Loubsol: French mountain eyewear, a pioneer since 1948

Discover the Loubsol brand

Loubsol: the brand’s origins and history

The Loubsol story began in 1948 in Saint-Claude, in the Jura region, the historic birthplace of French eyewear. Artisan eyewear maker René Loubeyre crafted his first sunglasses frames there in his workshop at the foot of the mountains. The brand takes its name from its origins: Loubeyre Solaire, shortened to Loubsol.

By the 1960s, Loubsol eyewear had established itself as an icon of French “mountain chic” style, with its oversized frames and bold colors. The brand became the official supplier to the French Ski Federation during several Olympic Games, and its models were worn by champions such as Léo Lacroix and Christine Goitschel.

The brand’s fame peaked with appearances in the films Les Bronzés font du ski and Star Wars.

Did you know?

Loubsol goggles were developed in collaboration with Jean-Marc Boivin and Pierre Tardivel, two French legends of extreme skiing. These downhill pioneers tested and refined the brand’s products through world firsts and new route openings, from Mont Blanc to Everest.

Product Development and Innovation at Loubsol

Innovation has been in Loubsol’s DNA since its inception. In the 1970s, the brand was among the very first to develop photochromic optics for sports with its Loubsomatic system: lenses and screens that automatically darken or lighten depending on ambient light, providing constant protection against glare.

Today, the range of optical technologies has expanded with the Apex suite: Apex Photochromic, which pushes the limits of the original Loubsomatic with more accurate color reproduction and enhanced clarity; Apex High Definition, for optimized vision; and Apex High Contrast, designed for low-light conditions.

As for ski goggles, the LS line is designed in an Alpine design studio and then manufactured in Italy. Some models, such as the LS5, incorporate Bio-TPU™, a material derived from plant-based sources (soy, sunflower, eucalyptus).

Products offered by the Loubsol brand

The Loubsol ski goggle range includes models for adults and children, each designed for a specific face shape.

• The LS2 is the low-volume goggle in the range, designed for teens and adults with smaller faces.
• The LS3 is a medium-volume goggle, suitable for small to medium faces. It comes in three versions: the Essential, the most affordable version with a notched frame and brightly colored lenses; the Standard, with a slimmer frame and a large, unobstructed lens; and the Frameless, a premium version with a minimalist frame and an ultra-wide lens from the Apex line.
• The LS4 is the largest mask in the range, suitable for medium to large faces. Equipped with an oversized, distortion-free spherical lens, it is available in an OTG (Over The Glasses) version, designed for eyeglass wearers, and in a Légendes version, featuring a cylindrical lens and vintage-inspired colors.

Loubsol’s Eco-Responsible Commitment

Loubsol is gradually incorporating more sustainable materials into its production. The brand’s eco-friendly eyewear frames are fully recyclable and manufactured without paint, to avoid the use of solvents. For goggles, some frames are made from Bio-TPU™, an innovative plant-based material that replaces traditional petrochemical-based thermoplastic elastomers.