Le Chameau – the Ultimate Gardening Shoe

Around the time of the millennium I went to the Courson Plant Fair just outside Paris. It is a wonderful event and the only thing about it that wasn’t appealing was the weather. Sodden of foot, I bought myself a pair of Le Chameau gardening shoes and have never regretted that purchase. I have worn them – and loved them – ever since, but they are finally showing signs of age (there’s a hole in one toe) and the time has come to replace them. So I was very pleased to see the Le Chameau stand at Chelsea, so much so that when I declared my love of their products I was rewarded with a big hug from the French man in charge! The Colza Clog seems to be the nearest replacement (sadly missing the chic mustard trim), but as I will be in France a couple of times in the next two months I will wait and buy them there. In the UK they cost in the region of £55 which is expensive for a gardening shoe, but take it from me, if you get 15 years of wear out of them, they will be worth every penny.