What Is a Largeot? Le Laboureur French Work Trousers: Moleskin, Corduroy, Linen and Sizing
Roomy at the thigh, narrow at the ankle, with its ruler pocket: the largeot is the work trouser of France's Compagnons. History, shapes, belt loops or braces, moleskin, corduroy, linen, sizing and care.
The largeot is the traditional work trouser of French building craftsmen: wide at the hips and thighs, narrow at the ankles, with a ruler pocket on the thigh. Worn by carpenters, stonemasons and joiners, it is now one of the signature pieces of Le Laboureur, the workshop founded in 1956 in Digoin, Burgundy. This guide explains what a largeot is, its history, its shapes, its fabrics (moleskin, corduroy, linen), how to choose your size and how to care for it.
What is a largeot?
The French dictionary Wiktionnaire defines the largeot as a work trouser created in 1896. Le Laboureur describes it as a trouser designed for maximum comfort and freedom of movement: roomy at the hips and thighs for bending, climbing and carrying, it narrows at the ankles so that the hem does not catch on site. According to the brand, the name comes from the French adjective large, meaning wide, with a colloquial ending; no dictionary gives its etymology.
A largeot is recognised by a few functional details: a piped pocket on the thigh for a folding ruler, a pencil or a gauge, a fob pocket, and an adjuster strap at the back to fine-tune the waist.
The history of the largeot and the carpenter's trouser
Tradition, repeated by Wiktionnaire and by Le Laboureur, credits the largeot to a tailor in Lyon in 1896. He is said to have drawn on the carpenter's trousers his grandfather wore and added a ruler pocket. In the early 20th century, the largeot became the trouser of building workers: Le Laboureur links it to the labour movement of the time, from the strikes of the navvies digging the Paris Métro to trade union imagery and the workers' press of 1912.
In France, "carpenter's trousers" (pantalon de charpentier) therefore mostly means the largeot of the Compagnons, the French guild of craftsmen, and Le Laboureur uses the two terms almost interchangeably. It should not be confused with American carpenter pants: straight work jeans with a hammer loop and tool pockets, which share neither the largeot's shape nor its history.
Largeot shapes
The largeot comes in six shapes: straight, hussard, demi-hussard, demi-ballon, ballon and grand ballon. The most common today is the demi-ballon, the shape of Le Laboureur's largeots. Here are the widths given by the brand:
| Shape | Thigh width | Ankle width |
|---|---|---|
| Demi-hussard | approx. 35.5 cm | - |
| Demi-ballon | approx. 38.5 cm | 19 cm |
| Ballon | 38 to 40 cm | 19 cm |
| Grand ballon | 42 to 44 cm | 19 cm |
Source: Le Laboureur, article on the largeot as a traditional work trouser. The demi-ballon is a good compromise: roomy enough to keep the largeot's character, clean enough to wear in town.
Belt-loop or braces largeot?
Le Laboureur offers two main constructions:
- Belt-loop (à passants): a classic waist, held up by a belt. The easiest model to wear every day.
- Braces (à tirants): a high waist, with a wide buttoned waistband that covers the lower back and keeps it warm. It is worn with braces.
Both have a button fly with a hook, two slanted front pockets, a buttoned piped pocket, a ruler pocket and a fob pocket. The AURA selection includes the belt-loop largeot in ecru moleskin and in black corduroy.
The colours of the trades
Among the Compagnons, the colour of the largeot showed the trade:
- Ecru: stonemasons and sculptors.
- Black: carpenters and roofers.
- Brown: joiners and cabinetmakers.
- Blue: shipwrights.
These codes no longer apply today, but they explain why black and ecru remain the two most classic largeot colours.
Moleskin, corduroy or linen: which fabric?
Le Laboureur sums up the rule simply: moleskin all year round, corduroy in winter, linen in summer.
Moleskin
For workwear, moleskin is a very strong, tightly woven cotton cloth with a satin face and a twill back (as defined by the French dictionary TLFi). The French word moleskine comes from the English moleskin, because of its short, soft surface. It has nothing to do with the coated imitation leather that shares the name.
Le Laboureur makes two qualities. 100% cotton moleskin is the historic fabric of the carpenter's largeot. Cotton-polyester moleskin, with a reinforced weft and a brushed back, is stronger and, according to the brand, does not shrink or lose its shape. The ecru largeot in our selection belongs to this second family: 67% cotton, 33% polyester, 420 g/m² according to its product sheet.
Corduroy
Corduroy is the winter version: warmer, softer, with a ribbed texture that catches the light. Le Laboureur's fabric page lists a fine-wale corduroy in 85% cotton, 15% polyester, and the brand states that its corduroy largeots are made entirely in its Digoin workshop. The black corduroy largeot is the carpenters' colour.
Linen
For summer, Le Laboureur uses a métis cloth, 65% cotton and 35% linen, in a basket weave, at 290 g/m². The flax is grown in France and the cloth is woven in Belgium. Lighter and more breathable, it keeps the largeot's cut for warm weather.
How to wear a largeot
The largeot is worn with a belt, the narrow ankle letting the hem sit neatly on the shoe. For a jacket, it pairs naturally with a work jacket: the black moleskin jacket with the black corduroy largeot makes a tonal silhouette. In knitwear, a quarter-zip works well, such as the brown Burel jumper with the ecru largeot or the ecru quarter-zip with black corduroy. For more pairings, see our quarter-zip guide.
Largeot size guide
Le Laboureur sizes its trousers by waist measurement in centimetres and advises relying on this measurement rather than the size you usually wear in other brands. For a high-waisted largeot, measure at navel level, with the tape against your body.
| Waist (cm) | Le Laboureur size |
|---|---|
| 68-72 | 34 |
| 73-75 | 36 |
| 76-78 | 38 |
| 79-82 | 40 |
| 83-86 | 42 |
| 87-90 | 44 |
| 91-94 | 46 |
| 95-98 | 48 |
Source: Le Laboureur size guide, checked in November 2026 (the guide runs up to size 70). For length, the brand recommends a 76 cm inside leg if you are under 1.80 m and 82 cm from 1.80 m. If in doubt, the team at our Rennes store can advise you.
Caring for your largeot
- Follow each model's care label and do up the buttons and fly before washing.
- Use a colour detergent with no bleaching agent, and no fabric softener: according to Le Laboureur, it can damage the fabric.
- Air dry where possible. If you use a tumble dryer, stop the cycle before the end: according to the brand, that is when the risk of wear or shrinkage appears.
For the jacket to go with it, see our Le Laboureur guide. For another French work jacket, see our Le Mont Saint Michel guide.
The largeot: the details
Definition: a work trouser roomy at the hips and thighs, narrow at the ankles, with a ruler pocket.
Origin: credited to a tailor in Lyon in 1896, based on the carpenter's trouser.
Le Laboureur shape: demi-ballon, approx. 38.5 cm at the thigh and 19 cm at the ankle.
Fabrics: moleskin all year, corduroy in winter, cotton-linen in summer.
Sizing: by waist measurement in cm; 76 or 82 cm inside leg depending on height.
Shop the Le Laboureur largeot at AURA
Le Laboureur largeots are available in our Rennes store, at 2 rue Châteaurenault, and online with delivery across France and Europe.
Shop the full Le Laboureur selection →
Largeot: frequently asked questions
What is a largeot?
A traditional French work trouser, roomy at the hips and thighs and narrow at the ankles, with a ruler pocket on the thigh. It is the trouser of the Compagnons, France's guild of building craftsmen.
What is the difference between a belt-loop and a braces largeot?
The belt-loop largeot has a classic waist and is worn with a belt. The braces largeot has a high waist, with a wide buttoned waistband that covers the lower back, and is worn with braces.
What is moleskin?
A very strong, tightly woven cotton cloth with a satin-like face and a twill back. Its name means mole's skin. It is the historic fabric of the largeot.
Is the largeot a carpenter's trouser?
Yes, in France the two terms overlap: the largeot grew out of the carpenter's trouser, with a ruler pocket added. It should not be confused with American carpenter pants, which are straight work jeans.
How do I choose my largeot size?
Measure your waist in centimetres. At Le Laboureur, 76 to 78 cm is a 38, 79 to 82 cm a 40, 83 to 86 cm a 42 and 87 to 90 cm a 44. Inside leg 76 cm under 1.80 m, 82 cm above.
Where can I buy a Le Laboureur largeot in Rennes?
At AURA, in store at 2 rue Châteaurenault and online at aura-estore.com, with delivery across France and Europe.
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