Report - Euro Heel-Meet, Paris 2004.

[Heelfan]

Hello Folks! Firefox has already posted "Well 5 of us turned up, 4 from UK and one from NL. We all had a great weekend. It was a shame that no local shoe enthusiast from Paris could find the time to look us up and meet us in a bar for a couple of hours". As that suggests, it wasn't the best of turn-outs, especially as I had advertised it in this section for the last four months and also sent over 60 PMs to many of the keenest members. However, most people's excuse was that they were broke after Christmas (despite having initially said that the Meet needed to be timed during the Paris sales!). Anyway, perhaps we should plan future Euro Meets for the summer months. I can only say that those who didn't come missed a great weekend! The five of us (Firefox, Xaphod, Calv, Me Heelfan and Robert) were captivated by the atmosphere of the old part of Paris in which our hotel was situated. From the Friday to the Sunday we had some excellent meals washed down with some excellent French wines, cognac and Xaphod's favourite Belgian beer too! Saturday was Shoe Day, and we worked our way along the boulevard containing the Moulin Rouge opposite which which a number of low-quality fetish shoe and lingerie shops are situated. Nothing particularly appealed to us until we arrived at the much higher-quality high heel specialists Ernest. Colette, the nice lady in there showed us many excellent styles in there, most of high quality Italian manufacture. I purchased a superb pair of black leather ankle boots with 5" stiletto heels. Even after the sales discount, they cost 180 Euros (about £120) but they were worth every penny of that and I promptly wore them that evening when we all walked up for a meal at the Pigalle circus. The Ernest shop is between their 2003 and 2004 catalogues, but their 2004 one comes out in mid-March. With the help of many Metro tickets, we then zig-zagged out way southwards, trying to embrace key Paris shoe stores, outlets and specialists. Our final port of call was "Forums Des Halles", the largest mall or galleria in Paris. The best and largest shoe selection therein was "Saint Marina" shoes. Xaphod bought a great pair of plain leather court/pump shoes with lovely 5" stiletto heels at a very, very reasonable 49 Euros. Noting our astonishment as he chose the bright orange variety, he explained that this was the ideal starting colour to dye them brown! Despite my ankle boots and Xaphod's courts (both by coincidence 5" stilettos) being the only two purchases of the day, everyone thoroughly enjoyed the interest of the day and the Parisian ambience. Calv photographed Xaphod's new shoes and my new boots, so maybe he will post a pic or two on this thread. Despite an entire weekend of walking for miles and miles and miles (well, I should say kilometres), everyone did very well in their street-heels. Our heels ranged between 3" and 5" and we showed the good citizens of Paris how it is done! Sunday was sightseeing day and we "did" all the key sites from an open-topped double-decker bus - Arc De Triomphe, Champs Elysee, Opera House, Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre Dame etc. etc. After that we had an excellent Sunday lunch with Xaphod looking on appalled as Firefox and I tucked into our starters of escargot snails. But then he cheered up upon noticing the waiter doing an entire circuit of our table-for-five with the very obvious purpose of checking-out our five pairs of heels! Various other waiters formed into an intrigued huddle of onlookers, and we had rapidly become celebrities! I had arrived in Paris a couple of days ahead of the main party to conduct some business, but it was also an ideal opportunity to keep an eye open for some undistracted sightings. I am sorry to say that the general level of heel-wearing by the Parisian ladies was very disappointingly poor! Many were shuffling along in flat rubber-soled boots. Stiletto heeled boots and shoes were few and far between, and even those I did see were almost all only 3" or less. If that had worn higher heels at the peak of the high heel boom two or three years ago, they had certainly abandonned them again now. However, four excellent sightings were the exception, and stood out like a beacon! Three of them we girls who had bucked the main trend and were wearing boots with extremely high stiletto heels which were up to the limit of their capability. "Good for them!" I thought. They looked excellent. But the piece de resistance for me occurred when, earlier in the week, I was outside Ernest's. I couldn't believe it! Out from Ernest's came a vision! It was just about the most attractive and curvaceous girl I have every seen in my life! She was about thirty with long, flowing black hair and was dressed in a burgundy-red short leather jacket and a burgundy-red short leather skirt. Below the short skirt were the most superb long, lithe, nylon-clad legs with the feet tilted vertically into an incredible pair of metallic bugundy-red high court shoes with very, very high stiletto heels. She was accompanied by a wealthy-looking businessman and as he strode away along the pavement, the girl, with one arm around his waist and the other clutching yet another shoebox, was clicking along having to take ultra-rapid teetering steps to try and keep up with him. When our group entered the shop on the Saturday, I asked Colette about that lady, and apparently she had bought those burgundy shoes from Ernest's previously and had just returned for the gentleman to buy her another even higher pair. The guys spotted another identical pair of burgundy shoes on the rack. They had a 120mm (4 3/4") stiletto heel, and on her little size 4 shoe they looked more like a 6" heel! Also whilst we were in there, another younger couple came in. Again the girl came in already wearing a pair of high stiletto heels and the boyfrield proceeded to buy her another pair. All great stuff! So, all in all, a fantastic few days, and a wonderful Euro-Meet enjoyed hugely by all concerned. We are looking forward to the next UK Heel-Meets at Leicester (early spring '04) and Bristol (late Spring '04), and if anyone reading this wishes that they had come to the Euro-Meet, then all I can say is DON'T MISS THE NEXT ONE! Cheerfully Yours, Heelfan

[Bubba136]

Great report. Thanks, Heelfan. Overall, how did the Parisians react to you guys in your heels? Outside of the interest shown by the waiters that you mentioned, were there anyother note worthy reactions that stick in your memory?

[Robert]

Hi Heelfan,

A great report you have and thank you very much for arranging the route through Paris to the several stores it has. I've very much enjoyed the staying there and to meet you guys. Shame there were only the five of us.

I've noticed a reaction of one of the salesladies at the Forums Des Halles, she had a big smile on her face as we passed her. Yes, five guys in heels looking for highheel shoes isn't an every day view.

At Saint Marina shoeshop I asked a lady if they have size 43 in ladies shoes, she replied that I have to look for the men's shoes. "No", I said, "do you have women's shoes in size 43 ?" "No" was the answer and off I went.

Indeed a great weekend it was and I want to call the Euro members to attend a future heelmeeting because it is really worth it and it surely is good for your confidence, not only for the blocky 3 inches but also for stilettoed 5 inch heels.

Heelfan, Firefox, Xaphod and Calv, thank you very much!

Robert

[xaphod]

If anything, the Parisians show more reaction to guys wearing heels, but nothing untoward. If you want to do the tourist bit, then you should have no more than usual heel-related problems by yourself. I noted we had to run the gauntlet of a bunch of black guys hanging around as we emerged from a Metro escalator emerging directly onto the street. Unfortunately I became separated from the rest of the guys in this pretty crummy area when we were looking for one of the elusive 'bigfoot' shops, and had to repel a scumbag trying to get my wallet, having pointed out something down by my feet. When I realised he had made a grab for my wallet and met his eye, he got the hell out back the way he came. He was wearing trainers so I was no match for speed in 4.5" heels. For me, this tainted what was an otherwise pleasant weekend. It's interesting to note that I have been wandering up to London every 2 weeks or so, for the last 5 years, and have never experienced anything like the above ! PS .... despite the appearance of the photo above, I wasn't wearing lipstick ! Xa

[new_look]

ever completed outfit in your hat xaphod wouldve loved to join you, but my appetite for french foods and holiday availability caused a certain barrier, but hopefully a future meet will drop on one of my holiday weekends daz

[stilettofan]

As I read this excellent report from Heelfan about the Paris Heel-Meet, I was getting angrier with every second, that I didn't discover this forum a lot earlier :x I can imagine all the fun strolling around stores and bars in heels with a group of like minded guys. Until now, I have to do my street-heeling all on my own, but how much more fun must it be to shop around with others. I hope that there will be a next Euro Heel-Meet despite the poor participation at the Paris one. I would be very glad if you let me join in on all the fun you have. As you said, heelfan, it might be a better idea to plan a meet in summer or autumn, when the chance for nice weather is better than in February, so that you could eventually put on some of the more "sensible" heels with the thin leather soles for an evening out. Thanks a lot for offering the opportunity of a meeting like this!

[Bubba136]

stiletto fan, you aren't all by youself there in Germany. Joak lives in or near Munich, I think. And, others near Frankfurt and several other cities. Why not try emailing one of them and getting together? Gee, you could even visit one of my favorite shoe stores on this planet -- La Piazza. Talk about "dying and going to heaven," it couldn't get any better than that.

[stilettofan]

stiletto fan, you aren't all by youself there in Germany. Joak lives in or near Munich, I think. And, others near Frankfurt and several other cities. Why not try emailing one of them and getting together? Gee, you could even visit one of my favorite shoe stores on this planet -- La Piazza. Talk about "dying and going to heaven," it couldn't get any better than that.

Thanks a lot for your advice, Bubba! I already met one heelguy from southern Germany on this forum and we are making plans for street-heeling in Munich and doing a little shopping-tour there.

Hey, why don't you take the next plane to Frankfurt. They leave nearly every hour from every major city in the US. La Piazza is only about 150 miles away from Frankfurt. A really nice place for dying and going to heaven in 6" or even higher stilettos.

[Heelfan]

Hello Stilettofan! I'm delighted that you are keen to set up Heel-Meet(s) in Germany! Having set up the last few in the UK, I though I would try and give you and one or two others a few tips based on my experience, so see my special new thread entitled "Setting up a Heel-Meet in Your Country". ] Good luck! Cheerfully Yours, Heelfan

[Calv]

Belatedly here are some more pics from the Paris Meet. Finally got around to uploading them so here we go.

First up is Xaphod modelling his gorgeous (style) orange 5" stillettos bought from the Les Halles underground market for the bargain price of 49 EU on the last day of the sales. If only they had some larger sizes they would have sold more.... His story is that he bought them to dye but I understand they are still orange, so may yet appear on another heel meet. You have been warned - get the sunglasses ready.

Next we have a picture of Heelfan's 5" heel boots from Ernest.

Finally a couple of photos of some of the group and a girl trying to work out what is going on!

Hope you like them.

[Robert]

Thank you very much Calv for the pictures!

The guy in the middle of the third picture is me

I'm wearing the same ankle boots as Heelfan, mine were black and Heelfan's were brown.

I remember Heelfan walking on the Ernest boots to the restaurant on saturday night. He walked as it were his normal shoes. 5 inch! I would stumble in them.

That last sunday afternoon it was cold. The pictures were taken by Calv in front of the hotel after we did the sight seeing tour with the open-topped bus and the lunch. We were almost blowing out of our coats and jackets. You can see it on my face in the last picture.

Btw, Xaphod, have you tried black-board paint ?

Robert