At the heart of the Aubrac plateau and on the northern side of the Aveyron department, the village of Laguiole is famous for its cheese but above all for its knives. Originally a small relief chapel that depended on the parish of Alcorn, Laguiole became a main church in the 16th century. Its name derives from ‘La Gleisola’ which means 'small church' in Occitan. The municipality of Laguiole covers an area of 24.36 sqm (63.10 km2) for 1309 inhabitants. It consists of a village and several hamlets and isolated farms.