Rossignol
Rossignol Group · France
Rossignol is a French maker of skis, snowboards and Nordic equipment, founded in 1907 by Abel Rossignol. It is the lead brand of the Rossignol Group, which was sold by Macquarie in 2013 to a partnership of Altor Equity Partners and the Boix-Vives family. It matters as one of the best known names in winter sports equipment.
| Founded | 1907 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Abel Rossignol |
| Headquarters | Isère, France |
| Group | Rossignol Group (Altor and Boix-Vives family partnership from 2013, per Wikipedia; 2026 status unverified) |
| Other brands | Dynastar, LOOK, Lange, Dale of Norway |
| Website | rossignol.com |
What is Rossignol?
Rossignol is a French manufacturer of alpine, snowboard and Nordic equipment, together with outerwear and accessories. It is the central brand of the Rossignol Group, headquartered in the Isère department of France.
History
According to Wikipedia, the company was founded in 1907 by Abel Rossignol, a carpenter who made wood products for the textile industry and built the first pair of solid wood skis. In 1956 Laurent Boix-Vives bought the company and began selling worldwide. The 1964 Strato was its first fibreglass ski. In the 1970s Rossignol became the world's largest ski manufacturer, and in 1988 its athletes won six of the ten gold medals in alpine events at the Calgary Winter Olympics. It bought the Caber boot factory in Italy in 1990.
Ownership
Between 2005 and 2008 the company was owned by Quiksilver, then sold; the source gives conflicting accounts of the 2008 buyer. In July 2013 Macquarie sold the Rossignol Group to a partnership of Altor Equity Partners and the Boix-Vives family. The source does not confirm the position in 2026, so this profile treats later ownership as unverified.
Products and positioning
The group's portfolio includes Rossignol, Dynastar, LOOK, Lange and Dale of Norway, which it acquired in 2018. The brand sits in the premium segment of winter sports equipment and has long been associated with competition skiing.
Why it matters
Rossignol shows how a regional French workshop became a global equipment group and how ownership of sports brands moves between industrial families, private equity and apparel companies. Revenue and distribution details are not given in the source consulted, so they are not stated here.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Rossignol?
Wikipedia records that Macquarie sold the Rossignol Group in July 2013 to a partnership of Altor Equity Partners and the Boix-Vives family. Later changes were not verified for this profile.
Where is Rossignol from?
Rossignol is from France. It was founded in 1907 by Abel Rossignol and its group is based in the Isère department.