Of all the mellifluous words in the French language, none has a better ring than ‶Soldes.″ Usually written in all capital letters, it’s the term for the twice-annual sales in Paris. We don’t really know why the government regulates markdown seasons. But whatever the reason, the winter and summer sales are a real boon for travelers who want to score a bargain and bring home a little memento of Paris style.

This year, winter sales took place January 8 to February 4. (Summer sales will be June 24 to July 21.) When we arrived in the City of Light during the third week of January, SOLDES signs were everywhere. We had admittedly missed out on the frenzy of the opening days when the sales racks were fully stocked and savvy French women were waiting to pounce on the piece of their dreams. But our patience paid off. The choice of merchandise was still overwhelming (even if more limited in sizes) – and most stores had just announced a second markdown. After three days, we hopped a flight from Paris to Athens (more about that later). We returned to Paris just in time for final markdowns and discounts up to 70 percent.

Covering the shopping districts of central Paris

We’re veterans of the late, great Filene’s Bargain Basement in Boston, so we know our way around a sales rack or heap of sweaters in a bin. And we did come home with a couple of good buys. But more than anything, the Paris sales were an education in style. Parisian women, especially, take the sales seriously. We were reminded of the old advice to dress for the job that you want when you go to an interview. In the same way, Parisian women look effortlessly stylish as they flip through the merchandise. They’re dressing for the outfit that they hope to find.

We had the best luck at the department stores Le BHV Marais (bhv.fr) and Le Bon Marché (24sevres.com), which many consider the most beautiful store in the city. (See above.) It’s a hard choice. All the Paris department stores, including Printemps (departmentstoreparis.printemps.com) and Galeries Lafayette (galerieslafayette.com), have a patina of glamour and history sadly lacking in their counterparts in the States.

The best education in style, however, is on the streets. On one of our first days in Paris, the morning temperature was 0°C (or 32°F). Newscasters pronounced it ‶glacial.″ But seats were still in short supply at the city’s sidewalk cafes. Many proprietors had added heat lamps as a concession to the season.

And the women of Paris simply tossed on another perfect layer (below).