Twice a year, Paris turns into a citywide bargain hunt. The winter sales in January and the summer sales in June and July bring together retailers of every size, from historic department stores to small neighborhood boutiques, around markdowns that are actually regulated by law. For anyone who plans ahead, it is a chance to come home with quality pieces at prices that will not return for another six months.
Le Bon Marché
Paris' first department store, founded in the 19th century, Le Bon Marché remains a benchmark for a carefully curated selection of fashion and accessories, and its gourmet food hall, La Grande Épicerie, joins in the sales too.
The Bon Marché floors
The store's escalators connect several levels dedicated to women's, men's and children's fashion. During the sales, every floor is worth a look, including the corners reserved for smaller, less well known labels.
Printemps Haussmann
Right next to Galeries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann, Printemps spreads across several themed buildings (fashion, beauty, menswear) and tends to feel less crowded than its direct rival during the busiest sales weekends.
The Printemps dome
Under its famous listed Art Nouveau glass dome, Printemps often hosts special events during the sales. Even without buying anything, a visit to the top floor and the dome is worth the detour.
Understanding the sales dates
Unlike an ordinary promotion, sales in France are governed by the Commercial Code: two fixed periods each year, one in winter and one in summer, each lasting roughly six weeks. The exact dates shift slightly from year to year and are set in advance by official decree, so it is worth checking the current calendar before planning a trip around them.
Shopping the sales strategically
The very first days offer the widest choice of sizes and items, while the last few weeks, known as the final "démarques," bring the deepest discounts on whatever stock remains. Scope out the pieces you want ahead of time, compare the crossed out original price with the new one, which the law requires stores to display side by side, and consider coming back more than once, since window displays change almost weekly.
Tips
Boulevard Haussmann concentrates most of the offer between Printemps and Galeries Lafayette, a short walk from the Chaussée d'Antin - La Fayette metro station (lines 7 and 9) or the Auber RER A stop. Le Bon Marché, on the Left Bank, is easily reached via line 10 (Sèvres-Babylone station), in a smaller and less crowded setting. If the department stores are not enough, outlet stores on the outskirts and the shops along the Champs-Élysées and around the Opéra district also take part in the sales. To dodge the opening day rush, aim for an early weekday visit, and keep in mind that sales staff tend to have more time for you outside the busy Saturday afternoon window.
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