Concierge.com's insider take:

His red soles—sadly now copied by everyone else—make people want to kick up their heels; his Paris boutiques, with their lipstick-red velvet shoe nooks, make you want to kiss the windows, or his feet. France's answer to Blahnik (with a sense of humor), Louboutin continues to invent new forms for his demurely racy designs, including a leg-length twist of satin or (of course) the trash-can heel. It's worth a visit to pay homage to the master at his original boutique in the first; this is where Mme. Hubert, who handles custom orders, is based. The cordonnerie Minuit Moins 7 in the adjacent Passage Véro-Dodat is the only shoe repair shop in the world that can replace your worn-out red soles with the real deal (33-1-42-21-15-47; 24-hour service possible). Louboutin's newest address is a stone's throw from the Élysée Palace at 68 Rue du Faubourg St.-Honoré in the eighth (33-1-42-68-37-65); there's a third shop at 38 Rue de Grenelle in the seventh (33-1-42-22-33-07).

Open Mondays through Saturdays 10:30 am to 7pm.