Paraboot

Maker

About

Paraboot is a French footwear manufacturer founded in 1908 by Rémy-Alexis Richard. The company is known for its Norwegian welt construction and produces shoes and boots at its factory in Saint-Jean-de-Moirans, France. Paraboot remains a family-owned business in its fourth generation, maintaining traditional craftsmanship methods across over 150 hand-production steps.

History

Rémy-Alexis Richard, a shoemaker from the village of Izeaux in the French Alps, established Paraboot in 1908. In 1910, Richard married Juliette Pontvert, and together they founded the Richard-Pontvert company. Richard contributed his expertise, designs, and equipment, while Pontvert provided capital through her dowry.

In 1920, Richard purchased his first factory in Izeaux to control the manufacturing of sophisticated shoes and work boots. Six years later, in 1926, Richard traveled to the United States where he encountered vulcanized rubber boots. He brought this innovation back to his Alpine factories and combined the vulcanization process with his method for applying notched soles to mountain boots.

When Richard registered the Paraboot name in 1927, he named it after the Brazilian port of Para, where the company still sources its latex rubber for soles. The brand has remained in the Richard family for four generations.

Manufacturing

Paraboot manufactures all its footwear in France at its workshop in Saint-Jean-de-Moirans. The production process involves over 150 hand-production steps completed daily, preserving craftsmanship techniques that date back over a century.

The company employs three traditional stitching methods: Norwegian welt, Goodyear welt, and Blake construction. Paraboot is recognized as a world leader in Norwegian welt construction, a technique that fixes the upper to the sole using an assembly insole, with a welt and two visible lines of stitches. The welt stitching appears on the upper, while lock stitching secures the sole. This method makes shoes both waterproof and resoleable. The position of the welt provides additional water resistance and durability. Norwegian welted construction is also known by other names including "Rovescia" and "storm welted."

All Paraboot shoes use full-grain leather uppers. The company's signature rubber soles are made from latex sourced from the port of Para in Brazil.

Products

Michael

The Michael derby has been in continuous production since the 1940s. The shoe features Norwegian welt construction and high-grade leather. Its rubber sole helped establish Paraboot's reputation beyond France, spreading the brand's popularity throughout Europe and internationally. The Michael is constructed on a Norwegian welt with a characteristic chunky rubber sole.

Chambord

The Chambord derby takes its name from the famous Loire valley château. The shoe features distinctive 45-degree stitching on the apron and a golf toe design. It is made to be smart, sturdy, and comfortable. The Chambord can be constructed using Norwegian, Goodyear, or Blake stitching methods depending on the specific model.

Avignon

The Avignon is a split-toe derby distinguished by a central seam that runs from the vamp to the toe. This design element gives the shoe a more architectural and structured appearance compared to the Michael or Chambord models. The Avignon features Norwegian welt construction and Paraboot's rubber soles, making it both durable and resoleable.

Reims

The Reims is a loafer with Norwegian-welt construction. It features a rubber sole and lined leather interior. The shoe has a classic shape with detailed topstitching and finishing. The Reims design is characterized as a winter shoe suitable for cold weather conditions.

Avoriaz

The Avoriaz is a lace-up ankle boot inspired by mountain sports and traditional approach shoes. The design draws from the Galibier mountain boots originally developed by the Galibier brand in the 1930s as approach shoes for high-altitude mountaineers. The Avoriaz features Norwegian welt construction, providing waterproof properties and making the boots resoleable.