Master bootmakers since 1927
In 1927, in a seaside village in Normandy, France, Claude Chamot had a desire to create the most comfortable and best-fitting rubber boots. He had listened to farmers, hunters and fishermen who all yearned for boots that would withstand the rigours of their respective activities. Now, almost 100 years later, Monsieur Chamot’s vision continues. Heritage and history imbues each and every pair of Le Chameau boots that pass through the hands of time-served craftsmen.
The Le Chameau Rubber
Claude Chamot’s Secret Recipe
Our people
Preparing the Rubber
With our rubber loaves ready, our special recipe is then mixed into the raw rubber and rolled around large metal rollers. Like a giant pasta machine, the rollers turn, producing first a thick slab, which is then cut and fed into the next roller, until the specific thickness required emerges from the final roller – thick enough to have an integral strength, but thin enough for each Maître bottier to manipulate. Using carefully crafted pattern templates, the rubber is cut to shape and hand trimmed.
Taking Shape – our forms
Building The Sole
Preparing our linings
Our linings are prepared in a dedicated area of the workshop, using machinery to cut the large pattern pieces and following strict quality checks to ensure there are no flaws or errors. The pattern pieces are then constructed to form the internal shape of the boot. We provide a range of different linings, from insulating and comforting neoprene or wool – most commonly seen in the Chasseur, Vierzonord, Cérès and Country Cross styles – to a premium supple leather, as seen on the Chasseur and Saint Hubert, and a lightweight, fast-drying jersey, available in most of our styles (including the Iris, Giverny, Chasseur and Country Cross). The linings are then moved over to the main workshop area and added to a special tray with the rubber cuttings and sole. The preparation has been done and the boot is now ready for assembly.
Putting it all together
This is where our Maître bottiers really demonstrate their skill. The lining is carefully bonded to the rubber and the boot is assembled. Full-length zips are added to the Chasseur styles, gussets are added to the Vierzon, and our logo badge is placed. Finally, the base of the aluminium last is covered with a special formula of latex to ensure the sole is bonded and every boot remains durable. The sole is carefully placed and, with the soft touch of a rubber hammer, secured into place.
Stabilising the boot through vulcanisation
Once the boot is fully assembled, we 'cook' it. This stabilises the rubber and fuses the many layers of rubber and lining together, forming one incredibly strong structure. Each style of boot requires different temperatures and timings. Once cooled, the aluminium last is removed and the boot is ready for final quality control checks.
Testing every pair – our commitment to quality:
Every single boot that we produce is tested in a special water bath to ensure that it is 100% waterproof before leaving our workshop.
The final touches
Once the final quality checks have taken place, all that’s left to do is give the assembled pairs a final polish, carefully wrap them in our branded tissue paper, and place them in our iconic boot boxes. They are then ready to leave the workshop and be thoroughly enjoyed by their new owners.