# Point de Hongrie (Hungarian point) parquet

> Point de Hongrie, or Hungarian point, is the French name for a parquet whose blades are laid like bâtons rompus but with their ends cut on the mitre, so they meet in unbroken zigzags. The cut is commonly about 45 degrees. English-speaking trades usually call the same layout chevron.

Source page: https://www.misterendgrain.com/flooring/hungarian-point/
Updated: 2026-11-10

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| French definition | Parquet whose blades, laid as in bâtons rompus, have their ends cut on the mitre [1] |
| Cutting angle | Blade ends cut at about 45 degrees, sometimes 50 degrees, so that the bays meet at right angles [2] |
| Earliest dating cited | 17th century, according to a book cited by a French library service; the origin of the name is not established [2] |
| Example board (Bauwerk Formpark Rombico) | 735 x 130 x 9.5 mm, 2-ply, 45 degree blade angle, described as suited to chevron laying also known as point de Hongrie [4] |
| Setting out (NWFA) | To find the centre of a chevron pattern, divide the whole pattern width by 2; the mitred point is the centre [3] |

Point de Hongrie, literally "Hungary point", is the French name for a parquet whose blades are laid like bâtons rompus but with the ends cut on the mitre, so they meet in continuous zigzags [1]. The cut is commonly about 45 degrees [2]. English-speaking trades normally call the same layout [chevron](https://www.misterendgrain.com/flooring/chevron/).

## What is point de Hongrie parquet?

The Trésor de la langue française, the dictionary of the French research body CNRS, defines it in one line: a parquet whose blades, laid as in a bâtons rompus parquet, have their ends cut on the mitre [1]. The same entry defines bâtons rompus as a parquet whose blades, all of identical dimensions, are laid parallel to each other in bays [1].

So the French definition rests on two ideas: long blades of equal size laid in bays, and mitred ends. When the ends are cut at an angle, neighbouring bays meet in a continuous line instead of the stepped edge you see in [herringbone](https://www.misterendgrain.com/flooring/herringbone/). This page covers the French terminology and history; for the English-language product view see the [chevron flooring page](https://www.misterendgrain.com/flooring/chevron/).

## Point de Hongrie or bâtons rompus: which term is which?

The two French terms are closely related, and in everyday use they are often mixed up.

| Term | Dictionary meaning | Visual result |
|---|---|---|
| Bâtons rompus | Blades of identical dimensions laid parallel to each other in bays [1] | Stepped zigzag |
| Point de Hongrie | Laid as bâtons rompus, with ends cut on the mitre [1] | Continuous, unbroken zigzag |

Manufacturers do not always follow the dictionary strictly. Bauwerk's French leaflet, for example, speaks of the French "pose à bâtons rompus" regaining interest in interior design, and separately says its 45 degree board suits chevron laying, "also known as point de Hongrie" [4]. When you order, ask for a drawing or a sample laid out, rather than relying on the name alone. Our [herringbone vs chevron guide](https://www.misterendgrain.com/guides/herringbone-vs-chevron/) sets the two layouts side by side.

## What angle is the cut?

A French library research service reports that the blades are of equal length with ends cut at about 45 degrees, sometimes 50 degrees, so the bays meet at right angles. It describes the result as zigzags that seem to give the floor two tones [2].

Product literature gives a similar figure. Bauwerk's Formpark Rombico is a 2-ply board measuring 735 x 130 x 9.5 mm with a 45 degree blade angle [4]. The angle matters because left- and right-hand blades must match exactly: a different angle from another maker means the boards cannot be mixed. English-language sources also mention 60 degrees; see the [chevron page](https://www.misterendgrain.com/flooring/chevron/).

## Where does the name come from?

Nobody has established it. The Lyon library's Guichet du Savoir, asked about the origin in 2016, found no link between this parquet and Hungary or the embroidery stitch of the same name [2]. It lists other names: chevron, arêtes de poisson, fougères and en épis, and variants described as point de Hongrie retourné [2].

## How old is it in French interiors?

The Guichet du Savoir cites Franck Briatte's book *Art et techniques du parquet* for the pattern appearing in the 17th century, and a parquet maker's website for the early 17th and 18th centuries. It adds that the pattern was widespread and peaked around 1900 [2]. These are second-hand statements, so treat the dates as indicative.

The dictionary gives context for the wider word. Its earliest dated sense of parquet as a flooring, an assembly of compartments laid on joists to serve as the floor of an apartment, is from 1664 [1]. That date concerns parquet in general and not this pattern. For the prestigious panel tradition of the same period, see [Versailles panels](https://www.misterendgrain.com/flooring/versailles-panels/).

## How is point de Hongrie laid?

The NWFA treats chevron and herringbone together. These patterns are often glued down. They can be nailed if the pattern keeps an exposed side tongue, but the impact of a pneumatic nailer can force boards out of place and knock the pattern out of square [3]. Fasteners may also supplement a glue-down [3].

Setting out starts from the room's control line. For chevron, measure the whole pattern width and divide by 2: the mitred point is the centre. The working lines fall on the opposite mitred end of each picket [3]. The NWFA also says the direction should follow client preference and may look best with the points running along the longest dimension of the room or toward a focal point [3]. For the wider methods, read our [installation methods guide](https://www.misterendgrain.com/guides/installation-methods/).

## What does it look like, and what should you choose?

Because the mitres meet along unbroken lines, the floor reads as a directional arrow pattern, in contrast to the woven look of herringbone. The Guichet du Savoir notes the two-tone impression created by the zigzags [2]. The wood and build still decide durability, not the pattern. [European oak](https://www.misterendgrain.com/species/european-oak/) is the usual species in French practice, solid or engineered.

As one example of an engineered version, the Paris maker [OscarOno's point de Hongrie in select oak](https://www.oscarono.fr/collections/hongrie) is an oak chevron in flatgrain select oak, 12 mm thick with a 4 mm top layer, in 150 or 190 mm widths, lacquered. Compare it with other makers' boards for angle, thickness and finish before ordering.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does point de Hongrie mean?

It is French for Hungary point. The Trésor de la langue française defines a point de Hongrie parquet as one whose blades are laid like those of a bâtons rompus parquet but have their ends cut on the mitre [1]. A French library research service found no link between this parquet and Hungary [2].

### What is the difference between point de Hongrie and bâtons rompus?

Both use long blades laid in bays, but point de Hongrie blades have mitred ends, while bâtons rompus is the base layout the dictionary uses to define it [1]. Trade usage varies, so check the drawing or sample when someone says either term.

### What angle is a point de Hongrie blade cut at?

A French library research service gives about 45 degrees, sometimes 50 degrees, so that the bays meet at right angles [2]. Bauwerk's Formpark Rombico has a 45 degree blade angle [4].

### Is point de Hongrie the same as chevron?

In practice yes. Bauwerk's leaflet says a 45 degree blade suits chevron laying, also known as point de Hongrie [4], and the same library service lists chevron among the pattern's other names [2].

### How is a point de Hongrie floor set out?

The NWFA sets out chevron from the centre of the room: the mitred point is the centre of the pattern, and the working lines fall on the opposite mitred end of each picket [3]. It also advises working from several bundles or packages to ensure variation [3].

## Sources

1. [Parquet (definition)](https://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/parquet), CNRTL, Trésor de la langue française informatisé (CNRS / ATILF), accessed 2026-11-10
2. [Question d'origine : parquet point de Hongrie](https://www.guichetdusavoir.org/question/voir/54620), Le Guichet du Savoir, Bibliothèque municipale de Lyon, accessed 2026-11-10
3. [Wood Flooring Installation Guidelines (revised 2025)](https://nwfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/NWFA-Installation-Guidelines.pdf), National Wood Flooring Association, accessed 2026-11-10
4. [Formpark Rombico product leaflet](https://a.storyblok.com/f/329196/x/dd3e75069a/bw_product-leaflet_a4_formpark-rombico_fr.pdf), Bauwerk Parkett, accessed 2026-11-10