An American in Provence

The big day is tomorrow. The opening of the semi-annual sales season here in France. Well, at least the south part. For the rest of the country, they started last week. I don't know why it is later here. Supposedly because in the south it is hotter so stores need more time to sell their summery clothes at full prices. Whatever. Everyone just goes to another département or shops online anyway. Now that I am working in Aix, I am surrounded by tons of expensive shops. I never was a big clothes shopper so I doubt I will be seriously fighting the crowds tomorrow. Some women take the day off from work to go shopping!
Each time the Soldes arrive, I tell myself that we will buy stuff for the apartment (like furniture, fixtures, etc.) Except that while it is still en travaux there is really no point of buying stuff because a) there is no place to put it (we already have two bedrooms out of comission) b) it might just get damaged or paint dropped on it or something and c) we might change our minds about what colors we want in each room in the meantime.
So I usually end up picking up a few shirts and pants and that's about it.
Some women have been scouting out their favorite stores, trying to figure out what will be on sale. I guess so that they can just grab and go on the Big Day. Also, some stores were closed today, I guess so that the workers can finish the last-minute arrangements without people coming in and asking "Will that be on sale?" "How much will this be off?"
I think the sales last for about six weeks. But by the end, all that is left are the fuscia and Army-green shirts with three buttons missing for 80% off.
I don't remember Sales being national news items in the US. Was I just not a big shopper or was it more of a "get over it already" type of thing? Sure there were the after-Christmas sales, etc. but it wasn't like Ohmygodthereisasale! I don't even know what the laws are in the US concerning sales, whether stores are forbidden from having them at certain times, etc.