Laguiole brand logo

Laguiole > About

About Laguiole

1829 : Birth of Laguiole knife inspired by the " Capuchado ", local fixed blade knife with beech wood handle and the Spanish Navaja switch blade.
1840 : The Laguiole adds an awl, used by the regional farmers to pierce the paunch of diseased cows.
1880 : The Laguiole gets a corkscrew, essential tool for the Aubracians going up to Paris to be coal or beer retailers.
1981 : Creation of Laguiole Knife Association in order to promote and develop a knife industry in the Village.

Since this time, Laguiole owns a factory with a forge and several knife assembling workshops. Some of them can be visited all the year long.

At the beginning, Laguiole was a very small rescue Chapel, depending on Alcorn parish. Etymologically, Laguiole comes from the word " La Gleisola " (1182) that means the little church. Its spelling should normally need a separation in the word to make appear the original article. Laguiole village is located in Aveyron Department, in Aubrac Region which covers three departments : Aveyron, Cantal and Lozère. The junction of these three departments is named the Three Bishops Cross. In the XVI th Century, Laguiole became principal church. The pronunciation Laïole comes from our ancestor's patois. The first houses of Laguiole Village were built at the north of the fort, close to it, in the quarter named today the Batut. Till end of XVIII th century, the village was protected by a rampart and a ditch (lou Bolat) situated at the present place of Valat street. On the slopes, at the south of the fort, were built several level houses which constituted Lou Barry, named today le Faubourg. At that time, the main street of this quarter was the " Bombecul " street (throw out one's ass). This denomination may appear, still today, somewhat coarse, bu it is the perfect illustration of one's body position if you have to walk up the street from south to north. Houses of this street and of nearby alleys are the living witnesses of these old days.

Shop for Laguiole

Call our store at 203.221.8131 to place an order