The company was founded in 1907 by
Abel Rossignol, who manufactured wood products (such as spindles) for the textile industry. Rossignol, a committed skier, used his carpentry skills to make a pair of skis, out of solid wood. In 1937,
Émile Allais of France became triple
world champion on Rossignol Olympic 41 skis.
[4]
When
Laurent Boix-Vives bought the company in 1956, the company only focused on skiing equipment and began to sell them worldwide. Rossignol had a breakthrough during the
1960 Winter Olympics in
Squaw Valley,
California,
USA, when
Jean Vuarnet of France won the
downhill on Allais 60s, the company's first all-metal skis.
In 1964, Rossignol released the Strato, its first
fiberglass ski.
In the 1970s, Rossignol set up a distribution company in the
U.S., launching its first Nordic skis and soon became the world's largest ski manufacturer. At the
1988 Winter Olympics in
Calgary,
Alberta,
Canada, Rossignol triumphed winning six out of ten gold medals in alpine events.
In 1990, Rossignol acquired the Caber boot factory in Italy and rebranded the product under the Rossignol label (Rossignol already controlled the Lange ski boot brand). The company also acquired the Geze and Look ski bindings ranges, rebranding Geze. It soon moved into snowboards and mountain clothing.
Athletes using Rossignol products won at both the Winter Olympic games in
Albertvilleand in
Lillehammer.
[5]
Alberto Tomba of
Italy, the dominant technical skier of the late 1980s and 1990s, raced on Rossignol skis.
Rossignol is the
French word for nightingale.