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Comfortable Womens Walking Shoes for Paris

Hello, I will be traveling to Paris in mid-July. I need to find some comfortable womens walking shoes, we'll be walking for practically 10 days straight. I've already tried Skechers Go Walk 4 Slip-Ons but they are super uncomfortable to me and way too narrow. I also have tried Skechers Go Walk 4 Shoes (regular tennis shoes) but my feet hurt quite often. I'm looking for something affordable and comfortable. I prefer comfort over fashion at this point! Thank you in advance.

Posted by
26840 posts

I agree with Jazz+Travels: There's no substitute for trying on shoes and walking in them. I've seen others highly recommend Skechers, but they are not adequate for my feet.

So go to The Walking Company or a good shoe store that will take the time to fit you properly. When you find something that seems good, verify that you can wear the shoes inside your home for a while and return them if they don't work out. Plenty of shoes feel OK while you're in the store, but not after they've been on your feet for hours. Unfortunately, there's probably no way you can do the amount of walking at home that you'll do on the trip and still keep the shoes in returnable condition.

Thick soles will help. So will inner soles appropriate to your feet. I have sort of high arches and have found Aetrex orthotics extremely helpful, but they are expensive, as are the shoes I take to Europe. Unfortunately, it may not be possible to find the affordable + comfortable combination without a lot of trial and error.

I'm willing to pay whatever it takes to keep my feet happy, but those expensive shoes are kept for trips to Europe and the odd long walk at home. I use cheaper shoes for normal day-to-day wear at home. I got 7-1/2 months' use out of the shoes and orthotics I used in 2015 and 2016, so that footwear cost me not much more than $1 a day, which seemed a bargain for no foot or lower back pain.

Posted by
13809 posts

"* Unfortunately, it may not be possible to find the affordable + comfortable combination without a lot of trial and error.*"

I so agree with Acraven.

My default shoe brand is Altra. I have wide feet and also wear CorrectToes toe spacers over Injinji Toe Socks so my toe box has to be very wide. These shoes are a "zero-drop platform" which means your heel is at the same height as your toes which is supposed to benefit and strengthen your feet. I've tried many of their styles and just got the new version of the Lone Peak Trail shoe a few weeks ago. I've done 4-5 miles in them and they are very comfortable right out of the box. This version of the Lone Peak has a thicker sole than some of the Altras and so far seems excellent.

I've got a couple of weeks before I head to Paris so I'll hopefully be up to 7 or so miles for a long walk by then...assuming the weather here cooperates for outdoors walking!

I order from Zappos as no one locally carries these shoes. If you decide to try Altra order your regular size and the next size up as I find they run short. Zappos has free return shipping, it will just take time to print out the return label and drop it by UPS.

**PS Not sure if these meet your definition of affordable. I also tried Sketchers Go Walk and they were a no-go.

Posted by
100 posts

I can absolutely recommend Abeo shoes from The Walking Company. I have walked for days in Paris, to the point that my body just said "No more!" But my feet never hurt. That has NEVER happened. Now I wear them everywhere.

Posted by
6265 posts

I'm not sure what your definition of "affordable" is, but I love SAS. They have a wide range of styles, and a great range of sizes. As a bonus, the shoes are actually made in the USA! (SAS stands for "San Antonio Shoes.") I started wearing them when I was teaching, on my feet on concrete floors for hours. And they're great for walking. They're the only shoes I take on our RS tours, and about the only shoes I wear, period.

Posted by
682 posts

I am a big fan of Merrell Jungle Mocs. They are not exactly a fashion statement, but they are super comfortable. I wear them to walk my dogs 3+ miles every day, and I wear them on all trips. Every few years they wear out, and I buy a new pair. The person who gives me pedicures always comments on what great shapes my feet are in.

Posted by
5697 posts

What do you wear at home that DON'T make your feet hurt? Take those shoes along. I have worn SAS, Keen sandals, Clark Waves. Ahnu ... but the shoes need to feel good on YOUR feet, not mine or anybody else's. Good luck !!

Posted by
55 posts

I just got a pair of allbirds Wool Runners and I am very pleased. They are as comfortable as any shoe I've ever had - right out of the box. I've only had them a few days, so I'm still auditioning them for travel, but so far, so good. They look more adult to me than most neon running shoes and they aren't covered with corporate logos. I'm thinking they'll be fine for semi-dress casual attire. I'm hopefully optimistic that my assessment won't change much in the next few weeks.

Posted by
15681 posts

Unfortunately, it may not be possible to find the affordable +
comfortable combination without a lot of trial and error.

I'll agree with that too. Everyone's feet are different so what works for one may not for you. Clark's Privo were my go-to shoe for years - wore out three identical pairs over quite a number of vacations, including hiking trips - but they changed the style I liked and I haven't found another pair that fits like those did yet. So yes, it's trial-and-error, and you may end up having to choose between comfort over price.

I always take two different pairs as I find that switching them out every two days or so can be helpful, and I also use insoles now and again. LOL, I cannot deal with a heavy, clunky shoe so lightweight but with the right amount of support is a challenge!

Posted by
82 posts

Last year in Germany I wore my Nike sneakers (not workout ones, I found cute fashion ones that have good arch support) and I brought a pair of Vionic sandals for night, and I had a pair of Tevas.

This year, I'm going to Paris in August and I can't bring myself to wear the Tevas LOL. So, I bought a couple more pair of Vionics. I also picked up another pair of the Nike sneakers since I wore them so much and sneakers break down.

I also attempted wedges in Germany for dinners out. That will not be happening in Paris (although I would love to wear them)...wedges and cobblestones are not a good combination!

Posted by
82 posts

And Zappos has a 365 day return policy, so you can buy them and wear them around the house for a couple of months and return them if you don't like them.

Posted by
2668 posts

I've been ordering shoes from Nordstrom's after running around to what feels like every shoe store in town. Good selection, great return policy. I've ordered everything for Finn Comfort at $375 (didn't fit) to ECCO Abalone $75 which I'm waiting for arrival.
So far my problem feet love Alegria Essence. They're lace up with cute patterns. I bought the black/gray flowers. Wide in the toe, narrow in the heel. Have worn them several days at my parttime retail job without my feet hurting at the end of day. My feet ache at the end of the day in my Brooks, Asics, Nikes, New Balance.
I am still searching for a dressier pair of shoes. The Alegria mary janes put too much pressure on my toes. I brought, then returned and ordered again ECCO stretch loafers. The first pair was wide in the heel but my toes loved them, so I ordered two different styles of the same. They should be delivered soon. Hopefully one will fit.
You have to try everything on, walk around the house and throw out the budget to find what will work best for you.

Follow-up: Bought ECCO Felecia, which are stretch goretex slipon with a leather toe cap. Very comfortable and dressier that my Alegria Essence to go with skirts and to dress up pants. I now have two decent looking, very comfortable walking shoes for my tour.

Posted by
6265 posts

Yes, don't skimp on shoes. You're going to be doing a lot of walking, and I've found that if I wear shoes that don't fit, or don't have good support, it's not just my feet that suffer. Hips, back, and knees also pay a price.

I've always had trouble finding shoes because my feet are big (11 or 11.5 W). Most stores don't carry anything over a 10. That's one reason I like SAS - I think in women's shoes they go up to 12 WW!

Posted by
2 posts

Thank you all for such great feedback! I'm going to visit The Walking Company ASAP! Hopefully they can help figure out exactly what I need.

Posted by
28 posts

I have worn Salomon Ellipse low cut hiking boots on my last several trips to Europe. I have 3 pairs, one pair, the GTX model, is waterproof(Goretex). I wore those last year on the Paris and Heart of France tour. I had three French people stop me in Paris to ask for directions so my shoes/boots did not give me away! If it looks like my trip is not going to be too rainy I wear the non GTX model. I walked 75 miles on the France trip with happy feet! I take a light weight SAS slip on shoe to change into for the evenings! I only wear Smartwool socks year around.

Posted by
1017 posts

Pam is right..... I saw a previous posting of hers about altra. I have bad PF and I got Altra Footwear Intuition Everyday, then add my supports in them and I walked all over Belgium/Holland, Seattle, Cincinnati, etc. last year and this year. Wide toe box also. Not too attractive but they are soooooo comfortable. Zappos.

Kim

Posted by
2744 posts

I am a big fan of Ecco, Murno and Paul Green. Yes all of these are costly. (Ecco is the cheapest, but...)

However, I have a wide toe box and a normal heel with a high arch. These work so I am willing to pay. If you have Nordstrom Rack I have gotten great deals on all three of these brands there! (My last deal was a pair of $300 Murno boots for $45!)

Posted by
13809 posts

Kim, I had missed your post a couple of weeks back. I am glad the Altras worked for you!! I'm 6 days in to 8 in Paris and had racked up 10,000 steps before noon in the Altra Lone Peaks. They are wonderful. My feet do look like Minnie Mouse but who cares if they are not hurting!!

Kaitlin, I hope you've hit on something that will work for you!

Posted by
134 posts

Like so many women, I have been trying to solve the dilemma of what to wear while spending the whole day walking. I want something that is comfortable, supportive and stylish. It seems you can get 2 but not all 3 qualities in a single shoe. Two years ago I spent a lot of time testing-walking shoes to see if I could come up with one that meet these criteria and ended up purchasing 2 pairs of Wolky shoes. I wore them for 4 weeks in Spain and they were OK but not great. I had some rubbing along the edges of the straps which was painful but I got through it. One pair is a bit clunkier (Jewel) than the other but better for long days of walking and I wore the other pair at night as the sole is not as thick so at least I could trade the painful spots back and forth.
In planning for our trip last September I searched high and low for shoes to replace the Wolkys as the rubbing from the straps was so uncomfortable I just didn't want to take them with me again. I considered FitFlops - very comfortable but not enough support for long walk; bought a pair of Tevas but not enough support once I wore them longer than 30 minutes and not dressy enough for wearing in the evening; Merrell's same story. Nothing came close to the support I got from the Wolkys. In desperation I took them to a shoe repair store to see if he could help but he had no suggestions other than thicker moleskin than the version I had tried. I then went back to the store I bought them at and they recommended I 'work' at the straps to "break them in". I tried that for about 5 minutes when I had a brain wave and brought out the hammer. I bashed away at the straps and in a few places used an asp to file down the rough spots.

And you know what? Success!!! I wore both pairs on long walks (10 -15 km) around the city before we left for our trip and no rubbing or blisters so I gladly took them for our month-long trip in France and Spain. We averaged about 25km a day for our week in Paris and slightly less in Bilbao, Salamanca, Madrid etc. The arch support is excellent especially in the bigger shoe (Jewel) and even on the hottest days my feet weren't cool. The velcro straps make it easy to adjust the fit as your feet swell in the latter part of the day. While they were expensive to purchase, they still look new and show little signs of wear and will be heading back to Europe to tour Italy this September.

If only I knew that a hammer was the key to a comfortable shoe! The other thing I've learned is that not every shoe suits everyone and a quick trip around the shoe store doesn't really tell you much about how a shoe will feel after 6+ hours of walking. Sadly, there is no real way to test shoes out other than walking a long distance. Although I suppose you could try them out on a treadmill....

Posted by
6265 posts

KAS, your story made me laugh. I was reminded of a story in our local newspaper a few years ago about how the dancers in our local ballet company break in their toe shoes. Hammers were indeed mentioned, but my favorite was the principal dancer who chewed her shoes to get them just right.

Posted by
30 posts

Asics. They have numerous styles but Kamano is the best for me. I have weak ankles, wide feet and plantar fasciitis. Asics have a gel sole that absorbs shock. I buy either the men's same size or up a size in women's to accommodate my wide feet. I buy the black or dark grey and wear black pants to camouflage the shoes. In Asics, I can walk up to 10 miles a day. I carry a pair of flats in my handbag if I want to dress up for a meal.

Posted by
2599 posts

Thanks to Carol's mention of Ecco, I just bought a pair of their Chase II sneaker/oxfords and they are going on my next trip for sure. Excellent arch support; rather, it hit my arch just right, that does vary with everyone, attractive and contemporary styling--I also like the ones that look more like Chuck Taylors with a white toe cap, but the Chase is solid leather with off-white laces so just trendy enough for my wardrobe. The heel back is lightly padded so absolutely no friction, I've worn them already for a couple of 2 mile walks on pavement. At $150 I am very pleased with them and they might even be worn out before I take them to Europe next spring!

Posted by
475 posts

Last year I picked up a pair of The North Face Endurus running shoes, they use a thick midsole foam called Xtrafoam which similar to Hoka uses but, nowhere as thick and tall. They're the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn and the foam provides a nice bounce back when I run/walk. My aunt went to Switzerland for a month last year, walking all over the place and she picked up a pair of the women's version...she loves them, can't stop talking about them. My mom just got herself a pair for our trip to Europe this Fall. While not the best looking shoes and most have Gore-Tex, these Endurus' will be apart of my shoe rotation when on the road traveling.
The North Face Endurus

Posted by
13809 posts

Since this popped back up to the top, I thought I would add I am now back from about 3.5 weeks in France and wore the Altra Lone Peak's every single day. I did not have my back up shoes out of the suitcase except to repack, lol. They were so comfortable! I averaged 14000-20,000 steps per day in Paris, Brittany and Normandy. They worked great on cobblestones, on museum floors and along a rocky trail in Brittany. No PF flare, no pain at all. I always take MELT Method balls to roll my feet in case I feel some tightness coming on but I did not even have to get them out of the suitcase either! The sole on these shoes is a bit thicker than some of the other Altras and altho it takes away some of the minimalist aspect of the shoes it worked great to keep my feet up out of puddles.

Kaitlin, I hope you've found something that makes your feet as happy as these make mine!

(PS The Injinji toe socks worked great as well!)

Posted by
50 posts

Traveled with these two pairs for 2 weeks in the Adriatic. Worked great for dressier and more casual and I went for several runs in the Nike tennis shoe. The low rise of the tennis shoes made it look less clunky and I was able to wear them with a sporty dress beachside. The cork in the Naot made them super comfortable. I ordered/tried on NINE pairs from zappos/nordstrom before finding the right tennis shoe so be prepared for it take some time! I haven't work Nike is 20+ years. Good luck.

Naot Dorith
http://www.zappos.com/p/naot-footwear-dorith-black-raven-leather/product/7614938/color/207009

Nike Run Free Tennis Shoe
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/nike-free-rn-2-running-shoe-women/4720184?origin=category-personalizedsort&fashioncolor=BLACK%2F%20WHITE%2F%20GREY%2F%20ANTHRACITE