If you plan to visit France in the future, I hope you’ll make room in your budget for shopping. France does not disappoint: the quality of their retailers is very good, and you can make your friends at home jealous with those amazing shirts/jackets/jeans/shoes you bought in France.
If you’re going to Paris specifically, here’s my breakdown of seasonal visiting times:
Spring is a crap shoot because it can either be glorious or awful re: weather.
Summer is jam-packed with tourists and the weather can be hot and oppressive.
Fall is a nice time, but the tourists are still there.
Winter is cold but usually above freezing, though the humidity in Paris can make it feel a lot colder than it is.
Personally, I used to choose the shoulder seasons when things were cheaper and there were fewer tourists. But those days are long gone, in Paris anyway. Today, you can fuggedaboudit: travel is now expensive all year round and there are still droves of tourists. Remember, millions of people had to cancel their travel plans for upwards of three years during the pandemic, and it really changed everything…
OK, so given all that, when would be the best time(s) to visit Paris?
One word: SOLDES.
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff09a4bc3-30b7-4daa-ad62-9af50569de95_528x768.jpeg)
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F19ce973b-fe54-4d00-8258-dd11bb7e2c31_720x960.jpeg)
Soldes (pronounced ‘sold’) are the national sales that happen twice a year in France. I repeat: national sales.
If you’re looking to buy some nice French clothing but don’t want to spend an absolute fortune, it’s best to go during the soldes. It’s a way for stores to clean out inventories and it also gives us more budget-conscious shoppers a crack at some very nice brands. Importantly, this is not like a TJMaxx-in-the-90s situation; the clothing for sale is nice stuff, not crap.
Every year the government decides when shops can have their soldes. There are two periods: one in winter, one in summer. In 2023, it was from January 11-February 7 and June 28-July 25. In my experience, it starts out gently with a 20% discount, then it goes to 30% and finally 40-70% depending on the store. I myself have bought some beautiful clothing in Paris by timing my visit right.
By the way, the overseas French territories, like Corsica, Reunion, and Guadeloupe, all have soldes too, but their sales dates are different from continental France.
I can’t talk about shopping without handing out a few more tips. If you’re going to Paris, you must hit the following department stores, if not for the shopping then for the people-watching and browsing. Put this on your list next to the Louvre or Eiffel Tower.
Les Grands Magasins (department stores)
BHV - across from Hôtel de Ville, this store offers multiple levels with handbags and accessories, clothing, shoes, home goods, etc. (metro: Hôtel de Ville)
Galeries Lafayette - similar to BHV but with a gorgeous coupola inside. The interior is like a hollowed-out piece of fruit and the outer shell has the layers of the store. (metro: Chausée d’Antin/La Fayette on lines 7 and 9, follow the signs for Grands Magasins when you leave the metro)
Le Bon Marché - this place is where fancy people shop. It’s expensive, but more of a spectacle/experience than for shopping - unless you’re rich. It’s in a swanky part of Paris, too. They also have an amazing food called Le Grande Épicerie that is absolutely not to be missed. (metro: Sèvres-Babylone, lines 10 and 12)
Le Printemps - like the Galeries Lafayette, which is just up the street, this has a stunning stained-glass cupola with a brasserie/restaurant, and its hollowed-out shell features layers of different floors for shopping. (metro: Chausée d’Antin/La Fayette on lines 7 and 9)
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b4b6cea-3094-4cbd-b31a-cb4fd41dd852_630x471.jpeg)
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5314a68a-2050-436c-b1b2-2b3484c4f162_1023x682.jpeg)
Arrive early for best results!
I would recommend going to these stores when they open, usually around 10am on the weekdays. I’ve stood outside Galeries Lafayette at 9:50am before, waiting for the doors to be unlocked. It’s a nice time to go and avoid the crowds that come in the afternoon.
Don’t forget the VAT - get your money back!!
Always take your passport, or a photo of it, when you go shopping. Here’s why:
You can get reimbursed for value-added tax (VAT) on clothing and other items, usually not including food. If you’re at a department store, ask the cashier for the détaxe - pronounced ‘day-TAHKS’. Each department store has a détaxe office, and if it’s a small store they will do it at the register. Just say détaxe and whip out your passport!
You’ll need to spend 100 euros or more in one day at a department store or a clothing store elsewhere in Paris or France in order to qualify. If you somehow don’t have your passport or a photo of it, you have a few days to return to the store with your receipt(s) to do the détaxe.
They will process your info and give you a détaxe form (that you keep with your receipt) with a bar code on it. When you get to the airport you scan all your bar codes before you check in for your flight.
Once to scan all your forms, you’re in line for a 12% refund after you leave the country. It can be pretty quick, a week or two. Be sure you put your purchases on your card rather than getting reimbursed with cash (they will ask how you want it refunded), unless you love standing in line at détaxe offices at the airport.
Between the VAT reimbursement and soldes, I have returned home #winning many times over the years. It is well worth a very minor hassle to get that money back. Then you won’t feel so guilty for spending so much in France.