When Are the Soldes?

Twice a year, french stores can have big sales. I say "can" because it's the truth--the government regulates sales or "promotions", so no one has an unfair advantage. This type of regulation is a direct descendant of laws from the Middle Ages, when the guilds controlled much of commerce and fabrication. In France, these take place in the winter (around February) and summer (July) and last 5-6 weeks, with exact dates set by the Mairie, or town government. The next batch starts July 5 and runs until August 15 UPDATE: June 28-Aug. 5.

Before arriving in France, I was a bit of a shoe-hound (thanks to DSW's clearance racks), and heels had a prominent place in my wardrobe. But, with no car and lots and lots of pavement and cobblestones, my heels are resting and waiting for our return to the US, while my flats and not-so-cute-but-much-more-comfortable shoes are taking the lead. As noticed by my friend B who visited earlier this week, Parisian streets are hard on the feets! B lives in Germany, and is no stranger to walking lots, but was surprised at how sore her feet got after a few hours of walking down the rues of Paris. Both Dr. B and I have noticed more foot pain issues since coming here, and tend to gravitate toward less fashionable but more supportive shoes.

In my searches, I have found the ones I really want. Made by Mephisto (I think it's a french company), they combine the comfortable support with the cuteness factor that makes me happy whenever I look down at my toes. Unfortunately, the Violette rings in at a steep $144 (US).

Now, let's just hope that they are on sale soon. If so, these babies are mine.