the event of a medical emergency, including repatriation. You will need to send us your policy detail and emergency contact number before the trip’s start date.
Trip Insurance (trip cancellation, lost baggage, etc.), on the other hand, is entirely up to you, though we highly recommend purchasing it. It often comes packaged along with medical travel insurance, or you may get coverage simply by paying for the trip using a credit card (inquire with your card supplier).
As we are not a travel agency or booking agents, we can’t book any flights or ongoing travel (ie hotels, transportation, etc) for you. However we can surely help with recommendations, suggestions and tips as you look into flights, or extending your holiday. It never hurts to ask, so don’t hesitate to contact us with any queries whatsoever!
As we’re going to France, Germany and Switzerland at Christmas time, you can expect cold and wet/humid weather. How cold it will be depends on where you’re coming from. If you’re from Canada or Alaska, it will be warmer 😉
Overall expect temperatures to fall anywhere between 5°C (41°F) and 15°C (59°F). Dipping at or below 0°C (32°F) is rare and probably would only occur at night time. Still, you simply never know so best to come prepared with layers. Snow is not uncommon but unlikely during our stay.
Visiting Christmas markets mean some walking, so come prepared with some warm clothing as the temperature will drop in the evenings. We try to visit the markets in the evening when they are at their quaintest with all the beautiful lighting, etc.
It’s a very good idea to pack an umbrella. No need for full-on rain gear (unless you plan on doing lots of hiking).
Some comfy lounging clothes for the time spent all cozied up at our hotel with a book and hot mulled wine is a must!
No need to overpack: we’ll have a laundry day mid-way through the trip. At no time will you need to dress up for our meals, so forget about suits and Sunday dresses.
We will supply you with vegan toiletries which you can use at each hotel, so there’s no need to pack shampoo and soap unless you want to.
If you are coming from outside of Europe, then yes, your mobile phone should work, but do check with your carrier to make sure. It is highly recommended to turn off global roaming unless you carrier can offer you a package for your stay in Italy. Otherwise you risk being charged exorbitant fees upon you return home!
If you are a UK or other European citizen, your phone should work as usual as Europe no longer has borders when it comes to mobile phone usage. However do check with your carrier to ensure your package qualifies.
If your phone is unlocked (please check with your carrier directly) you can also purchase a local Italian SIM Card when you arrive in the country (usually sold at airports). You can sometimes find SIM cards on Amazon; for example the Orange Holiday Europe prepaid SIM card.
Yes, our hotel has WIFI, and we will also have internet connection on-board our coaches. For the latter, connection speeds may vary, as will the connection itself.
We provide all accommodation, transportation and meals. All expenses during our included activities are taken care of, including tips for guides and drivers.
You will then only need cash for extra purchases such as souvenirs, extra drinks outside of what’s included, extra snacks, etc. There are ATMs in every town and credit cards are accepted in most places. This mostly means Visa and MasterCard, with American Express having quite a lower acceptance rate outside of hotels and higher-end restaurants.
The tour leaders will be carrying extra cash. If you decide to go on an optional activity at the last minute but don’t have enough money, we will be able to help you out and you can simply pay us back when we find an ATM.
For drinks during meals: we have a limited amount of alcoholic beverages (beer and wine) per meal. Any extra drinks on top of what’s provided will require you to pay the suppliers (ie hotel, restaurant) directly. We will make it very clear how much is included before each meal.
Tipping hotel and restaurant staff is not necessary and entirely up to you.
This is generally not a problem, but we do need to be informed at the time of booking so we may prepare the meals accordingly. Please be as precise and detailed as possible. Once on the trip, it is difficult and/or not possible to change our meal plans.
Colleen (and her husband David) is very much another traveler in our group and will be taking the same vehicles and participating in the same activities as the rest of us. You can approach and talk to her at any time, just like anyone else. Having said that, do remember that she will be as tired as everyone after a long day of travel or sightseeing, so we should just be respectful of that as we are of anyone else.
We do have quite a lot of walking activities on this trip, though mostly this will be on flat surfaces in towns and villages.
Youth above 16 years young are welcome. We are currently not accepting any younger children.
There’s no upper age limit, though do note that there is a fair amount of walking on this trip.
We will provide water, juice, coffee, tea, some cocktails and wine/beer at any time when at our hotel, and during meals and activities when outside. We will make it clear what’s included and what’s not. Premium alcoholic drinks (ie expensive cognac, whiskey, champagne, etc) are not included. You can pay for those on the spot or sign it to the room and pay when checking out.
World Vegan Travel and Joyful Vegan Trips aim to be a safe place for all LGBTQ travelers. We have a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination of any sort.
Generally speaking, France is a safe and welcoming travel destination for the LGBTQ community.
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