| Paris point | |
|---|---|
| Unit of | Length |
| Symbol | Paris point |
| Conversions | |
| 1 Paris point in ... | ... is equal to ... |
| SI units | 2⁄3 cm |
| Imperial and US customary | 0.262 in |
The Paris point is a unit of length defined as 2⁄3 centimetre (6.67 mm; 0.262 in). It is commonly used for shoe sizes in Continental Europe.
The unit was invented by French shoemakers in the early 1800s.1 Its origin probably lies in 2⁄3 centimetre being very close to 1⁄4 inch; a French inch pouce-roi is around 27 mm, a quarter of that is 6.7 mm, close to 6.6 mm defined for the Paris point.2
References
References
- Kindtler-Nielsen, Bue, ed. (2019). "Varifrån kommer skonumren?". Världens Historia (in Swedish). No. 2. Bonnier Publications International. p. 71. ISSN 0806-4709.
- Drevet, Louis. "Une petite histoire des poids et mesures" (in French). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2011.