Jenni NZ good advice to try stores that specialize in shoes for foot issues. There seem to be so many more choices now than 20 or 30 years ago. The baby boomer generation is more active, living longer, and more affluent than their parents and of course foot issues tend to come with age so the retailers are paying attention.
Staysfit, great suggestions. We've been communicating a bit more with the friend we'll be staying with in the French mountains at the start of the trip and I'm definitely bringing hiking shoes and am looking into buying a couple of clothing items for summer hiking. My hiking shoes are Merrill's, well broken in, and super comfy. Sort of like your #3 but not quite as lightweight. I wore them many days on a trip to Hawaii a few years ago where we did mostly outdoor/hiking activities, and they are still going strong. I'll still have them with me in Barcelona and they will be a great backup in case other options are not working. Good to hear about Eastern Mountain Sports; I was in one near me yesterday looking at hiking clothes and I did see a LOT of footwear options. p.s. I love looking at your finds list...lots of very lovely dresses and heels and yet you also clearly have a collection of stuff for outdoor activities! I also know you live in a 4-season climate like mine.
Joy - yep, definitely brining the Merrill hiking shoes. The decision was easy once our friend in France said we MUST bring hiking gear. I may not wear them at all in Barcelona but they will be there at the ready...
Bijou - absolutely agree on the socks. I've been buying some different invisible socks since I started wearing sneakers more and the options are endless. Just ordered some smartwool ones from Amazon. I have a good collection of regular hiking socks and will bring a few.
Firecracker - yea the Dansko's are lovely and very comfy but I've decided to return them and keep looking. Perforated sneakers may make a lot of sense for a hot sunny place like Barcelona, but I want to be able to wear whatever I get at home too, and my home climate is fairly rainy year round so they just don't make sense. I have a pair of perforated booties that I love but even a little bit of rain makes my feet wet...
Style Fan I hear you. I'm not quite where you are but comfort absolutely HAS to be the top priority. It's not just about how your feet feel, it's your whole body. I've had "bad" shoes cause soreness or small muscle pulls in all kinds of other areas. And, there are SO many options now for comfy footwear that at least you have choices.
Thanks The Cat!