Seeking Advice from My Dear Blogfriends

Imagine this.....

You are leaving early next week for a much anticipated trip to Paris. You thought you had everything planned, when suddenly, in a moment of foot fashion horror, you realize that you do not  have appropriate daytime shoes for the hours of walking that this trip will require.

Now, also imagine that you want comfort but are never willing to sacrifice style.

Sneakers, unless they are flat-soled designer looking are not an option. Ballet flats are adorable, but will they offer all day comfort? Mules are cute but without back support might prove unwise, correct?

Please help!  What type of shoes would you bring?

Sidenote: If you do have any must-see, must, do, must-taste Paris recommendations. Well, please share.

UPDATE: Thank-you so very much to everyone who offered such wonderful suggestions. I spent an entire day shoe shopping. Yes, poor me. I ended up purchasing two pairs of shoes based on the recommendations found in the comment section.  Which two?  Well, my favourite two of course. I will also manage to find myself in a few shoe shops in Paris. Again, poor me.

The  wonderful  looking  moccasins  that Mamacita recommended  can be found here.

Again, thank you to everyone, including Shoe Guy.

Comments

[annie]

I would wear my Chuck Taylor's. They're in style again! I bet you're not a Converse girl, though.
Well, if you're gonna be in PARIS, wouldn't you like to spend the first day shoe-shopping?

[kenju]

Since I am in preparation for such a trip (and to Italy as well) I need your suggestions too. I am hoping to find something similar to a shoe I saw in a Travelsmith catalog; a suede and leather dressy "sneaker" with rubber/composition sole and velcro fastener. It is dressy enough to wear with almost any pant, but appears to be sturdy enough to be supportive and comfortable too.

[Carrie]

I one of those girls. You know the ones that you snicker at because they don't care for shoes. I think Annie is right and you should just go shoe-shopping once you get there.

[Jennie]

Michele, I have a feeling you're going to feel nauseous at my suggestion...but have you tried Naturalizer? I find that they have some stylish (probably not your style, I'm thinking) shoes that actually don't hurt my Fred Flintstone feet. But I'm sure you're feet are much more Wilma than mine.

I do hope you have a fabulous time - that's so exciting!

[Mamacita]

The most comfortable shoes I have ever had in all my life are these:
http://www.minnetonkamoccasinshop.com/minnetonka_womens_deerskin_gore_front_crepe_sole.htm

They are much prettier than this picture shows, too. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that wearing these shoes is like going barefoot, with support. I recommend them above all others in the universe.

[mac]

I can tell you exactly what I wore most of the time I was in Paris: a pair of black ankle boots with a chunky one inch heel. Dressy enough for many nighttime activities, comfortable enough to walk for days.

And I highly recommend a trip to the Catacombs, Pere Lachaise cemeterie, Sainte Chapelle, and since I'm sure you're making a stop off at Notre Dame be sure to check out the underground archeological dig museum there.

[Pearl]

near Montmartre, a chocolatiers L'Etoile d'Or

info: http://www.newworldchocolatesociety.com/index.php/nwcs/comments/parisindepth

[tommy]

The best thing to do in Paris is to catch the train to Barcelona.

[mar]

I have to meet tommy, maybe he'll take the train and meet me in Barcelona!!!

[tanya]

Go to Versailles and visit the palace. Even better, stay at the hotel next to it where they put up the Treaty of Versailles delegates. I once got to stay at a suite there with rooftop balcony...where i watched the lights of the palace and of paris.

Of course, I'm also fond of anything that involves chocolate crepes and croque (sp?) monsieur (the sidewalk cafe next to the Louvre entrance).

And, well, you could look for the Holy Grail. LOL.

[Daphne]

Visit the Louvre but be sure you block out one whole day for it. It is closed on Mondays though. If you prefer a museum less expansive go to the Musee d'Orsay.

Take a Seine Tour, go up the Eiffel Tower or simply have your portrait sketched by the various street artisans along the Montmarte near the Sacre Coeur Basilica. :)

[Chrysalis]

You buy them in France, cherie. They have nothing but fabulous walking shoes there.

[Melody]

The Musee d'Orsay is wonderful to see all the impressionist paintings. There is also a little Monet museum, in Passy I think which houses most of his Waterlillies series. That was truly wonderful. It's called The Marmottan Museum. Not a lot of people visit it so it is nice to visit without the crowds of the other tourists... Another good place to visit is LaDefence. Incredible looking buildings and sculptures etc., It's like you've stepped into the future when you visit there.

Shoes? I remember wearing my Docs there. These days I would probably wear my very comfortable Birkenstocks or go and visit a camping store and check out the styles there.

Enjoy your trip. I'm very jealous!

[house-n-baby]

I wore kitten heels all through Paris. Cobblestones are tricky, but it is important to dress stylishly to be in this city.

Apparently Paris can be a bit elitist, but I was told if I took care with dress, everything else would fall into place. It did. Nicely.

So there were blisters. Thus is the price of lookin' good ;)

Enjoy ! :)

[anniebird]

How about shoes made by Dansko? Or Think!

I consider them pretty stylish and extremely comfortable...in my old profession, I stood or crouched all day and lifted wriggling 75 pound dogs onto the exam table , etc etc...these were my shoes of choice!

[anniebird]

Other brands that just came to me:

Naot...Havana Joe (cute boots)....John Fluevog (they LOOK comfortable, but I can't provide first hand testimony...mighty pricey though).

[pickalish]

Please go here:

http://www2.ecco.com/ss2006/Products/women-business/

not sure if it's your style, but as far as comfort-wear, you'll never regret buying a pair. My mom manages a euro-comfort shoe store, and this brand is the hands down best seller next to dansko.

[princess]

I have so many damned shoes, that i would have bought so many pairs to choose from! I would have gone for a pair of Sketchers! They are cool and comfy!

[MissMeliss]

Ecco makes a lovely soft suede oxford with a rubber sole - sneaker comfort without the athletic shoe look - I have them in chocolate and black.

Also both Teva and Born make great comfortable-but-stylish walking shoes and sandals.

[Jackie]

Unlesss things have changed dramatically since I was there a few years ago you have to really watch out for the dog poo on the sidewalks. Definitely go shoe shopping there. Being around all those French women who popped out of the womb knowing how to tie a scarf six different ways was a little intimidating (I was staying with someone who lived on the Left Bank, so I didn't quite have the distance of a tourist).

Walking around the Left Bank is wonderful, lots of little shops for clothes, food, little markets, the architecture - just wonderful.

[Uisce]

For men, it's easy. I have a very comfortable pair of Ecco's that look very European but are extremely comfortable. I think shoes make all the difference. I've been stopped in Paris and asked for directions, and I swore to my wife, it was the shoes.

In Paris we love to just blend in, go to the cafe's, eat crepes from the street vendors, go up to Sacre Coeur, to musee d'Orsay... sigh...

[kenju]

I have been reading all the comments with great interest. Michele, I would say that unless there is someone in particular you need to impress in Paris, go with comfort and practicality in mind - not vanity. I did that in NYC, and I lived to regret it and had to buy a pair of shoes to get me through the rest of the trip. Pickalish, those Ecco shoes look great and I am going to try and find them. Thanks!

I read on a travel site that since a lot of the streets are cobblestone-ish or uneven, you need to choose shoes that will help stabilize your feet and ankles. Just a thought.

[Marie]

Have a great trip Michele!! Have the locals direct you to a store with the best walking shoes -- toute de suite!

[Mamacita]

http://www.minnetonkamoccasinshop.com/minnetonka_womens_deerskin_gore_front_crepe_sole.htm

I've been told that the shoe link in my comment didn't work, so here it is again.

[Mamacita]

. . . and again, I can see that all of the link isn't there, again. It was all there when I pasted it! Sigh. I will try one more time, and I swear that I am putting the entire link on here.

http://www.minnetonkamoccasinshop.com/minnetonka_womens_deerskin_gore_front_crepe_sole.htm

[Mamacita]

I give up. It simply won't post the entire link and I have no idea why. If anyone wants it, just email me.

[Shoe Guy]

As a foot specialist I get this quesiton posed to me all the time. There have been some good recommendations here, already. Ecco, Dansko and Born all offer sokme cute styles which have good orthopedic elements. One thing to keep in mind is that they are all Germanic/Scandinavian brands providing a certain shape which does not match all wearers. If you happen to have a broad, oblique toe shape and heels that are not particularly narrow, byu all means ... give those brands a try. Naot and Birkenstock Footprints/Tatami are others that are right in line with these.

For others with narrow heel types and slimmer forefoot shapes (not necessarily narrow, per say ... think Betty Rubble feet instead of Barney), here are some other quality brands to consider. Aravon is the women's dress casual collection from New Balance. Then there's Helle Comfort by Romu's. Although German made, they have a snug heel fit. They also will never be accused of being orthotpedic strictly by their looks. SoftWalk shoes aren't bad; however, for extended site seeing, their soft heel counters might create blister problems for some people. Kumfs is a New Zealand brand which uses outstanding leathers in addition to their well-rounded construction. Aetrex will have some very cute new styles, but those won't be available till October (at the earliest). The individual websites for these brands are as follows:

www.aravonshoes.com

www.hellecomfort.com

www.kumfs.com

www.softwalkshoes.com

www.foot.com (Aetrex)

Honorary mention goes to Munro and HS Trask. Their quality is outstanding, but their last shapes are limited in accomidating a variety of women's feet.

Here's to having happy feet without sacrificing looks!

[Sol]

Make sure you wear new shoes around BEFORE you leave for Paris.. ! Make sure you won't get blisters.

[sarah]

Oh man, I went to Paris with my first husband about 6 years ago. I don't remember the city well, but I recall there is a mountain thing (not a mountain, but a big hill). At the top, it's like an artist colony. Street artists, galleries, etc. I can't remember the name, Mt Something, if I recall correctly.

Anyway, at the base of the hill, back a few streets there is a TO DIE FOR Portugese restaurant. And no, don't remember the name of the restaurant either. Yeah i'm batting 1000.

Enjoy Paris. I'll go back one day. with my next husband!

[Sandy J]

Have a wonderful time! Love the shoes!

[Indigo]

I see you have found shoes, but I would have worn either Teva flip flops, or Born loafers. Have a wonderful time! Au revoir mon ami!

[Most Comfortable Shoes]

There's a great web site that recommends the all the most comfortable shoes in walking, dress and comfort styles. I bought a pair of Mephisto AllRounder walking shoes that have been fab!
http://www.most-comfortable-shoes.com/

[Diane Rewva]

I've also used the www.most-comfortable-shoes.com website. They are right there for style and comfort.