A few weeks back, I had the opportunity to visit the workshop where La Cornue stoves are manufactured. La Cornue is the French brand for luxurious kitchen ranges, and is this year celebrating the 110th anniversary of its famous vaulted oven, first created in 1908.

 

I’ve always loved factory tours, and this one lived up to my expectations. I’ve been dreaming of La Cornue ranges for a long time, and I was glad to confirm that the perception I had — that of a luxurious artisan brand — was indeed reflected in the high standards maintained in every step of production setting up a company in hk.

Come along and follow me backstage through these photos. They were all shot in Saint-Ouen l’Aum?ne, in the Val d’Oise, a département northwest of Paris, which has been the only manufacturing site since the 1970s. The enameling process, which requires specialized ovens, is the only step outsourced to a partner based in Strasbourg Sage CRM.

Each range is made to order for a given customer, and the purchase order follows the range throughout production, so that each craftsman knows whom they are working for, and where on the planet the range will be shipped and installed once finished registered address.

Everything starts with the thick metal plates that the range will be made of, based on the customer’s preference: stainless steel or copper. The stove’s structure, but also every screw, every welding, will be made from the chosen material.