A common misconception about the way French dress is that they’re firm loyalists to a few stereotypical pieces, like Breton striped tops from Petit Bateau, two-toned ballet flats from Chanel and a Courrèges vinyl jacket that they’ve had for years. Yet, from Le Marais to Marseille, you’ll often encounter stylish women who eschew these oversimplified images altogether, instead opting for some of the most outlandish silhouettes and incredibly chic vintage pieces that are patchworked together into one covetable ensemble.

Still, of all the categories to choose from, shoes are one that often gets undervalued when dissecting their wardrobes. It’s for this reason that an inspection into trainer trends French women are endorsing for summer 2026 not only feels relevant, but incredibly essential. When you conjure an image of a stylish Parisian wandering along the Seine or a local frolicking along the sun-kissed coastline near Antibes, you rarely picture them wearing a pair of trainers.

An image of @tamaramory wearing a polka-dot dress with slimline trainers.

Instead, a more clichéd image emerges: one of block-heeled and bow-adored Repettos, velveteen and strappy Le Monde Beryl flats or, for the more refined, glossy leather Charvet slippers. But if you were to actually look at the movements of agenda-setting French fashion brands, you’ll realise that it’s trainers that have the most airtime in their collections.

Latest Videos From