January Love Letter

Sales are the annual highlight of the new year, and with people’s spending power down there should be more than the usual discounts in Paris stores! For the third year running, the tourist board has gotten together with retailers, hotels, and restaurants to make Paris shopping a whirl for visitors. More than 500 hotels are offering specials for the first 11 days of the sale period (Jan.9–20), and in each of them, as well as at participating stores, you can pick up the Soldes By Paris (soldesbyparistouch.com) welcome pack filled with discount vouchers for massages, restaurants, and other treats. The operation launches on Jan. 10 at Galeries Lafayette. For the best bargains, however, you have to hang out a bit longer in Paris (as if you really needed an excuse). The full sales period will go on till around the 20th of February and markdowns, strictly controlled by law, happen in three phases: 30%, 50% and 70%. It can be fun to take that gamble on the final markdown, though you need to hit day one of this sale to get the choice buys. And don’t forget, if you spend more than €175 in one store you can get a 16.38% tax refund. Ask for a “détaxe” stamp in the store, which you take to the tax refund office at the airport.

Alison Culliford