More on outlets and "soldes"...

Yesterday the official sales began and it was impossible to move around Paris...

Summer has arrived finally and there's plenty of sun. A note here: I hate it when in Winter people complain saying "Uff. How cold it is... when is it going to stop?" but when it finally does, they go around saying "What an unbearable heat...!" Oh, please, just decide what you like best! Personally I'm happy in Summer, as a true Mediterranean... 

Ok, so, as I was saying, reading some of your comments, I believe there seemed to be a confusion between the concept of sales and that of outlets, which are different, of course.

Outlets appeared in Europe and in the US almost 10 years ago and they are commonly located in small towns around important cities. They are the best spots to shop pieces from past seasons at great prices or timeless classics. The best outlets are in Italy. There's a very good and organized one called The Mall, 40 km from Florence. It's an open-air space with brands as Gucci, Yves Saint-Laurent, Loro Piana, Pucci, La Perla, Valentino, Ungaro and many more. It has a restaurant and Japanese tourists usually hire busses to go from Florence. Another one is Dimension Outlet, near Milano.

Around Paris, in a town called Serris, you'll find La Vallée Village, with up to 90 luxurious brands. All these places are open till late, every day, including Sundays and holidays. 

There are many outlets in the US too, usually around major cities... As NY for example, where you'll find those of Ralph Lauren or Club Monaco...

As for sales, in Europe they are held twice a year: in January, for the Fall-Winter collections and in June/July of the Spring-Summer ones. They are mandatory and reductions go from 30% off up to 70%off on actual collections. So what yesterday was worth 1000 euros, today is worth 500...

Sales are not only reserved for clothing shops, but also for Home decor and bedding stores...

I hope it's clearer now...