Overview
- The nationwide sale runs from Jan. 7 at 8 a.m. to Feb. 3, applying to brick‑and‑mortar retailers and online sellers regardless of their headquarters.
- Four border departments began on Jan. 2 and end Jan. 29, while overseas territories follow distinct windows such as Jan. 3–30 in Guadeloupe and Sept. 5–Oct. 2 in Réunion.
- Météo‑France placed 38 departments under orange snow‑ice alerts on opening day, a scenario trade groups say can sharply cut store visits.
- After a soft December and heavy inventories, many chains plan deep early markdowns, with examples ranging from 20% to 60%, even as Black Friday and private sales have already pulled purchases forward.
- Independent retailers press for a three‑week delay to late January or early February, citing weak recent results, while the Alliance du commerce favors the current timing.