Curious Pair of Shoes Called “Soles” Ardèche From the Late 19th Century

This footwear, called “Soles”, made in the Ardèche region of France in the 19th century. The soles are heavy duty shoes whose soles are studded with sharp blades. They were in wood for the sole, leather for the portion covering the foot and metal for the dents.

The soles were used to peel the chestnuts, once the fruit freed from its shell adorned with fearsome spines and after a drying time. Each shoe weighs about 2kg.