Crowds scour the goods at the annual sales. Photos by Theodora Brack.

By Theadora Brack in Paris—

Ushering in 2010 like Folies Bergère high-kickers, let’s crack-open my personal Paris rolodex! Take a peek at a few of my insider tips and “bonne addresses.”

Come hither, Cheaparazzi, let’s take a spin!

1.Cheapo taxi to the airport

Lizza of Art-Trans Voyage.

Let’s face it, we’ve all got baggage. And sometimes it’s pretty heavy, so occasionally I cab it from the CDG airport to Paris with Art-Trans Voyage. Costing about €10 to €15 less than a normal taxi ride, this super-reliable and friendly car service allows for advance bookings, greets you at the airport with a sign in hand, and lets you ride shotgun if you so fancy. The flat rate will be pre-determined during booking, and is based on your destination in the city, regardless of traffic snarls.

Email owner Lizza (also a concert cellist!) at contact@art-trans-voyage.com. Tell her you’re a Cheapo.

Tip: For the very lowest rate (especially if your flight is an early one), do tell Lizza that you are willing to wait for a group pick-up at the airport café, just outside the baggage area. I do this often, and I’ve never had to wait more than one hour. You’ll find the lull in motion soothing, and besides, hotel check-in is usually in the afternoon. So why not relax, people watch, and sip un café, always bien to the last drop!

2. Bière with the locals (Hymne à l’amour)
Chez Ammad at Hotel Clermont, 18 Rue Véron in Abbesses

Keep this tip under your hat. This one’s just for you. If enjoying a really cheap beer while shooting the breeze with animated locals is a Parisian dream, Chez Ammad is your place. Though located just a few blocks from the bustling Place Abbesses, you’ll spot nary a tourist in sight.

Seductively adorned with a zinc bar, murals, and beveled mirrors, the joint once tempted the likes of Brassaï, Henry Valentine Miller, and Edith Piaf! (Edith actually stayed at the Clermont in the early thirties, while performing on the streets of Pigalle.) Clank a few cold’uns with sea merchants, tangled lovers, off-duty velvet-clad cabaret performers, artists, poets, and gypsy musicians, each with a cache of tales.

Tip jar: Order your “Sez” (1664) by the draft, not the bottle. Also, don’t walk away without trying the house couscous! They’ll post a sign if the pot’s on the stove.

3. High-brow beauty secrets! (more waxing poetic)
Yves Rocher at 17 rue Lepic in Abbesses

Beauty tools at a Yves Rocher salon.

Full-service Yves Rocher “instituts de beauté” are Cheapo havens. Where else can you get an eyebrow waxing and mini-massage for just €9? With locations dotted all over Paris, walk-ins are a piece of cake. This is the “parfait,” idyllic treat while waiting for an afternoon hotel check-in.

Forgot your bubbles? Yves Rocher also sells a wide array of scented soap and shampoo for just a few euros. For gorgeousness’s sake, I often make a dash to the location on rue Lepic. Ask for Melanie. She’s an artist. Plus, she ends her sessions by describing your eyebrows as “Très, très jolie!” (Pumping up the ego? Oh, so priceless!)

Another pointer: Ask for their fidelity card (Carte Privilege Beauté) and receive discounts with each subsequent visit! There’s no expiration, so it can be used for years.

4. January sales at Zara and ”Soldes by Paris”!
Zara at 75 Boulevard Haussmann

Soldes by Paris (the annual citywide after-holidays sale) is just around the corner! This highly anticipated happening runs January 6-9, 2010! (Speaking of high-kickers, Lady Gaga’s designer Jean-Claude Jitrois is this year’s fashion ambassador!) With nearly every store in Paris participating, it’s hard to avoid over-stimulating one’s senses and bank account. So strategize! Figure out a plan. I usually devote my attention to the Spanish brand Zara because the garb suits me, and the prices are easy on both the eyes and pocketbook.

Here’s the skinny: Not all Zara’s are created equal. I’m drawn to the two-story Boulevard Haussmann shop because of its spacious show rooms, changing cabins on both levels with flattering lighting, collections organized by color, and yes, drastic discounts! Also, at the end of the sale, this location serves as the last stop for the clothes that don’t sell at the Zara shops elsewhere in the city. Last year I was able to buy sale clothes deep into the month of March. (And by the way, this included a rather smashing and sturdily constructed pair of skinny green jeans for just €5! I know! It is a wonderful life.)

Bon Année Cheapos!

(Please note: Pinching from David Bowie, the prices above are subject to cha-cha-changes.)

Popularity: 5% [?]

The bustling Boulevard Haussmann. Photos by Theadora Brack.

By Theadora Brack in Paris–

It’s that most wonderful time of the year for shoppers in Paris, Cheapos! “Les Soldes d’Eté” (the summer sales) kick off Wednesday, June 24! Mark your calendar, get set, but first create a plan of transaction.

Here are some tips for scoring big during this glorious five-week event.

1. Get smart.

"Soldes" on rue des Abbesses.

I spy. Visit your favorite shops just before the sale. Memorize the layout. Take note of “rack formations.” Also, try on clothing… you’ll avoid the lines later.

2. Befriend the staff.

Throughout the year, my savvy and smartly dressed friend Dominique drops off chocolates for the sales team at her favorite shops. Guess who hears about the bargains first? The French value fidelity. Don’t live in Paris full-time? Send thank-you notes after each visit.

3. Mind the gaps.

What’s missing from your closet? A belted trench coat with a narrow cinched waist in khaki? Striped shirt? Ballet shoes in black patent leather or navy suède? All three are timeless French classics, and quite souvenir-worthy.

4.  Get your beauty rest…

But set your alarm, because stores open at 8:00 AM.

5. Cents and Sensibility.

Pack a survival kit: water bottle, pre-cut moleskin, candy, gum, eyedrops, Metro tickets, footies (for trying on shoes), maps with target shops circled, and coins for WCs. Also a sturdy bag, because shops give out flimsy plastic sacs.

6. Leader of the Pack.

Véronique on Boulevard Voltaire with bike and sacs of purchases.

My friend Véronique beats the crowds by scooting around by bike. “I’m able to visit at least twenty shops by 10 AM,” she boasted, while installing her new jumbo-sized basket just in time for the sale. Need a bike? Rent a Vélib’!

7. Avoid the masses.

Hate crowds? Shop weekday mornings or early afternoons.

8. Size matters.

When should you pounce? In France, “smalls” fly out the door first, but “large” and “X-large” stick around a little longer. On the other hand prices drop as the sales progress, so it’s a gamble! Know your European size numbers.

Vintage clothing in the Marais

10. Retro active.

Vintage shops often reduce prices, too. You’ll find pockets of boutiques scattered through Montmartre (start at La Caverne à Fripes at 25, rue Houdon) and the Marais, where at the Vintage Désir at 32, rue des Rosiers you’ll find a vast collection of striped shirts. For inspiration, see exposition“Les Marins Font La Mode—Sailor Chic in Paris” at the Musée National de la Marine at place du Trocadéro.

11. Don’t forget the obvious.

Discount shops like Sympa (Metro Anvers), and TATI on Boulevard Rochechouart (Metro Barbès-Rochechouart) take their already bargain basement prices to new lows. Make a pilgrimage to TATI, where Jules Ouaki introduced “discount shopping” (self-service and towering baskets of merchandise) to Paris in 1948.

12. Keep your cool.

A "Loft Design By" window.

Pick a handful of boutiques and one or two shopping districts, or you’ll end up overwhelmed before the get-go. For instance, I focus on the Spanish marque Zara, which slashes prices like almost no other store (I once scored almost 400 euros-worth for under 50 euros!).

You’ll find clusters in busy shopping districts throughout the city. Boulevard Haussmann, for instance, has five Zara’s in a six-block radius. Two are inside Printemps and Galeries Lafayette, and one even has a view of the Opéra! Divine, yes, but their proximity also saves you time. (By the way, rumor has it that a Cheapo editor once assembled a very stylish–and skinny–suit by Zara-hopping along rue de Rivoli. Très, très bien!)

Borrowing from Elsa Schiaparelli, “Buy only the best or the cheapest!”

Tell us: Have you scored at the soldes? Tell us about it!

Popularity: 10% [?]

Shoppers a la mode, photo by Ma Gali

Soldes to the Cheapo in Paris!

It’s that time of year again, Cheapos. Time for resolutions and those after holiday sales! Perhaps the best shopping, bar none, can always be found in Paris. But in January, true bargain-biased fashionistas hoping to pay less for more couture can enjoy five weeks of top-notch January sales as part of the annual Paris Soldes.

We blogged about the kick-off events on this occasion last year. This year, the same benefits apply.

Personal shoppers

Head to www.shoppingbyparis.com, pick your preference (trendy, classic, bohochic…), and find boutiques (like Paul Smith, Le Petit Bateau, and Stella McCartney) and department stores hosting sales, all laid out on colorful, interactive maps. You can also pick out special shopping itineraries customized to your own personal taste and shopping goals. Ooh la la!

And, for four special kick-off days, “Shopping By Paris” will be running special events in participating boutiques and around town. Check out the program. In addition, the Paris Tourism Office offers helpful “digi-guides” to the shops and the events taking place. Find more info here.

Did somebody say ‘paper or plastique‘?

If you plan to go, take a look at our list of cheap hotels in Paris.

Popularity: 8% [?]

photograph courtesy of Tour Magazine

We were psyched to get a reminder from Gridskipper that the Parisian city-wide “soldes” sales event will be in effect January 9-20. A government regulated program, Paris slashes prices (anywhere from 30-50 percent off) on clothing and the like twice a year, once in January (”soldes d’hiver”) and again during the summer months (”soldes d’été”). From big retailers like Galeries Lafayette to smaller boutique chains like Agatha, you can expect to get your mitts on some haute stuff for cooler prices.

But, for cheapos out there, here’s the best news of all:

Because the annual retail sales are such a big tourism draw, the Chamber of Commerce along with the Tourist Office of Paris and a few other government orgs join forces each year to present, “Soldes By Paris,” an event involving some 1,500 retailers, 500 hotels and restaurants and a whole lot more.

For about two weeks, participating hotels drop their rates, while restaurants and museums offer special promotions. This year, the SNCF—French National Railway—and other transportation authorities will offer discounts too.

To learn more, visit the official “Soldes By Paris” site.

An interactive map allows you to search for discounts and events by personality type (romantic, chic, trendy, creative or original). Unsure just where you fall in? Take the quiz. This resident cheapo scored a hefty “romantic” score that deemed her Amélie-like (“You can’t do without these chance meetings that are so Parisian and charming.” How did they know?) and suggested we visit Monoprix for our big shopping (hey, we’re solde on any store that sells both skirts and steaks!).

Among other recommendations the site gave for Audrey Tautou artists:

For hotels: 48 participating hotels and guesthouses will offer discounts to tourists in the “romance circuit.”

For art: The contemporary Galerie Hebert on the Rue du Pont Louis Philippe in the Marais.

Going out: The site dishes up kick-off events, including free or reduced prices at cinemas and parties at bars like L’Irlandais.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Photo by JamesWallis

Cheapo shoppers, be warned: the weather in Paris this spring was unseasonably cool—apart from that burst of heat over Easter—and many stores have reported disappointing sales. This is great news for us as it means only one thing: fantastic markdowns in the sales starting on June 27.

At this time of the year, Parisian women are busy scoping out the stores for what they intend to buy once the sales get started. Precision targeting is the name of their game. Decide exactly what you want to buy and then hover patiently in the third week of June for the “pre-sale” discounts that are usually handed out by the shopkeepers who know they must clear their stock by mid-July. The other day we were were told in a shoe store that there was an “exceptional” discount of €15 on any pair of shoes that day.

A great place to max out your sale leverage is to shop at the outlet stores for your favourite brands. These places already have 30 to 60 percent markdowns on items left over from last season. When the sales roll around you get an extra 30 to 50 percent off. That’s a great deal in any currency.

Check out the Zadig and Voltaire outlet in the Marais, for instance. Zadig and Voltaire is one of the staples (along with brands like A.P.C., Isabelle Marant, Comptoir des Cotonniers, and Vanessa Bruno) of the fashionable Parisian’s wardrobe. You can find their famed loose cashmere sweaters in muted tones of moss, plum, and chocolate as well as a chic line for girls under 12 called Zadig and Voltaire Little for girls up to age 12. Cecilia Sarkozy, France’s First Lady and leading fashion icon, was wearing a pair of white Zadig trousers on election victory night last month.

Le stock Zadig et Voltaire is located at 22 rue du Bourg Tibourg, 4th. M° Hotel de Ville.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Photo by manna_from_the_heavens

Gucci, Fendi, and Prada … Three perfect excuses to plan a trip to Italy. You probably didn’t expect to hear those names on Eurocheapo, but we’re going to let you in on a little secret:

Twice a year, fashion retailers, from mass chains like Benetton to swanky designer boutiques, hold a sale that will blow your mind. Nearly all pricetags are slashed in half on January 15th and June 15th. Under Italian law, this is the only time such deep discounts can occur, to prevent fraud and unfair competition. The sales generally last around a month.

Those who brave the frenzied crowds on the first days will be rightfully rewarded. Italians know their fashion and the good stuff goes first!

Popularity: 11% [?]

photograph courtesy of bonapartconsulting

Sales in Paris are winding down. The grays and blacks of winter are being replaced by the candy hues of spring throughout the Left Bank’s retail landscape. Here are some tips on how to fill up your trunks with delicious spring fashion without breaking the bank.

Check out Chercheminippes, a chain of second hand stores dotted around the lower reaches of the Rue du Cherche Midi, towards Montparnasse. They feature designer clothing in tip-top shape (barely-used to almost-new) in pleasant, spacious surroundings. Aside from clothes, you will find shoes, handbags, costume jewellery as well as brand new cosmetics from Guerlain, YSL, and Dior—mostly free gift items dropped off for re-sale by press attaches. Chercerminippes have two outlets for women, one for children, and one for men.

The nearby Rue Saint Placide also has some interesting outlet stores, including Carroll at 30 rue St Placide, and a number of discount shoe stores.

Popularity: 4% [?]

For avid bargain shoppers, this is one of the two best times of year to visit Athens. From the last week of January through the last week of February, all retailers hold massive sales on everything from clothes to toiletries to household goods.

Their goal? To clear out old inventory to make room for the new. Who knew a classic, timeless city like Athens was such a trend-setting, fashion-conscious place? Well, we did, but that’s another story.

Some Athenians window-shop throughout January to see what they want to buy in February—and to note the original prices to make sure they truly are getting a deal when they buy their selected items on sale.

The other time this bi-annual give-away takes place is in August. For the uninitiated, August is Athens at its most intensely hot. It’s when locals go on holiday to get away as far as possible from the humid, boiling capital as they possibly can. The upshot: February is the better shopping month.

Popularity: 4% [?]