French vocabulary

Today I am going to teach you some important French words, and I will use pictures to illustrate the lesson.  


First word: Soldes = sales

One of my favourite stores in Paris, Repetto.  They are known for their ballerina flats and tutus.  

Don't you just love their stores?  Chandeliers, warm lighting, velvet stools and wall-to-wall mirrors... <salivate>

Second word: Deuxieme demarque = second markdown

Descamps is a regular bed & bath linen store that stocks quality romantic and classy designs.

Third word: Troisieme demarque...you get the drift now, right?

You can see what a cr*ppy summer we're having here.  I hear it's sun and heat over in the south.  But with the kind of luck we have, it will probably be raining in the south when we finally get there at the end of the month.

Fourth word: Lovely soldes = Lovely sales.  

Which doesn't make so much sense, I know, but using English words in signs in stores are cool, you see.  You know those silly nonsensical signs in English you find in China or Japan or Taiwan?  You find them here, too.  There's a shoe store near my place called Be Family.     

Fifth word: Nouvelle demarque = New markdown.

The French love their lingerie, and horror be told if you are not wearing matching undies and bras.  Etam, the store above, sells a cheap and cheerful range, while the one below, Aubade, is one or two price points up. 

 Last word: Derniere demarque = final markdown.

  

And here's a photo of my local neighbourhood Sephora store, just because I have it.  

There now, you are well-equipped to visit France during one of its 2 annual sales.  (French stores are only allowed to hold sales twice a year, once in January and once in July.  Outside of these period, they need special licenses.  I know.  Only in France.)  Anyways, these bi-annual sales normally last about 4 weeks.  After the first 10 days or so, the stores mark down prices by an additional 10% or so.  About a week after that,  some stores slash the prices by a second time.  If you wait till the very last week of the sale period, you can get bargains of 70% off, but of course the choices will be limited by that time. 


But why am I am speaking like I'm some sort of shopping expert?  Let it be known that I hardly shop except for the sales period, and even then I end up buying clothes for the kids more than for myself.  You can say that my (tiny) size is an excellent deterrent.  (and my growing girth and derriere and limbs and ... )  Damn French desserts!!