January Sales Begin This Week
Paris only has two officially sanctioned sales during the year — in January just after the Christmas break and in July just before the August holiday. The 2012 sale season begins Janaury 11 and runs through February 14. Stores are open, exceptionally, on Sundays. While it seems impossible, French law only allows sales during this time period; otherwise a boutique must get permission from the government (!). The theory behind this is that it protects the mom-and-pop shops from heavy discounting by the major giants, like Galeries Lafayette and Printemps. In reality, it preserves state-sanctioned price parity among all retailers.
Some great venues for shopping include Rue de Passy (Passy Plaza) in the 16th arrondissement, Rue Saint Dominique and Rue du Bac in the 7th, Rue Saint Paul in the Marais, and Rue Saint Honore in the 8th. Chanel, Dior and Vuitton don’t participate in this sale because—well, they don’t have to. But some great boutique stores like Jacadi, Bonpoint, and Tartine et Chocolate offer some excellent values for children clothes. Other major stores, such as H & M, Le Bon Marche and less well-known boutiques provide good values.