Well-Heeled on a Shoestring

Don’t tell Imelda. In the small town of Romans are collections from some of the fashion industry’s most elite shoe designers at prices lower than, well, just about anywhere. Outlets for Stephane Kelian, Charles Jourdan and Robert Clergerie are among more than 20 retail and factory stores that lure travelers (mostly Europeans) from the autoroutes on their way to the dark-green forests and rugged mountains of the Vercors, or farther south to sunny Provence and the Cote d’Azur.

Americans have yet to discover Romans, perhaps because promotion for the area is almost exclusively through road signs along the main motor ways. However, the burgeoning outlet culture in the United States has primed American tourists for just this sort of detour. Romans has become an essential stopover for the savvy shopper and avid shoe collector looking for everything from casual strapped sandals to rhinestone-studded, Lucite-trimmed black suede evening shoes. It also is home to the International Shoe Museum, which traces world history through footwear design.

Situated on the Isere River in the southern part of France’s Rhone-Alpes region, Romans is a quiet industrial town, rich in history and renowned for its beginnings as a commercial center for shoe manufacturing and related leather works. Just 80 miles south of Lyons and 120 miles north of Avignon, Romans is equally accessible by car or train. The high-speed TGV train carries travelers from France’s major cities to Valence. From there it’s 15 minutes on a connecting train to Romans. By car, take the D532 from the main autoroutes to the center of town, park in the shade of the medieval clock tower on the Place de Jacquemart and prepare to inhale the scent of leather and the aroma of the freshly baked local bread, pogne de Romans.

The tradition of shoe making in Romans is as much a source of pride today as it was when the first factories were established in the late 1800s. As early as 1902, the J. Fenestrier mark--later acquired by designer Robert Clergerie--became a symbol of excellent craftsmanship in men’s and women’s shoes. Rare and fine leathers also were hallmarks of the early products, in part because of the large number of tanneries in the area. The industry reached its peak after World War II and continued to flourish through the 1970s. Since then, shoe production has moved beyond France’s borders into Italy, Spain and other parts of the world, an inevitable result of global competition.

Only three tanneries remain active in Romans today. Still, the promise of high quality and high style beckons tourists to this shoe mecca, particularly in July, when I was there, as well as in January--the times when biannual sales offer irresistible savings.

Don’t expect to see charming country cobblers’ shops. These are typical outlets: busy, boxy spaces where shoes are grouped by size and lined meticulously side by side with little thought given to display. Most of the styles are from the previous season, but forget any notion that they are the rejects of the fashion houses. Cross-checking the styles available in the Romans outlets with the current look in Paris revealed more a tweaking of design than radical departures. Prices, by comparison, were at least double in the chic Parisian boutiques, with their sale shoes reduced only 30% to 35%. In Romans, savings can be as high as 80%, and there are many more sizes and styles that are permanently discounted.

Most tourists stop in Romans for just three or four hours, enough time to scour the shoe stores, visit the International Shoe Museum and have a taste of the regional specialties. But I elected to stay overnight. My plan was to survey every store listed in the Guide d’Achat (available at the Romans Office of Tourism), try on shoes lavishly and return the next day for serious purchasing.

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My tour began at Stephane Kelian on the Place Charles de Gaulle, where women’s shoes claim the greatest floor space, with men’s styles relegated to the back of the store. A variety of espadrilles, open-toed and ankle tied, were a good purchase at $20; handsome leather trousers shoes ranged from $80 (high instep Oxford with buckled strap) to $140 (dressier lace-up styles, in plain and woven leather combinations). I envisioned a classic black suede sandal with a slim, 3-inch heel ($70) paired elegantly with a simple silk slip dress or a wool crepe dinner suit.

Around the corner, on Cote des Cordeliers, Robert Clergerie’s formal collection rivaled Kelian in style and price. A plain gold satin pump with ankle strap was reduced to a bargain $50. Again, the trousers shoe was among the best purchases; this time a finely crafted pebble grain leather lace-up with small tassels was perfect for fall and hard to pass up at a respectable $90. For summer casual wear, bulky woven straw sandals with 2-inch wedge heels were selling at a “special purchase” price of $38. Men’s shoes are not shown in this location, but to the north of the main commercial area, Clergerie has a second retail outlet adjoining the factory where the shoes are manufactured.

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At Charles Jourdan, men’s and women’s shoes share space with a small collection of ready-to-wear fashions and accessories: lovely large silk scarves that double nicely as shawls; oversize leopard-patterned sunglasses; wide-brimmed hats and classic berets and smart clutch purses in suede or satin.

For women, the chance to buy haute couture at wholesale prices may be incentive enough. For example, an elegant black suede pump, manufactured by Charles Jourdan for Karl Lagerfeld, had the look of high fashion with a gold-rimmed, clear Lucite buckle adorning the toe. A 1-inch clear plastic cube bobbled on the toe of another black suede pump. Its sling-back style also featured a combination suede and black opaque Lucite 4-inch heel. Both were priced at just under $100.

One other small factory and retail outlet deserves mentioning: Chaussures Tchilin, on Rue Chopin, for the delightful experience of meeting the master shoemaker and touring the workrooms. Now in his 50s, Jean Tchilinguirian started out in the family business at age 18, learning the trade from his father. After four years in the army, he returned to the factory and today employs five workers who make 3,000 to 5,000 pairs of shoes each year. In 1985, he began producing ballerina-style shoes for Agnes B and has since supplied lines for many prominent names including Yohji Yamamoto and Emmanuelle Khanh. Before leaving town, be sure to walk through Romans’ renowned International Shoe Museum. It is quite fascinating to relive world history through the art of shoe design. Built in the 17th century, the former convent and school for girls houses an impressive collection of footwear from antiquity to the present day, as well as special exhibits of 17th-century buckles and ornaments, shoes designed for the opera and theater and selected pieces from the Andre Perugia Collection.

If you’re not on a tight schedule, plan to stay overnight at one of several hotels in and around Romans. I chose the Hotel des Balmes because I wanted an alternative to staying in the city center. Less than three miles from Romans, this is a quiet and inexpensive ($50 for a single; telephone 011-33-475-02-2952) family-run hotel, hidden behind corn fields and apricot orchards.

The next leg of my trip would take me back to Paris. I wondered if the five pair of shoes I had bought would make me stand apart or be counted among the fashionable Parisians. Waiting at the train station, an elderly French woman smiled and gestured--”May I have a look?”--as I struggled to organize three new shopping bags with my other ballooning belongings. She took each pair in hand, examined them with a critical eye and careful touch, then nodded approval. I had chosen wisely.

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GUIDEBOOK

Romans Shoe Ins

Getting there: The high-speed TGV train departs several times daily from the Gare de Lyons in Paris to Valence (2 1/2 hours); also from Lyons, Avignon and other major cities in France. From Valence, continue on a connecting train (20 minutes) to Romans, or rent a car. By car from Paris, Lyons, Avignon and Marseilles, follow route A7 and take D532 (coming from the north) or N532 (from the south) into Romans.

Shoe outlets: (Most are open Monday through Saturday during business hours.)

Charles Jourdan, Galerie Fan Halles, Romans; local telephone 475-02-3236.

Chaussures Tchilin, 52 Quay Chopin, Romans; tel. 475-72-5141.

Robert Clergerie, Co^te des Cordeliers, Romans; tel. 475-04-5254. Second location on Rue Pierre Curie adjoining the factory; tel. 475-05-5965.

Stephane Kelian, 11 Place Charles de Gaulle, Romans; tel. 475-05-2326.

Museum: International Shoe Museum (Musee International de la Chaussure), Rue Sainte Marie, Romans; tel. 475-05-8130.

For more information: French Government Tourist Office, 9454 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 715, Beverly Hills, CA 90212; tel. (310) 271-6665, fax (310) 276-2835.

Office of Tourism, 17 Place Jean Jaures, B.P. 13, 26101 Romans; tel. 475-02-2872, fax 475-05-9162.