FORGE DE LAGUIOLE

History: At the entrance to the eponymous village, the building alone symbolizes the business. We're all familiar with the slender silhouette of this factory, into which architect Philippe Starck carved a huge blade. Forge de Laguiole was founded in 1987. It has taken over the traditional manufacturing methods. The tour begins with the reception hall and showroom. Here, as in the downtown store, the furniture is by Starck. The tour continues with a visit to the workshops and (hot) forge, where you can see how blocks of metal, horn and wood are transformed. After careful polishing, the object is ready for display.

Special features: This factory has made a name for Laguiole, winning numerous awards. It has made it famous thanks to a number of designer knives, some of them variations on the silhouette of this object - Starck, of course, but also Sonia Rykiel, Jean-Michel Wilmotte, Andrée Putman, Ora-Ïto... - and, alongside them, the superb pieces created by Stéphane Rambaud (Meilleur apprenti de France), the factory's art cutler, whose knives are a blend of tradition and creation. Another example is the collection created with the famous local restaurateurs Bras. And don't forget the fluorescent, yellow, green and orange models!

Products: Art cutlery, folding knives, tableware, designer knives, wine stewards, unusual objects.

Futé: Free guided tour of the factory on request.