In the 1920s, as many knives were made in Espalion as in the village of Laguiole. Rue Eugène Salettes, named after a town cutler, is living testimony to this. It is the framework chosen by Laguiole en Aubrac® to establish itself. The company was born in 1992, in Espalion, from the will of Christian Valat.
The company originally intended to sell Laguiole knives. But Laguiole, like Thiers, had difficulty supplying. And moreover, they didn’t need a trading company.
With the help of two engineers and Thierry Valat, Christian’s brother, trained at the Pierre Boule marquetry school, they started out in a very small workshop. Nonetheless, with the firm desire, from the start, to turn to exports to promote the know-how of Aveyronnais.
In 1993, in association with three other craftsmen from Laguiole, the Montézic forge was created. In 1996, we bought each other’s shares because we were doing most of the business.
The company quickly distinguished itself by the acuteness of its commercial approach, openly focused on high-end products. In order to ensure its development, it creates its own stores, the location of which is chosen, with particular attention and all in all logic, according to the potential clientele.
The success is immediate. So much so that a second store was opened in 1995. Then, in 1999, Saint-Emilion and Paris followed, as many foreigners were passing through. These are strategic places to promote Laguiole knives.
In 2003, a new sign was created, rue Neuve, in Rodez. “A bit out of nostalgia for a cutlery dating back to 1930. An ideal showroom” for tourists from all backgrounds exploring the Aveyron.
