Shopping the soldes de janvier

In France and Italy, the local government regulates the winter and summer sale periods. The two annual sale periods, in January and mid-July, are limited by law to six weeks (eight in Italy), and the start date is set following a recommendation of the Minister of Finance. The sales can end at any time and is limited only to the outgoing collection.

It's officially J-1 to the soldes de janvier and every shopper worth her stuff has her "wish list" ready. The past week has been sent doing repérage, some even being so devious as to hide objects throughout the store in order find them easily at the early morning Wednesday opening. Most women even take the day off of work in order to get the best deals. This shopper is somewhat limited physically this year (it's a journée sportif to say the least) and has her eye only on a new winter coat at a store down the street that sells cute Mom and kid's clothes. Maybe Boo will get lucky too...

*soldes de janvier January sales; J-1 T-1; repérage stake out; journée sportif athletic day