Purchasing Laguiole Knives in Paris
 

Off to Paris again and we would love to purchase a set of Laguiole steak knives. Any suggestions on shops that have them at good prices. We would like to stay away from the major department stores and find that small little store that has them. Thanks

I don't know for sure if they carry the specific knives you're looking for, but my favorite kitchen shop in Paris is La Carpe, on rue Tronchet near the Madeleine. It's a small shop loaded with stuff, and the people there have always been helpful.

Not the sort of thing I research, but maybe E. Delliberin would have this?

http://www.e-dehillerin.fr/

They've a website and you can always call.

It's not a little store. It's an institution, I think.

Here're some others from Time Out:

http://www.timeout.com/paris/shops/19.html

E. Dellerhin or A. Simon might have them, as well as, say, the hardware store on rue Cler. You might google for "knife store Paris" and see what comes up. I bought some pocket knives for sons in a knife store in Beaune (which I know doesn't do you any good) but in France, they do tend to have stores JUST for a commodity. Be ready for sticker shock--and I will say I have seen them at Cost Plus in the US for a song.

It is my understanding that Laguiole is not a protected trademark. There are very beautiful Laguiole knives, that are very expensive, but you can also get very cheap ones at the local hypermarche, in stainless steel. Both would have the logo of the bee, and be called Laguiole.
I don't know where to get them specifically, but Dehillerin probably has them.

I do not know if it is still there, but a couple of years ago, while walking around the Viaduc des Arts, I came across a shop that dealt with Laguiole knifes exclusively. It was a on cross street, on the north side of the Viaduc and on the west side of the street. Most Laguiole knives are not made in Laguiole, Thiers seems to be a center of production.

There is a Laguiole store on the Place Ste. Opportune, just south of Les Halles and north of rue de Rivoli. There are steak knofe sets on the market that are very cheap, and others that are good quality. This store has very nice knives, in a choice of handle material.

Laguiole knives (like most other knives, actually) were produced in Thiers, until a factory was set up in Laguiole again a dozen years ago or so. Litigation ensued.

They're now produced in both town, though most come from Thiers. It's not a trademark and several companies produce them. Knives from Laguiole aren't any better in my opinion than Laguiloe from Thiers.

Since it's now next to impossible (except if you make a special order to a knife maker, as far as I can tell, while they used to be common 10-15 years ago) to find a Laguiole which isn't stainless steel, the quality of the knives you can find is poor, despite the use of some new alliages, that I didn't find significantly more satisfying (stainless steel is a poor material for blades, but people don't want anymore to buy knives that don't stay shiny)


All the Laguioles I bought were pocket knives (I had a Laguiole at all times since an early age, so a "Laguiole" being part of a table set, which is a novelty, just doens't feel right to me), I can't help the OP with his enquiry about steak knives.


I found quite easily the adress of a shop that sells exclusively Laguiole knifes (from Laguiole), though (but I can't recommand it) in the 3rd "arrondissement" :

Le Laguiole du Marais
6 rue du pas de la mule


I knew of another one, but I can't seem to be able to find the adress. It *might* be situated 320 rue St Honore, near the Tuileries garden.

While seraching for it, I found another adress :

Laguiole Galerie
1, place Ste Opportune
1st "arrondissement"

There is a cigar shop in the basement/lower level of the Louvre (were all the shops are) that carries some Laguiole products. When there last 9/03, they had pocket knives, watches, cigar cutters, etc at the counter.

Depending on how you intend to wash your knives, you should have them with either plastic or wooden handles; plastic for the dishwasher. Wood handle knifes should not be soaked for any extended period of time, but we have wood handled table ware that has lasted for 30+ years, so the material is not a problem with proper handling. The traditional horn handles do not take humidity very well, hence the saying: &quot;<i>un Laguiole ne se lave pas, il s'essuie&lt;/&gt;.&quot; Do not try to have cabon steel blades. They are easier to sharpen, but they rust very easily and can impart an off-taste to items such as apples, although that should not be a problem for steak knives.</i>

LoriNY,
My husband is a knife nut and purchased 7-8 Laguiole knives last two trips to Paris. He talked at length to the owner of the shop on Place Ste. Opportune in the 1st, and they definitely have the authentic knives. That is where I would look first.