When we think of France, we often think of fashion and, in particular, the luxury goods industry, with iconic names such as Chanel, Dior, and Louis Vuitton. However, there’s another facet of French fashion that deserves just as much attention: French sneakers.
Although the sneaker market is dominated by American and European giants, many French sneaker brands have managed to make a name for themselves by bringing a touch of elegance and savoir-faire to the style and comfort of today’s footwear.
So, whether you’re looking for a French gift or simply a sneaker enthusiast, we’re sure you’ll find what you’re looking for in these 15 well-known French sneaker brands.
Sneaker Brands Made in France
- Sessile
Head office: Paris, France
Production location: Montjean-sur-Loire, France
Average price for a pair: €140
Founded in 1927, Sessile is a brand of unisex sneakers that are durable and made in France, as evidenced by its “Origine France garantie” label. And it’s not just in the design and manufacture that Sessile sneakers are Made in France. The materials, too, come from France or neighboring countries.
With almost a century of know-how, Sessile stands out from its competitors thanks to the sober yet distinguished style of its sneakers and their impeccable finish. Committed to unisex and eco-responsible fashion, the brand also offers a refurbishing service to maximize the lifespan of your favorite French sneakers.
- Relance Running
Head office: Brest, France
Production location: Cholet, France
Average price for a pair: €120
Relance Running is a French sneaker brand born in 2021 from crowdfunding. Founded by a young woman with a passion for running and basketball, the brand aims to offer a running shoe that combines performance and elegance thanks to quality materials and optimal design.
We spoke to you in more detail in our test of the brand’s flagship model, but Relance Running shoes all proudly bear the colors of the French flag. And with good reason: they are designed from start to finish in France, using local materials.
- 1083
Head office: Romans-sur-Isère, France
Production location: Romans-sur-Isère, France
Average price for a pair: €140
1083 is a Made in France unisex clothing and sneaker brand that has been operating since 2013. The brand’s name is a direct reminder of its French manufacturing, since 1083 represents the maximum distance a product from the brand can travel to remain Made in France.
The brand offers three types of French sneakers (low-top, high-top, and vegan) through a multitude of varied models, ranging from sneakers with a traditional look in leather or organic cotton, to retro sneakers in recycled denim or velcro. The various light colors perfectly accentuate the sober, chic design of 1083 sneakers.
- Veets
Head office: Saint-Etienne, France
Production location: Saint-Etienne, France
Average price for a pair: €160
Veets, also known as Veets Running, is a Made in France brand of trail and running shoes. Created in 2016 by a French triathlete, it’s only since its takeover in 2020 by BV Sport that the brand has decided to relocate all its manufacturing to the Loire county.
Committed to the environment, the brand designs high-quality shoes in EcoVeets fabric made from recycled plastic bottles. Running shoes that are not only high-performance but also stylish. The brand offers a wide range of colors, from sober, plain tones to flashy color combinations.
- Montlimart
Head office: Mauges-sur-Loire, France
Production location: Mauges-sur-Loire, France
Average price for a pair: €140
Montlimart is a responsible Made in France clothing and sneaker brand launched by two sisters in 2017. Their mission? To combine style and environmental preservation. This involves local production, sustainable products made from recycled materials, but also fair prices for the consumer.
Reflecting the brand’s values, Montlimart sneakers have a casual-chic style. Mostly white with touches of color, these French sneakers feature a sober design stamped with a small tricolor flag to recall its origins.
French Sports Shoes and Sneakers Brands
- Le Coq Sportif
Head office: Romilly-sur-Seine, France
Production location: France, Portugal, Maroc
Average price for a pair: €90
Very much in vogue in the 1970s and 1980s, when it was the equipment supplier for numerous professional rugby and soccer teams in France, Le Coq Sportif is a sportswear and footwear brand launched in 1882 by a French stylist.
After economic difficulties and numerous takeovers at the end of the 1990s, the brand has been coming back more inspired than ever for over 10 years, with contemporary sneakers that combine style and tradition.
Le Coq Sportif stands out from the crowd thanks to its sneakers with a sporty look and a design worthy of high-end sneakers. Each model proudly displays the symbol and/or colors of France that have made the brand so successful.
- Salomon
Head office: Annecy, France
Production location: France, Asie
Average price for a pair: €160
Founded in 1947 in the heart of the French Alps, Salomon is one of the world’s leading brands of mountain sports equipment (ski, snowboard, climbing, hiking, trail). Since the early 2000s, the brand has sought to broaden its product range by investing further in the textile and sneaker markets.
After ski boots, it’s now Salomon’s sneakers and sneakers that are the talk of the town for their technical and innovative features. And one of these models has been the talk of the town: the XT6. This shoe has established itself as one of the favorite running shoes not only of the French but also of the world’s top ultra-trail athletes and fashion stars.
The rest of the Salomon sports shoe range is just like the XT6. They all have a slim design that promotes performance and comfort during exercise.
Read also: 12 French Sporting Brands with International Reputation
- Hoka
Head office: Paris, France
Production location: Chine
Average price for a pair: €180
Hoka, formerly known as Hoka One One, is a sports equipment manufacturer specializing in sports footwear for trail running, long-distance running, and athletics. The brand is particularly appreciated by top-level athletes, especially ultra-trail runners, thanks to the specific features of its shoes.
The distinguishing feature of Hoka sneakers is their imposing soles, which provide a high level of cushioning and lightness. This desire for performance is at the very heart of the brand, since “Hoka One One” literally means “to soar over the earth” in Maori.
Eco-Responsible French Sneaker Brands
- Veja
Head office: Paris, France
Production location: Porto Alegre, Brésil
Average price for a pair: €150
Created in 2004 by two young Parisians, Veja has established itself as one of the emblems of “fair fashion”. Recognizable by their simple, uncluttered style, Veja sneakers are made from canvas, rubber, and organic cotton produced near the brand’s factories (Brazil, Peru, and Amazonia). Veja also offers a line of vegan sneakers.
And the brand isn’t just focused on ecology. Veja is also very socially committed. It always does very little sponsoring and advertising to focus on its production and the quality of its products. It always buys raw materials well above the market price to remunerate local producers and farmers as much as possible.
Today, the brand has become a veritable giant in the sneaker market, with sales of over 160 million euros by 2022 and boutiques in the world’s biggest cities.
- Zèta
Head office: Bordeaux, France
Production location: Ovar, Portugal
Average price for a pair: €150
Launched by a 23-year-old entrepreneur from Bordeaux, Zèta is a brand of eco-responsible French sneakers. With its “zero-waste” shoes, Zèta takes a stand against the fast-fashion industry, which uses highly polluting materials and outsources the production of its sneakers, mainly to Asia. All its sneakers include a maximum of recycled materials and many downgraded food products.
Since its creation in 2020, the brand has advocated transparency concerning the origin and quality of its products. Zèta offers French sneakers with the smallest possible ecological footprint, made entirely from vegan and recyclable materials such as grapes, corn, and plastic.
- Panafrica
Head office: Paris, France
Production location: Afrique (Casablanca, Abidjan, Accra, Bobo Dioulasso)
Average price for a pair: €120
Panafrica is an eco-responsible French sneaker brand. It defines itself as an “optimistic and committed fashion brand, inspired by Africa”. Each piece is produced on the African continent and reflects African landscapes and culture in its design.
With its colorful sneakers, Panafrica aims to produce differently by limiting the social, economic, and environmental impact of its actions. To achieve this, the brand works hand-in-hand with local farmers and producers in Central Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Burkina Faso.
- Faguo
Head office: Nantes, France
Production location: France, Asie, Portugal, Maroc, Tunisie
Average price for a pair: €120
Faguo is a sneaker brand from Nantes, France, created in 2008 by two French exchange students in China. The brand’s mission is clear: “to encourage people to take action against climate change”. To this end, Faguo offers a wide range of sneakers, from running shoes to sneakers.
Each pair of sneakers comes with its own carbon footprint and the brand’s commitment to plant a tree to contribute to carbon neutrality. All the brand’s models have a simple, sophisticated style, without requiring a lot of resources.
In fact, 80% of Faguo sneakers and clothing are made from recycled waste, ranging from common eco-friendly materials like rubber and polyester to lesser-used materials like cork and tennis balls.
Luxury French Sneaker Brands
- Dior
Head office: Paris, France
Production location: Vénétie, Italie
Average price for a pair: €1000
Dior, the famous luxury ready-to-wear brand, needs no introduction. But what many people don’t know is that the brand has had its own range of sneakers for some years now.
The brand has made a name for itself in the booming sneaker market, thanks in particular to its collaborations with industry giants such as Nike (Dior Air Jordan) and successful artists like Travis Scott (Travis Scott x Dior).
Designed in the brand’s Italian workshops, Dior sneakers come in a wide range of models and colors, sometimes inspired by skate shoes and ’90s style with a suede contour and flat sole, sometimes by basketball shoes with sporty mid-top models.
- Zespà
Head office: Aix-en-Provence, France
Production location: Porto, Portugal
Average price for a pair: €200
Founded in 2009, Zespà is a high-end sneaker brand based in Aix-en-Provence. The brand advocates sustainability and French know-how in its various models, made from leather and other premium materials.
The brand’s best-seller, the ZSP23 has a clean, white look and a silhouette reminiscent of Adidas’ Superstar. Zespà also designs chic, sporty sneakers made from recycled polyester and suede from Italy.
- Baron Papillon
Head office: Paris, France
Production location: Montjean, France
Average price for a pair: €350
Baron Papillon is an independent brand of luxury Made in France sneakers launched in 2013 in Paris. Made on the banks of the Loire River, Baron Papillon sneakers are recognizable by their orange soles with the imprint of the Place de l’Étoile in Paris.
Once again, the brand manages to combine luxury and ecology by proposing French manufacturing to limit its environmental impact. The brand uses only the finest natural materials, such as French linen and Italian leather, to create handcrafted sneakers that are as refined as they are durable.
Conclusion about French sneakers
We hope this article has helped you discover the next brand for your French sneakers. And if you’re looking for stylish, distinctive clothing to match your sneakers, you can’t go wrong with a Breton striped shirt. It’s always a hit, whether as a gift or for everyday wear.