ROSSIGNOL Brand Snow Skis:
Rossignol: A Century of French Skiing Dominance
From a small carpenter's workshop in the French Alps to the top of every major podium in the world, the story of Rossignol is the story of modern skiing itself. Founded in 1907, Rossignol has been at the forefront of ski innovation for over a century, pioneering new materials, new shapes, and new technologies that have defined the sport. For the vintage ski collector, Rossignol represents the pinnacle of racing heritage and a tangible connection to the legends who shaped skiing history. This is a brand that did not just participate in the sport; it built it.
The Founding Era: From Wood to World Championships
The Rossignol saga began in 1907 in Voiron, France, where a passionate skier and skilled carpenter named Abel Rossignol decided to make his own pair of skis from solid wood. His craftsmanship was so exceptional that he won a manufacturer's prize from the Touring Club de France, and the Rossignol brand was born. In 1937, Rossignol had its first major breakthrough on the world stage when French ski legend Émile Allais swept gold in all three alpine events (downhill, slalom, and combined) at the World Championships in Chamonix on a pair of Rossignol skis. The brand's racing DNA was established.
The Golden Age: Boix-Vives, Racing, and the Materials Revolution (1956-1980s)
The modern history of Rossignol began in 1956, when a visionary 29-year-old entrepreneur named Laurent Boix-Vives acquired the company. Boix-Vives had an almost blind faith in racing as the ultimate form of promotion, and he immediately set out to make Rossignol the undisputed leader on the World Cup circuit. The results were immediate and dramatic. At the 1960 Squaw Valley Olympics, Jean Vuarnet won the downhill gold medal on the Rossignol Allais 60, developed from Émile Allais' design lineage, a revolutionary laminated aluminum "metal ski" that changed the sport forever.
Four years later, in 1964, Rossignol's race atelier produced one of the most iconic skis of all time: the Strato. This revolutionary ski featured a multi-layer wood core with lower-density woods, laminated with fiberglass and epoxy layers above and below. It was a masterpiece of design and performance, and it became the first ski in history to sell over a million pairs. By the late 1960s, Rossignol skis dominated World Cup start lists, ski schools, and resort rental fleets alike, cementing Rossignol's position as the world's leading ski manufacturer by 1970. The brand's dominance was further solidified during the 1968 Grenoble Olympics, where Jean-Claude "King Killy" Killy won a historic triple gold medal on Rossignol skis.
The Modern Era: A Global Winter Sports Group (1987-Present)
Under Boix-Vives's leadership, Rossignol transformed from a ski company into a global winter sports group. The company launched its first snowboards in 1987, acquired the iconic Lange boot company in 1989, and added LOOK bindings to its portfolio in 1994. This period of expansion was followed by a series of ownership changes. In 2005, the company was acquired by Quiksilver. This was a difficult period for the brand, and in 2008, Quiksilver sold Rossignol to a consortium led by former Rossignol CEO Bruno Cercley. In 2013, the Altor Equity Partners group acquired a majority stake, and in 2021, Vincent Wauters was appointed CEO, ushering in a new era of leadership for the historic brand.
Iconic Rossignol Models: A Collector's Guide
For vintage ski collectors, Rossignol offers a treasure trove of historically significant and high-performance models. These skis are not just relics; they are milestones in the evolution of the sport.
| Model | Era & Characteristics | Collector's Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Allais 60 | 1960. A revolutionary laminated aluminum "metal ski" that won an Olympic gold medal. A true game-changer in ski construction. | Extremely rare and historically significant. The holy grail for many collectors of early metal skis. |
| Original Strato | 1964. The legendary fiberglass ski with a multi-layer wood and composite core and iconic blue base. The first ski to sell over a million pairs. Ridden by champions including Annie Famose, Ingrid Lafforgue, Nancy Greene, and Fernande Bochatay during Rossignol's Strato era. | The quintessential vintage Rossignol. No collection is complete without a pair of Stratos. The iconic blue base is instantly recognizable. |
| Strato 102/105 | 1970s. An evolution of the original Strato with a brown/wood-toned topsheet. The 102 and 105 were popular racing models. | A classic 1970s racing ski. The brown topsheet is a distinctive feature of this era. |
| Stratoflex-S | 1970s-80s. A slalom-specific variant with a red, white, and blue color scheme. | A great find for collectors interested in slalom-specific vintage skis. |
| SM GS | 1970s. A beloved all-around Giant Slalom ski known for its silver, red, and blue graphics. A favorite of racers and instructors. | Represents the peak of Rossignol's 1970s racing dominance. A beautiful and high-performance vintage ski. |
| ROC 550 | 1970s. A top-of-the-line racing ski featuring "Plasticometal" technology. Known for its distinctive 1970s graphics. | A highly collectible vintage racing ski from Rossignol's dominant 1970s era. |
| ST 650 | 1970s. A widely remembered and beloved recreational/racing ski. Described as a "must-have from Rossi" by Ski Canada Magazine. | A classic 1970s ski that captures the spirit of the era. |
| ST/SM Models | 1970s-80s. Included the ST Comp, SM GS, and a softer recreational SM. Known for their silver, red, and blue graphics. | The SM GS was a particularly beloved Giant Slalom model. A great representation of 1970s-80s Rossignol design. |
| ROC Competition | 1970s. A top-of-the-line racing ski with the same design standards as the ROC 550. Known for its colorful graphics. | A highly collectible vintage racing ski from Rossignol's dominant 1970s era. |
| Freestyle / FP | Late 1970s-80s. Rossignol's entry into the freestyle/mogul market. The FP (Freestyle Performance) was a popular competition model. | Represents the freestyle boom of the late 1970s. A great find for collectors of early freestyle skis. |
| 4S Kevlar | 1990s. A legendary World Cup race ski widely used by the U.S. Ski Team. Known for its distinctive green and black graphics. | A must-have for collectors of 1990s racing skis. Represents the pinnacle of Rossignol's racing technology from that era. |
The Rossignol Legacy: A Century of Victory
From Abel Rossignol's first wooden planks to the high-tech race machines of today, the Rossignol brand has always been synonymous with innovation, performance, and victory. For over 100 years, Rossignol has equipped the world's best skiers and has been a driving force in the evolution of the sport. The brand's rich history, its iconic models, and its unwavering commitment to excellence make it a cornerstone of any serious vintage ski collection. To own a pair of vintage Rossignols is to own a piece of skiing history.
LongSkisTruck.com is dedicated to preserving the rich history of skiing's most iconic brands. If you have a pair of vintage Rossignol skis you'd like to sell or have appraised, we want to hear from you. Please contact our curator, Mike, at mike@longskistruck.com to share your piece of Rossignol history.
