Maison Opinel

Looking for a charming destination for your next holiday? Choose Savoie, a magnificent department in the heart of the Alps. It is full of places to visit, such as the Maison Opinel. Based in Chambéry, it has been making quality knives for more than 130 years. A place worth a look, if only to admire its original collections of pocket knives and table sets. Let us discover it!

The history of the Maison Opinel

Private customer or professional? The Maison Opinel meets your needs. Discover its wide range of knives, to buy on its website or directly on site. If you choose the second option, the company is in Chambéry, just over an hour from Camping l’Eden de la Vanoise.

Opinel is the incredible story of a small Savoie pocket knife invented in 1890 by Joseph Opinel. It combines a stainless steel blade and a beech handle, a chic, classic design that has made it an icon.

In 1897, Joseph refined his creation by making it in different sizes, suited to every hand. He developed 12 sizes numbered 1 to 12, from the smallest to the largest knife. Commercial success peaked in 1901, and Joseph had to increase production.

However, production of the No. 1 and No. 11 stopped in 1935. Today, the No. 2 remains the smallest Opinel, with a 3.5 cm blade. Around 1970, the company introduced a giant knife, the No. 13. It was a great success, with its 22 cm stainless steel blade and 28 cm beech handle.

Unique know-how at Opinel

Through his ingenuity, Joseph Opinel gave us an object that has become essential to everyday life. His company, still operating, is now run by his descendants. It continues to make high-quality products in the heart of the Alps.

For more than 130 years, the company has put its know-how to work to offer unique knives for different uses: DIY, sport, gardening, cooking, outdoor activities, the table... How about discovering them on a visit? Better still, why not sharpen your knowledge of the blade with a trip to the Opinel Museum in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne?

The Opinel factory in Chambéry employs 180 people. Business is so good that new buildings (2,000 m²) had to be added to the existing ones (4,000 m²). An Opinel subsidiary was also set up in the USA in 2016, a real success story!

The Maison Opinel's flagship products

Opinel now offers nearly 300 products! Some stand out as the company's flagship items, such as:

• The colourful gardener's box: looking for a gift for your mum? Give her this box with 3 tools in spring colours that make you want to get gardening.
• The carbon knife: with its carbon steel blade and beech handle, it keeps the original design of the very first knife made in 1890. Versatile and durable, this classic comes in several sizes. If you cannot decide, why not buy the carbon collection?
• The dessert table knife: made entirely of steel, it is used to cut your meals (starter, cheese, dessert...).
• The chef's knife: rigid, stable and multi-purpose, this high-quality item is designed to slice, chop or flatten ingredients, perfect for a professional cook...