I really need to focus on PARISSSSS shoe stores!!! I don't want to think about online shoe shopping just yet:) Is there hope for wide feet in Paris people?

Thanks a lot Madison for the note. Galleries Lafayette has been added to my shopping list. Sharon had also mentioned Arche. I will be sure to check them out. Are there any other shoe brands in Lafayette that come in wide widths? Because if it is just Arche I think that going to an actual Arche store (like the one Sharon mentioned at 11 bd Madeleine) would be a better bet as far as selection goes.

Thanks Stardust! Your suggestions are spot on.

I searched for Birkenstock in [pagesjaunes.fr] and found one store in 16 rue de Sévigné. Has anyone shopped there?

As for Scholl, the search returned:

Scholl Finest Boutique Distrib. agréé at 12 av. Opéra

I am not sure if that is the address of an actual retail store or the brand's distributor's office/warehouse address. What is Distrib. agréé?

Same question as with Birkenstock, anyone been there?

Thank you so much Sandy! I will get in touch with them.

Don;t know what you mean by wide - but in europe in general shoes are wider than in the US - for women average is C rather than B. So their "wide" would be even wider. I don;t think you should have ay problems. (I don;t even try to get shoes there anymore unless sporty ones wth laces I can tie extra tight.)

And not sure what you mean by wides being underrepresented in the US. I see wide shoes everywhere - all stores carry them.

My problem is the opposite- I'm a narrow - AA or AAA - and these are practically inpossible to find anymore - as the market moves towards wides. You used to be able to go into Lord & Taylor or Nordstrom and get anything in narrow - now more and more stores carry only B or wider - and I can do only Saks or the most expensive makers.

Thank you for the posting Christina. I feel for you girl friend. Maybe you can find something of interest in the suggestions made on this board. Good-luck shoe-hunting:)

Hi Urban Nomad,

I found my shoe twin!

After your trip to Paris, visit either Raleigh or Charlotte, NC to visit the Wide Shoe Warehouse. The Raleigh store is near the airport and I'm not sure where the store is located in Charlotte.

You can even find sexy, 3-inch spiked-heeled, pointy-toed pumps.

Urban - There were a lot of shoe brands in various sizes at Galleries Lafayette. Joseph Seibel is a great walking shoe. They had your size when I was there. I bought a Paris brand jogging shoe in a 41. I think the only problem a person would have finding a 41 wide would be in the dress shoes, but then I could be wrong. Like I mentioned before they had tons of Arche shoes.

Rizzuto you are a warm ray of sunlight:)

I have been lemming for Camper shoes so badly and now I know I will be able to shop at their store during my visit to Paris. I think my brother who's traveling with me will need a crane to get me out of there, or maybe I should leave him at the hotel that day, or if you have any suggestions for a nearby café/bistro where he can have a 3-course meal while I try on 30 pairs on shoes!! Tell me how do they go in terms of pricing; are they as outrageously expensive as they are on their website [camper.com]? You also mention no shopping from the women's line. Are the wide shoes only on the men's side?

"Hey, Big Wide Feet Girls Unite!"

Yes Sharon that's the spirit! You Go Girl:):)

And thanks for the mention of Wide Shoe Wearhouse. Nomad, if you ever get to the Southern States, let me know and we'll go shoe shopping together.

Thanks for the posting nytraveller. I had said that women with wide feet seem to be underrepresented in the shoe market fullstop. I did not specify a particular country. I meant it in the general sense i.e. underrepresented worldwide. Having lived in several countries (not including the US) I always had trouble finding wide width shoes. I wish the abundance you say is available in the U.S. can be found elsewhere. Ralstonlan had mentioned Designershoes.com. I think I've seen narrow feet shoes on that website. Check it out and tell me what you think.

Thank you ncgrrl! But as I had mentioned I don't live in the US. If you can recommend stores in Paris, that would be great.

Thanks again Madison for the feedback.

And to Sharon, it was ncgrrl that mentioned the warehouse not me. Have fun shopping.

I got a pair of Ache shoes at Galleries Lafayette in October. They are a Mary Jane style and while they are quite comfortable they still don't solve my problem, which is that the bottoms of my feet get really sore from walking on pavement all day I think I need something with with a thicker sole. I've tried Clarks with some success. I don't like "old Lady" looking shoes (even though I am one) I guess I want my cake and eat it too. Has anyone had any success with Born shoes?

If you don't have any luck in Paris, try this Munich web site:

http://www.fusaro.de/index.html

I've had good luck with the Berkmanns.

I have two pairs of Born that I enjoy and I have bad feet but it's the only two summer shoes in their line that fit my feet. I've been buying slip on sneakers in several colors for here and my trip that are wide enough for me from the French www. redoute.com catalog.
A few colors are on sale.

Hi Suzanne. I agree that Clarks shoes look plain and boring and too old-lady-like. But I know people that swear by their durability and level of comfort. My mom nearly wears nothing but Clarks. She says their handbags are Holy Grail material too. They live forever according to her and after years of usage look good as new. But like the shoes the handbags are p-l-a-i-n...I think that their shoes only come in standard widths so that won't be any good for wide feet.

Haven't heard of Born...it must be just sold in the US.

Thanks for the link Underhill:)

Has anyone been to any of these shoe stores in Paris:

-Boutique Sacapuce [sacapuce.fr]

-Sagone [sagone-chaussures.com]

-Palais de la Chaussure [palaisdelachaussure.com]

-Jean Thiot [jeanthiot.com]

-Birkenstock

-Scholl

Any insight on their wide width shoe collections would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Check out sofftshoe.com

Thanks for the input Suzanne. They have a good collection, but they don't have retail outlets outside the US and they don't have international shipping. So, they can't really be of any use to me. However, other ladies reading the board may find it useful.