The carnival
in the plain of Alsace

To combat the greyness of winter, Alsace has found its solution: carnival! Every year, the Rhine plain comes alive to the rhythm of parades, festive music and colorful traditions !

Carnival traditions

In the Alsace plain, carnival, also called Fasnacht in dialect, is much more than a simple celebration: it is an ancestral tradition.

The parades are the main part of this festive event. They feature carefully decorated thematic floats, musical groups - notably the Guggamusik - as well as costumed participants embodying witches, winter spirits, or historical figures. These characters recall the deep roots of this festival that mark the transition between the end of winter and the arrival of spring. Today, we are moving away from these symbols to make way for pop-culture references.

In addition to parades, masked balls and other festive evenings attract young and old alike. We dance, we laugh and we share friendly moments. And like any celebration in Alsace, the carnival is also a true celebration of local gastronomy: the "Schankala" and "Scharwa", these tasty typical sweets, are unmissable.

Not to be missed in Alsace Rhin Brisach

Dessenheim, a unifying carnival in the Alsace plain

À whose homeCarnival is a much-anticipated event which brings together residents and visitors around a festive and friendly program.

Parade, costume ball and entertainment generally punctuate the carnival weekend, in a popular atmosphere typical of the Rhine plain.

The floats, costumes and music make this a winter highlight, appreciated for its spirit of sharing and its intergenerational dimension.

Rustenhartthe deeply rooted carnival tradition

Rustenhart is one of the villages where the carnival occupies a important place in local lifeEach year, the town offers several highlights spread over two festive weekends: parade, carnival ball and entertainment for children.

The event is appealing because of its roots in Alsatian tradition, while remaining accessible and welcoming, true to the spirit of village carnivals.

On the other side of the Rhine, the Germanic carnival tradition

Just a few kilometers away, Breisach am Rhein embodies another facet of the carnival in the Rhine Valley, that of the Alemannic carnival (called Fasent (in dialect).

This tradition, deeply rooted in the culture of southwestern Germany and neighboring Switzerland, is distinguished by its historical rites, its costumed characters and its very specific festive moments.

In Breisach, the celebrations of Fasent are experienced over several days:

The official opening with the symbolic takeover of the town hall by the "madmen"
Costumed parades and music Guggen music
traditional dances of acrobats or hussars
parades and entertainment in the market square which blends history and local humor

The Alemannic carnival thus places itself in a long cultural tradition which flourishes throughout the Upper Rhine regionmarked by carved wooden costumes, end-of-winter rituals and a deeply popular festive atmosphere.