Amiens Christmas Market with Kids: Santa’s Village and Ice Rink
Families in Amiens can plan around Santa’s village in the town hall courtyard or the ice rink at Square Saint-Denis. One wish per afternoon works better than a full programme.
For a family visit to the Amiens Christmas market, choose one activity as the centre of the afternoon: Santa’s village in the town hall courtyard, from 21 November to 24 December, or the ice rink at Square Saint-Denis, from 21 November to 30 December. Combine it with a short walk among the chalets and a food break. The guide’s Route 6 turns this into a two-day family weekend in Amiens.
The two family activities
Santa’s village: in the town hall courtyard, 21 November to 24 December. Attendance times are different on school days and during the holidays and include a lunch break. Check the exact window before promising children a visit at a particular time.
Ice rink: at Square Saint-Denis, 21 November to 30 December, with its own daily hours. The organiser recommends gloves. Check equipment hire, admission and conditions of use separately, as the market’s opening hours do not answer these questions.
Free entry to the main market does not mean every family attraction is free. Ask about prices on the spot or in the current programme.
How to shape a family afternoon
The guide recommends letting the chosen activity set the plan. A few stalls chosen together and a small food break are easier to combine than several highlights on different squares.
Agree one wish: Santa’s village or the rink, decided before you leave.
Set a gift budget: and agree when you will head back.
Add a short market walk: the market stretches from Place René Goblet to Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, along roughly two kilometres of paths. Children do not need to see all of it.
Keep a simple plan B: so one queue or change does not decide the whole outing.
With a group, meeting ‘by the town hall’ can be vague, because activities are split between the square and the courtyard. Show each other the exact spot.
A family weekend in two small stages
Route 6 in the guide spreads the visit over two days.
Day 1: one family activity with a time window checked in advance, a short market walk and a meal together. No second fixed highlight until you know how much energy is left.
Day 2: a short walk by the cathedral or through Saint-Leu. A museum is an option according to interests and access, not an automatic fit for every child.
Before returning: last purchases and a clear time to leave for the station.
Plan your dates around the family activity. Santa’s village ends on 24 December, before the main market, so between Christmas and New Year the ice rink is the remaining family option among those the guide names.
Pushchairs, towers and practical limits
The organiser describes the market route as accessible to people with reduced mobility, but crowds and stall counters can still make a pushchair slow. Maison de Jules Verne does not allow pushchairs or bulky items. The cathedral towers do not admit children under six and involve 302 steps. A daylight look at the cathedral façade works for every age. The label ‘family activity’ does not guarantee a step-free route, so check entrances and storage where it matters.
Ask before photographing other people’s children, and on Place Gambetta, the Promenade des Sorciers setting has no access at night, so visit it in daylight.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an ice rink at the Amiens Christmas market?
Yes, at Square Saint-Denis, announced from 21 November to 30 December with its own daily hours. The organiser recommends gloves.
When can children meet Santa in Amiens?
Santa’s village in the town hall courtyard runs from 21 November to 24 December. Times differ between school days and holidays and include a lunch break.
Can children climb the cathedral towers?
Children under six are not admitted. The route has 302 steps and suitable footwear is required.
Research status: 28 October 2026. Dates, times and prices are planning information and can change, so check the official sources listed in the guide before you travel.
