Charentaises (litteraly, "from Charente", a departement and historical region in southwestern France) are slippers with a long history dating back to the 17th century. Traditionally entirely made of wool, from the felt upper to the chain stitched sole, they're super warm, fuzzy, soft and comfortable.
Their warmth made them popular to withstand chilly winter evenings in the countryside, and their soft soles made them common with servants who needed to move silently on hardwood floors. The current form, with a tartan felt upper and made in the cousu-retourné technique, dates back to the early 20th century. Yes, they can be quite kitsch, and lost popularity in the '80s. If the kitsch appeal of slippers identical to those worn by our great-grandparents doesn't resonate with you, there are also more modern variants, with a wider variety of graphics, materials (linen, velvet, fake fur etc.) and colors.
As I saw them as "those old-fashioned slippers worn by my grandfather", I would have never considered them until I tried a pair at a friend's house. They are super comfortable and warm, and they are so soft and lightweight they very quickly mold to your feet and feel like barefoot shoes. I now feel they have a "so ugly they're cool" vibe to them, like Birkenstocks. If it hasn't changed in a century, it's because it already achieved perfection. And who knows, maybe some day they'll become fashionable again.
Three real Charentaises manufacturers still exist today, who still make them by hand in the traditional way in France:
- Rondinaud, near Angoulême in the historical manufacturing region of Charente
- Fargeot, in the neighbouring departement of Dordogne
- Rivalin further away in Brittany
If you're looking for a holiday gift idea for yourself or someone with cold feet to face the winter months, they're amazing!
Bonus: Wikipedia article (in French
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