Bernard Lassarrat does frame construction at Gilles Berthoud Bicycles. In this picture I had asked a question about assembling the seatstays for welding and Gilles is showing me how things work

Gilles started building bikes 25 years ago. He felt that for his personal satisfaction it was necessary to build, rather than resell. He no longer wields a torch on a daily basis but the production of Gilles Berthoud Bicycles reflects his very specific ideas about the bicycles that he has spent a quarter-century building.

Gilles built his present shop about 10 years ago. It is a clean, roomy facility with a small staff who all seemed enthusiastic and pleasant.