Une après-midi de shopping à Paris en français

what does “les soldes” mean in France and when are they?

Les soldes are France’s two official sale seasons, set by the government rather than each shop: a winter round in January and a summer round in late June or July, each running about four weeks. What surprises learners is that “soldes” is a protected word — under the Code de commerce a store may only advertise soldes during these national periods. At any other time it has to say promotion, liquidation or déstockage instead.

So a sign reading “SOLDES -50%” in March would be illegal; outside the official dates a shop selling off stock must call it a déstockage or promotion. The 2026 winter soldes ran from Wednesday 7 January to Tuesday 3 February for most of mainland France (a handful of north-eastern departments and the overseas territories have their own dates). In the clip the narrator bundles up against the cold and notes “en ce moment, c’est les soldes en France” as she heads out to shop with a friend in Paris — peak January-soldes timing.