Belcaire
After the start up in 1980 in Nimes, Valandre installed the activity in Belcaire in the Department of l'Aude in 1982. Since then Valandre has cultivated its unique know how in a little village in the French Pyrenees. Belcaire has 412 inhabitants, and is extremely isolated: One Hotel/bar, one mini supermarket, a police station and a graveyard…and no traffic lights on the road connecting Quillan to Ax-Les-Thermes.
This is the perfect place to pull yourself together, concentrate, and develop some of the most complexes compartment system in the world. In Belcaire, nothing is there to disturb, so Valandre digs deep into the technique(s). In addition, doing this in an incredible pure and wild low-level mountain nature add a second dimension to the pleasure of having Valandre in Belcaire.
Being up at 1000m, Belcaire offers a dry climate favorable for injecting the down in an ultimate conditioning.
Philosophy
If you are looking for a philosophy in Valandre, you came to the wrong place. Valandre has no philosophy at all, and producing technical high altitude expedition is not a little dream world, where the designers float around in an idle dreaming.
We have the responsibility to develop and produce a reliable product where a compromise is not an option.
SPORT has never been a philosophy.
Who we are
Since 1980, Valandré has cooperated with the Himalayan high altitude community by supplying a complete line of down equipment, key to all non-ox engagements where there is no room for even one mistakes.
Therefor we do not compromise in the designs and the selected materials. After 35 years of loyal service, Valandré is proud to incarnate these values as an independent company – proud of our heritage.
Design & 3D
A unique design - that has been recognized by several industry awards - that is based upon a complexes know how of three-dimensional geometry.
We aim to limit the fabric consumption, making the shell as light as possible, and to create a tri-dimensional space where the down cluster can expand and perform to the maximum.
Valandré down
Selected in a unique production area – the south west of France – and thanks to a close interaction directly between Valandré and the animal down farmers, the best and most mature down clusters are systematically put aside and reserved for our needs under extreme conditions.
Top quality does not come cheap, but in our opinion price is not a part of the equation.
Valandré 6 selection criteria’s:
- The species and health of the animal.
- Farm structure: Artisanal and outside raising with access to water to swim.
- High quality feeds.
- Down harvest only from MATURE birds.
- Rapid processing after harvest to keep the subtlety of the quality.
- Professional quality washing, sorting, sterilization and de-dusting according to international norms.
Fabric
We traveled to OSAKA, Japan, to select unique quality fabrics using Asahi-KASEI yarns.
The NYLON 6.6 that we use in the goose down bags is not the lightest, but it’s 20% stronger than a normal NYLON yarn and it preforms 20% better against UV and general abrasion making it a durable and secure fabric in expedition use, with a very small FLUOCARBON print.
