Paul de Livron

Apollo Wooden Wheelchairs

Chair maker

©Privat Millet

©Paul de Livron

©Charles Edouard Baudouin

©Michel Richard

The advent of wheelchair craftsmanship

Paul’s Apollo Wooden Wheelchairs project is unprecedented
He made a wheelchair for Pope Francis at the Vatican
His fourth prototype was shown at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Paul de Livron is revolutionising wheelchair design by crafting high-performance, functional, and visually striking models primarily from wood. A trained engineer passionate about manual work, his designs, from sleek to elegantly curved, are tailored to each user. Paul opted for wood over metal or composites, because he values its workability, durability, and eco-friendliness. His prototypes have turned heads in Paris and online, but his most renowned creation is a custom wheelchair for Pope Francis, featuring charred oak from Notre Dame on the upper part of the armrests. From his purpose-built atelier in rural France, this entrepeneur’s vision is global: improving mobility and providing accessible, sustainable, locally sourced solutions for developing countries.

Interview

©Charles Edouard Baudouin

©Paul de Livron

Could your wheelchairs be adapted to any need?: Yes, as well as being precisely designed according to the aesthetic choices of the user, the wooden wheelchairs I make are completely made-to-measure in terms of the measurements of the user and the disability they are facing. Anything is possible!
What has been your biggest technical challenge?: The main technical difficulty I encountered was finding a technique and work tools that would allow me to work in the workshop while being in a wheelchair myself. Now that I have quality tools, everything is designed to be adapted to my own circumstances.
Why did you call your series workshop Apollo?: One of the many reasons I chose this name is that Apollo is the Greek god of many things, including of beauty and healing. The wheelchairs I handcraft make people feel better because they look better than conventional wheelchairs, and they allow them to move forwards. So beauty and healing go hand in hand.
Could you explain more about your encounter with The Pope?: I did not have time to expect much! Events unfolded very quickly between the moment I offered to donate a wooden wheelchair to Pope François and the moment I was presented to him. I was surprised by the attention he was able to show, as he meets hundreds of people every day.

Paul de Livron is a rising star: he began his career in 2022 and he started teaching in 2024