Americans, and other non-EU residents can qualify for the rebate of the VAT tax, which is built into the price, if the item is to leave France with you. Sorry, that dinner the night before does not qualify. This 12-15% depends on the store,and if you spend €175 in one store, on one day. And many hotels have a 10% tourist discount card. If your hotel or apartment does not have one, just stop in to at any hotel and ask for it. Always carry your passport with you, as you will need it to fill out the proper forms. [It is a good idea to make a xerox of your passport and leave it back at your room, in case you lose your passport, what with the excitement of shopping] You now have the choice of getting this credit on your credit card or cash back. The credit card route now takes a short time before it appears on your statement, but cash is cash, right at the airport, just next to the detaxe control. Gallerie Lafayette has a booth right in their building where you can get instant refund from Global detaxe company.
The French government controls the timing of the big , twice annual sales. [To protect the smaller stores from being pushed out] The winter sale duration s now 5 weeks, down from 6 weeks. Winter sales will begin on the second Wednesday of January, This year they start on January 6th. The exact dates of the summer sales have not been released yet.
French law mandates that sale items must be in stock at he store for a minimum of one month before the start of the sale, and on the store floor at full price at least one week before the Sales start.
Forget the value of the dollar, go shopping !!!
PS: Some US credit cards charge for foreign money exchange, some don't Check the one you have to make sure that you are not paying a premium.
