Two La Cornue lines that share a name
La Cornue has built ranges in France since 1908. In the United States it sells two lines. They look alike from across a room. Under the enamel, they are not the same machine.
The Château is the made to order line. Each one is built by hand near Paris for one buyer. Sizes run from the narrow Château 75 up to the Grand Palais 180, which is almost six feet wide. The ovens have a curved roof that La Cornue calls the vaulted oven. Larger models pair one gas oven with one electric oven.
The CornuFé is the series line. The CornuFé 110 has two electric convection ovens side by side. The CornuFé 90 has one. Both come with five brass gas burners or a five zone induction top. Our La Cornue appliance repair page has more on the maker.
Gas burners that click and will not catch
This is the La Cornue fault we fix most. The burner head is solid brass. It sits loose on its base so you can lift it off to clean. If it goes back a little crooked or a little wet, the flame will not spread around the ring.
Lift the cap and the ring. Dry both. Set them down flat and try again. If the spark is weak or jumps to the side, the igniter tip is dirty or cracked. A pot that boiled over is the usual cause.
If the flame lights and dies when you let go, hold the knob in for a few more seconds. A safety sensor has to warm up before it lets the gas stay on. When it never holds, the sensor is worn and we replace it.
What can sit on a Château top
A Château top is ordered like a menu. Beside the gas burners you may have a French top, which is a heavy flat plate heated from below. You may have a lava rock grill, an electric teppanyaki plate or a pair of induction hobs.
- French top heats slowly or has cold edges. The burner under the plate is clogged or the plate is not seated.
- Lava rock grill flares up. The rocks are soaked in fat and need to be changed.
- Teppanyaki plate stays cold. Its element or its control has failed.
- Induction hob blinks at a good pan. The power board under the glass is at fault.
Tell us which pieces your top has. We bring different meters and parts for gas and for electric.
Oven temperature trouble
A vaulted gas oven that runs cold often has a weak oven burner or a thermostat that has drifted. A vaulted electric oven that stays cold has a burned out element or a failed control. We set an oven probe on the center rack and log the swing for a full cycle.
On a CornuFé, the ovens are electric with a fan. If one side of a tray browns faster, the fan is slow or has stopped. If the multifunction oven works in some modes and not others, one element is out. The mode that fails tells us which.
Doors matter on all of them. A worn hinge lets the door sag, and heat leaks out the top. A gasket gone flat leaks heat as well. Have a sagging La Cornue door fixed early. A door that drops can crack its glass or chip the enamel.
Care that prevents repairs
Brass darkens with heat. That is normal and does not harm the flame. Wash burner parts by hand and dry them fully. Do not put them in a dishwasher. Wipe the enamel with a soft cloth and mild soap. Keep scrub pads and oven spray away from the trim.
La Cornue repair visits: price and timing
To diagnose a La Cornue range in a home, we charge $79. Go ahead with the La Cornue repair and the $79 is waived. We give one fixed La Cornue price first. Labor and parts are counted in it.
La Cornue appointments open at 6 AM each day. The final La Cornue appointment ends at 9 PM, and that includes weekends. Book by phone or online. La Cornue owners often get a visit on the day they call. A+ is an independent shop, and its founding family has owned it. Your La Cornue tech is background checked, licensed and insured. The repair has a 30-day repair warranty.
Some Château parts ship from France. We find the part and the wait time before you agree to anything past the diagnostic.
Why repair is nearly always the answer
A new Château is built to order, and that takes a long time. The one you own can be cooking again far sooner. The steel body, the enamel and the brass do not wear out. Valves, igniters, sensors, thermostats, elements and hinges all can be changed.
If the hood above is part of the problem, see vent hood repair. Other brands are covered on our range repair page. We service La Cornue ranges in Washington D.C. and nearby Virginia. Our Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles teams take La Cornue calls too. We lay pads on the floor and the enamel before a single panel comes off.