India, Feb. 15 -- Paris is a city designed for strolling, with its grand boulevards, photogenic buildings, and hundreds of beautifully manicured parks. My biggest mistake on my first trip to Paris? I packed the wrong footwear. I visited in late May and brought an overstuffed suitcase of strappy sandals and heels. After a day of rain (leading to chafing and blisters), I popped into a few shops in the Marais and purchased comfortable sneakers and ankle boots that I wore on repeat for the rest of the trip.

Shoes have long been my weakness-I can completely relate to Carrie Bradshaw's penchant for beautiful pumps and stilettos. Manolo Blahniks may be out of my budget (and impractical for Paris's winding cobblestone streets), but there are pl...