Laguiole knife

The Laguiole knife (French pronunciation: ​[laɡjɔl], locally [lajɔl]) is a high-quality traditional Occitan pocket-knife, originally produced in the "knife-city" of Thiers where 70% of the French cutting tool production comes from, and in the small village of Laguiole, both located in the Massif central region of France.

"Laguiole" is neither a trademark nor a company name. Rather, the name "Laguiole" became associated with a specific shape of a traditional knife common to this area. The popularity of this shape quickly created marketing opportunities. "Laguiole"—coined with the words genuine or authentic—is inaccurate and misleading. It only serves to create confusion in the marketplace. "Laguiole" knives and cutlery can be manufactured in China, France and elsewhere. The price often reflects the quality.

History

The ancestor of the laguiole is most likely the Arabo-Hispanic clasp knife of Andalusian Spain, the navaja. Migrations of men, particularly shepherds and cattle herders, between Catalan Spain and southern France in summer and winter introduced the navaja to France. The Arabo-Hispanic design of the navaja was merged with that of local folding knives represented by older patterns such as the Capuchadou; the result became the laguiole. The laguiole was first designed in 1829 by Jean-Pierre Calmels. His concept of the knife became the pattern for this style, with the forged "bee" symbol emerging as a distinctive trademark. In 1840, the first awl or trocar (a surgical instrument used to puncture body cavities and relieve the suffering of cattle and other animals with bloat) was added to the some laguiole knife patterns. In 1880, some models of the laguiole began featuring a corkscrew, in response to demands from the Auvergne bars and restaurants owners in Paris.

Laguiole

Laguiole ([lajɔl]; La Guiòla [la'jɔlɔ] in Occitan) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France.

It is known for its Laguiole cheese, which has an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (label of guaranteed origin), and as the birthplace of the Laguiole knife. The name of the village comes from la gleisòla, meaning a little church.

Population

See also

Tourism and accommodations

References

Laguiole cheese

Laguiole (French pronunciation: ​[laɡjɔl], locally [lajɔl]), sometimes called Tome de Laguiole, is a French cheese from the plateau of Aubrac, situated at between 800 - 1500m, in the region of Aveyron in the southern part of France. It takes its name from the little village Laguiole and has been protected under the French Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) since 1961 and by the amended decree in 1986. Laguiole is said to have been invented at a monastery in the mountains of Aubrac in the 19th century. According to historical accounts, the monks passed down the recipe for making this cheese from cattle during the alpages to the local buronniers, the owners of burons, or mountain huts.

french-cheese.com describes the flavor as: