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Fall is quickly approaching, which means that boot season is upon us. In Paris you see them everywhere with skirts, leggings, shorts, and jeans. Finding boots that fit full-size calves is a challenge, but as sizes grow and demand grows, they're becoming more widely available. More and more models are incorporating stretch panels and stretchy materials to give a better fit for large and/or muscular calves.
The key words you want to know when shopping for wide-calf boots are "gros mollet", "mollet fort", or "mollet large" (wide calf) and "extensible" (stretch). It's also helpful to know your "tour de mollet" (calf circumference)--in centimeters, of course. Also note that "bottes" refers to knee-high boots while "boots" and "bottines" are commonly used for calf-high and ankle-high models.
Boots that "s'enfilent" are those you pull on, while you zip up boots with a "fermeture éclair". Also, "grandes pointures" are longer sizes (generally 42-45, corresponding approximately to US sizes 10-1/2 through 12-1/2), while "grandes largeurs" are wide width. In France you usually don't have a choice of widths other than standard and wide, which is perhaps a B width at best and tends to be most often available in so-called comfort shoes that are not terribly stylish.
Obviously it's easiest if you can try them on before buying, but they can be hard to find in stores. Mail order is another option; be sure to check the exchange/return policy before ordering. A lot of mail order sites don't list the calf circumference, and pictures can be deceiving. Here's a list of places you can find wide-calf boots, but it doesn't hurt to also look around wherever shoes are sold--sometimes you get lucky.
Paris stores:
Au Paradis des Rondes
7 rue Joseph Sansboeuf, Paris 75008
Metro: St. Lazare
Each year they stock a number of Marina Rinaldi wide-calf boots, but when they're gone, they're gone! Very expensive but classic style with excellent quality that will last for years.
Sacapuce
13 rue de Clignancourt, Paris 75018
Metro: Barbes or Anvers
www.sacapuce.fr
Several wide-calf boot styles including one exclusive model that stretches from 39 to 55 cm. This store carries large sizes only (41-48), so if your foot is smaller you'll need to look elsewhere.
La Halle aux Chaussures
Locations throughout the Paris region
www.lahalleauxchaussures.com
French web sites:
Chaussmaro
www.chaussmaro.com
Lists the calf circumference and advises whether a particular shoe model runs small/large/normal.
Jean Gaborit
http://jean-gaborit.com/en/
Boots made to measure and priced accordingly.
Taillissime by La Redoute
www.laredoute.fr
eBay
www.ebay.fr
It's hit or miss, but you can often find new wide-calf boots there.
Foreign web sites that ship to France:*
UK:
www.duoboots.com
With 21 calf sizes to choose from and a wide variety of styles, these high-quality boots are worth every penny/pound/euro.
US:
www.torrid.com
www.shoebuy.com
www.widewidths.com
www.silhouettes.com
*Keep in mind when ordering from other countries that you may be charged customs/duty fees and that shipping costs can be high.
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