About
Les Ateliers Vau Fontaine. An independent French house, built to last.
Vincent Delaroche
Vincent Delaroche, founder and president, has followed an unusual path as an engineer and entrepreneur. Raised in France, he spent nearly two decades in New York, where he absorbed a wide range of cultural and artistic influences.
Passionate about cabinetmaking and about the origin of its raw material, the tree, he embraces the idea that in being transformed, the tree does not disappear, but lives on and continues to express itself in a second life.
A devotee of a pure, minimalist style, the very opposite of ostentation, Vincent defines the creative line of the workshop and champions elegance through restraint.
He is also responsible for the defining choices, such as that of solid wood, and walnut in particular. Solid wood is both an opportunity and a challenge: it gives every piece a unique character, an irreplaceable personality, yet retains its own share of freedom. A master cabinetmaker anticipates these movements, but something irreducible always remains, an authenticity that industrial furniture can never offer.
Aurélien Roblin
Before joining Les Ateliers Vau Fontaine, Aurélien, an expert in fine cabinetmaking, worked for many renowned firms, showcasing French craftsmanship, training numerous apprentices, and discovering other cultures and craft techniques around the world, acquiring over the years an uncommon mastery of his art and an equally uncommon open-mindedness.
In France, he worked at Rinck, the renowned cabinetmaking house, then in aeronautics fitting out private jets; then in Finland, with the Rintala family, famous for their avant-garde work, on projects by designer Tuula Falk, named “Furniture Designer of the Year” in 1996; in Saint Petersburg, at Moskovski Zastava, on commissions for historic palaces; and as far as French Polynesia, for a luxury hotel with interiors designed by Starck. Aurélien then became an independent craftsman, spending eleven years on a wide variety of projects: high-end interior fittings, bespoke creations, heritage restoration, notably in Italy and again in Russia.
Driven every day by a concern for excellence, and a lover of things well conceived and well made, he now places his long and rich experience at the service of the fortunate owners of furniture signed “Les Ateliers Vau Fontaine”.
Bertrand Defline
Trained at the École Boulle and holding a CAP diploma in cabinetmaking, Bertrand has an unusual profile, having been a dental surgeon in another life; he also contributes to the creations as a designer. He is a fervent believer in the Japanese Kodama, according to which a tree is not mere material, but a living being with a life of its own, deserving of respect and reverence. An animist vision of nature that resonates particularly well with the philosophy of Les Ateliers Vau Fontaine.
Apprentices trained within the Compagnons du Devoir guild complete the team. Sharp minds, skilful hands, and a passion for their craft and for careful work.
Two places, one same attention to detail
The Production Workshop is located in the craft zone of Charny Orée de Puisaye, Allée du Nord. 1 h 45 from Paris via the A6 motorway, it welcomes our clients, partners, the press, and parents eager to introduce their children to the world of craftsmanship.