Functional art, straight from the Laurentian forest
Browse ashtraysSolid wood ashtrays for cigars
Here are the Forêt Laurentienne cigar ashtrays currently available.
Each ashtray is unique and handmade.
Browse ashtrays
Process & ethics
Here, every piece passes through my hands, from the first cut to the final polish.
The wood always comes from what the forest leaves behind. Never from a tree cut down for production. What would have ended up as firewood becomes something we keep.
I start with the log, cut it into planks, and let it dry for two years before touching it. It takes a long time, but it’s necessary.
The finish is oil-based. It penetrates the wood rather than simply coating it, and provides lasting protection against water and wear.
In the end, nothing (or almost nothing) goes to waste. That’s what matters most to me.
Made slowly, made here
I’m not trying to produce things quickly. I’d rather take the time to get every step right, even the ones you might not notice at first glance.
Every cut, every joint, and every surface is worked with precision. I spend a lot of time adjusting, sanding, and refining the details until I get exactly the result I’m looking for.
It’s a way of working that takes more time, but you can see and feel the difference once you hold the finished piece in your hands.
The goal is to create something you’ll want to keep for a long time, both for its quality and for the character it carries.
Attention to detail
Some steps simply can’t be rushed.
A chisel allows for a level of precision that’s difficult to achieve any other way. I work slowly, a few passes at a time, until I get exactly the shape I’m looking for.
It’s the kind of work that requires patience, a good eye, and above all, control. Nothing more than necessary, every movement has a purpose.
It’s these small details, repeated throughout the process, that give each piece its level of finish.
About Forêt Laurentienne
While cleaning up my property in Saint-Sauveur-des-Monts, I found myself with trees that had fallen, were dead, or needed to be cut down because they had become dangerous.
Instead of getting rid of them (or turning them into firewood), I decided to give them a new life.
That’s where the real work begins. The wood dictates many things for me, and I start with what each piece has to offer rather than a pre-determined plan.
Everything comes from what the forest leaves behind, and I give it a second life in the form of objects built to last.
Each piece is handmade, one at a time. It’s not the fastest way to work, but it’s the one that gives each piece its own character.
