- Tree goes up
- First Sunday of Advent, though early-to-mid December is common in practice
- Tree comes down
- 2 February (Candlemas, “La Chandeleur”) is the traditional French end-point rather than 6 January, though 6 January (Epiphany/“Fête des Rois”, celebrated with galette des rois) is also commonly treated as a closing marker
- Local superstition
- No strong bad-luck belief specifically tied to the tree; the Chandeleur/crêpe custom is more prominent than any decoration-removal taboo.
Why that date
Advent is widely observed via the Advent wreath and calendar, and many French households treat the first Sunday of Advent as a natural point to begin decorating, alongside the broader European Advent custom.
What actually happens
France’s Epiphany custom centres on the galette des rois (king cake) rather than tree-related ritual, making Candlemas (2 February) a distinctively later “formal” end to the season than in most of Europe.
Taking it down again
2 February (Candlemas, “La Chandeleur”) is the traditional French end-point rather than 6 January, though 6 January (Epiphany/“Fête des Rois”, celebrated with galette des rois) is also commonly treated as a closing marker. No strong bad-luck belief specifically tied to the tree; the Chandeleur/crêpe custom is more prominent than any decoration-removal taboo.
If you would rather not have this argument again next year, the calendar reminder on the home page will put both dates straight into your phone.
Sources
When the answer is finally yes
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