The Magic of Seorae’s French Christmas Market

Seorae Village (서래마을) is a charming little corner of Seoul often called “Little France” because of its strong French community, French school, and European-style cafes and bakeries. And every December, for one day only, this quaint neighborhood comes to life with a beautiful Christmas market.

The Marché de Noël de Seorae (French Christmas Market of Seorae), is hosted traditionally and lovingly by the French-Korean expat community and local French associations to bring a bit of French holiday cheer to Seoul.

French Food to Warm Your Belly (and Your Heart)

The market isn’t huge, but it features traditional holiday drinks like vin chaud (mulled wine) to keep you warm as you peruse a nice selection of booths. There are plenty of delicious pastries to choose from, their freshly made crepes and nutella waffles were a delicious highlight for us last year. Their baguettes and pain au chocolate were also not to be missed.

Of course, they also have more savory items like smoked salmon, cheeses and sausages to balance things out. There’s even a section of booths serving Korean festival favorites like tteokbokki, jeon and sundae if you’re looking for a bit of local flavor. Personally, we can never resist a good Korean pancake (jeon) particularly when it’s being made at a festival like this. The taste is always unmatched.

Christmas As Far As the Eye Can See

If the food and drinks aren’t enough, other booths host an array of beautifully handcrafted Christmas ornaments and trinkets for sale. The food tends tents tend to be more crowded, so we usually grab a bite to eat and then walk through the tents, looking at the wares while we go.

There’s also caroling, performances, various games and prizes for the children. Santa even makes an appearance for the ultimate Christmas photo-op. This unique taste of French holiday cheer is not to be missed, so be sure to mark your calendars.

Where is the French Christmas Market in Seoul held?

The French Christmas Market is held in Seocho-gu. The easiest way to get there is to go to Express Bus Terminal station and take exit 5. From there, it’s a quick 10 minute walk to the neighborhood park where the market is held.

• When: December 6, 2025 (10 AM – 4:30 PM)
• Where: 68-2, Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu (Naver Map, Google Maps)