France is a country that has long been associated with skiing: it’s not just home to the largest ski resorts in Europe, it’s also the birthplace of many ski and snowboard brands.
The French ski industry is big business and, as a result, there are many French ski brands that have been designing and manufacturing ski equipment for decades.
Today we will talk about 9 of our favorite ski brands from France!
We have already seen some Italian and Austrian ski brands previously, and now is France’s turn.
So, let’s begin!
Contents:
- 1. Eider
- 2. Skis Rossignol
- 3. Salomon
- 4. Bollé
- 5. Millet
- 6. Dynastar
- 7. Henri Duvillard
- 8. Duret
- 9. Dénériaz
1. Eider
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Since 1962, Eider has been making performance ski and mountain clothing for men and women. This French brand joined the LAFUMA group in 2008.
The urge to create ski clothing drives a talented tailor to combine his passion for winter sports with his experience. He establishes Eider, a company that remains attentive to research and innovation.
This brand is a symbol of what concerns the outdoor and snow sports market. They deal with mountain products and equipment for summer and winter alpine activities – from mountaineering to skiing, such as jackets, pants, gloves, socks, and other accessories.
Read also: 9 French Outdoor Clothing and Jackets Brands to Try This Year
Eider uses a variety of technologies for its outdoor gear. For jackets, one of the most popular and effective technologies used by many brands is Gore-Tex. Gore-Tex allows Eider to create high-quality jackets that are waterproof, durable, and windproof while still providing optimal breathability.
In addition, Defender® is another technology used by Eider. This material makes the company’s jackets waterproof and breathable in unfriendly conditions.
As for insulation, we can mention PrimaLoft which adds warmth to their jackets (learn more: PrimaLoft vs Down Insulation: Which One Is Better?).
Don’t miss: 8 Ski Suit Brands for Your Snow Adventures: Our Favorites
2. Skis Rossignol
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The Rossignol brand was born in the French Alps in 1907 when Abel Rossignol, a passionate skier, made his first wooden skis. Certainly, he did not imagine that a hundred years later his name would also become the name of one of the most famous ski brands.
In 1937, Emile Allais became world champion with a pair of skis of the “Rossignol Olympic 41” type. In 1956 Lauren Boix-Vives took over the company which became focused exclusively on everything related to ski equipment and clothing.
Don’t miss: 10 European Ski Jackets Brands to Have Fun in the Mountains
In 1960 Rossignol achieved great success with “Allais 60s“, the first ski model made entirely of metal. Then in 1964, he launched “Strato” the first model of fiberglass skis, while close to the 70s, the sale of skis in the United States began, offering the first type of Nordic skis.
In the 1980s Rossignol also entered the mountain and snowboard clothing market. From this moment onwards, Rossignol’s worldwide expansion begins, which after some partnerships and acquisitions successfully reaches the present day.
Rossignol offers a wide selection of skis, accessories, and clothing. Their different types of skis include Nordic, cross-country, ski mountaineering, and off-piste.
It doesn’t end there because Rossignol also offers a nice collection of ski and snowboard pants and jackets, thermal clothing and gloves, snowboard and ski boots, bindings, poles, backpacks, and travel bags.
In addition, the brand offers down jackets, sweatshirts, t-shirts, and sneakers for leisure time both in the mountains and in the city.
Must read: Is Rossignol a Good Ski and Snowboard Brand? (Our Opinion)
3. Salomon
Salomon official website
Salomon is one of the most prestigious and highly regarded brands in France, founded in 1947. It built its reputation by revolutionizing ski boots, replacing leather with its own ski binding straps a decade in.
Since the beginning, the company has been the epicenter of ski wear brands in Europe. In the skiing department, it excels at providing equipment for both Alpine and Nordic skiing for men, women, and kids.
Read next: 9 Best Ski Wear Brands: Luxury and Affordable (Our Top Picks)
The fabrics of Salomon ski apparel are made out of Nylon and Polyester. ClimaPro Active fabrics are used for its pants, which have a 10,000mm waterproof rating. Gore-Tex technology is also used.
Salomon is committed to environmental care with each one of its processes. Qualified employees back up Salomon’s commitment, ensuring that all products are manufactured in a sustainable way.
The wave of green energy continues to boom and consumers are looking for sustainable products. As such, Salomon innovates on behalf of their customers to remain one step ahead.
Today the Salomon brand exports its products to more than 40 countries around the world. There has been a recent shift to “Street” clothing but Salomon has not abandoned its passion for the mountains, continuing to create new boots, bindings, skis, and clothing.
4. Bollé
Bollé official website
Bollé is a brand of sports accessories such as ski goggles and helmets, well known and distributed all over the world, thanks to its advanced design.
The company, created by Seraphin Bollé in Oyonnax in 1888, is one of the leading brands in this industry. In 1946 it launched its first pair of glasses on the market. But it was in the 1960s that the first ski goggle collection was launched.
Today, their products are sold worldwide, providing sunglasses, ski goggles, ski helmets, and sport protective glasses to all sports enthusiasts.
Must read: How To Layer for Skiing and Snowboarding: A Guide (With Examples)
5. Millet
Millet official website
Millet was founded in 1921 by Marc Millet and his wife, in Saint-Fons, near Lyon. In the early days, they made haversacks and bags for shopping.
In 1928, Marc moved the company to Annecy, a town in southeast France. It wasn’t until 1934 that their primary focus would be mountaineering.
Today, Millet is a favorite brand among skiers and other winter athletes. It sells premium technical apparel and gear to survive the harsh elements while out skiing. Its collection of premium outerwear features high-tech Gore-Tex material, which resists water and moisture in harsh conditions.
From Millet stores, you can purchase ski jackets, boots, gloves, pants, beanies, and more.
Over the years, through the Millet Edition Project, the brand has supported individual and group initiatives involving sports and adventures in the mountains.
Don’t miss: Ski Jacket vs Winter Jacket: What’s the Difference?
6. Dynastar
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Founded in 1963 in Chamonix Valley, Dynastar is a specialist alpine skiing brand providing high-quality products for enthusiasts to live their passion. It is a partnership between Starflex and Dynamic brands.
The company is well known for acquiring the most wins in the World Championships in Portillo in 1966.
Dynastar skis cover all aspects of skiing. But Dynastar doesn’t just stop at that. The brand understands its consumers and designs products for freeride, all-mountain, ski touring, etc. They incorporate quality wood materials to produce powerful and agile skis.
Dynastar is a part of Groupe Rossignol, which also includes brands such as Rossignol, Lange, and Kerma.
7. Henri Duvillard
Henri Duvillard official website
If you love skiing but also have a taste for luxury, Henri Duvillard is the brand for you. Founded in 1979 by a professional skier, it has been in business for over 30 years and has enjoyed a good reputation in every skiing community.
In fact, this reputation has allowed the brand to become the official supplier of the French Ski School.
Henri Duvillard apparel welcomes the stylish and fashionable to its brand, but its products are not only fashionable – they are also built to protect against harsh mountain weather.
Read also: Ski Jacket vs Snowboard Jacket: What’s The Difference?
8. Duret
Duret official website
It is one of the oldest French companies, an expert in the manufacturing of wooden products. It was in the 1920s that Duret began making skis. Technical evolution has characterized the development of the brand for more than 90 years.
The variety of handcrafted products offered by Duret is wide – titanal, carbon, and wood are some of the main materials, while also evolving to employ more complex technologies over the years.
The brand specializes in everything related to skis and monoskis. Nowadays, Duret sells skis for all-mountain use, piste, and backcountry skiers.
Must read: How To Choose Your Next Ski Jacket: A Complete Guide
9. Dénériaz
Dénériaz official website
Antoine Dénériaz and Alain Zanco founded the company in 2018 – world cup skier the former, ski manufacturer the latter.
By combining their knowledge, their experiences, and using natural materials such as wood, they create skis of exceptional quality. The wood, which can be walnut, ash, etc. is combined with carbon, glass, and basalt fibers that regulate the behavior of skis on snow.
Each step is carried out in the factory, from the processing of raw materials to the painting. We can say that these are proudly distinguishable handcrafted products, made with attention to detail with quality materials.
Even though it is the youngest brand on our list, Dénériaz boasts an impressive array of products suited for skiers looking to ramp up their passion. Alongside skis are helmets, sunglasses, and protective goggles that can improve safety when skiing.
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That’s all for today’s selection! Do you know any other similar brands? We’d love to read about your experience in the comments below.
Totally omitted Black crows. Surely a major player these days.
It’s a great brand, I agree. Thanks for the suggestion, Alex!