The Great French Sale

By: Michelle A. Monroe

I went to what can only be described as the French version of Black Friday.

“Les Soldes” literally translates to “The Sales” and is a month-long countrywide sale. The French government regulates the sale to clear the spring items for the autumn ones. Most stores put all their merchandise between 30 to 50 percent off during the first week.

A crowd of less than 50 people waited outside the doors of the Gallerie de Lafayette — a French designer department store with nooks for Prada, Gucci etc.

The doors opened bright and early for Paris at 8 a.m. on opening day and all the people rushed inside. Well, rushed is a little overdramatic. Everyone walked in politely and calmly, no pushing or shoving and walked to their preferred designer and began browsing.

There may have been a crowd outside but once inside the store it looked about the same amount as a normal shopping hour. Even the lines at the purse niches in the store were filled with tranquil people patiently waiting.

I hopped on the metro to Chatelet, less expensive than Prada but no Target or Walmart here.

The stores were still only as filled as a normal day, and even less so in some because these stores didn’t open until 9:30 a.m. On a Wednesday most people work at that time.

I bought two skirts, a button up top and a pair of heels for under €80, or roughly $90. Everything was 50 percent off. I’m not sure if other Americans were unaware of the sale but the majority of participants were French citizens or Asian tourists. In any case, if every store in every state in America put all the spring and summer items at 50 percent for one month I can only imagine the stampedes and hordes of hungry consumers feasting their eyes on the savings.

In France, there was no feeling of rush. Some may argue it’s the fact it’s a month long. However, these stores are looking to sell all their materials in store so they don’t restock. Whatever is on the shelves is up for grabs. So getting there early is an advantage in the hunt for cute and cheap.

(Side note: The French have no word for cheap. Only “Plus cher” and “Moins cher” – expensive and less expensive.)

I started the day bleary-eyed and drowsy as I woke up at 7 a.m. to not miss the “excitement.” When I arrived I allowed myself to become marginally adrenalized for the event. But I ended the day strolling on the Champs-Élysée with all the other relaxed French shoppers.

I’ll take polite but energized shoppers over hoards of trampling crazed bargain hunters any day.