The Savonnerie of Midi
The Savonnerie du Midi is one of the last four soap factories to continue the traditional recipe for making genuine Marseille soap.
Steeped in history, the factory is located at the bottom of the Carmes valley in the Aygalades neighbourhood in the 15th arrondissement of Marseille. In 1870 the city of Marseille granted a man from Alsace, a refugee from the German occupation, the right to use the water from the Aygalades stream to run a mill. The Garbits, a famous Marseille family specialising in oils, subsequently bought the site in the 1950s and decided to construct a soap factory, probably the last one built in Marseille.
The Savonnerie du Midi, which employs about 20 people, has been part of Compagnie du Midi since 1995. The latter was taken over by PRODEF in 2013.
KEY DATES
1894: The Savonnerie du Midi founded in Marseille’s 14th arrondissement. Aubépine, Aigle Blanc and La Corvette brands launched.
1950: Facilities transferred to Aygalades site. Marseille’s largest cauldron installed.
1995: Maître Savon de Marseille (Master Soap of Marseille) brand created and sold in large stores.
2005: ISO 9001: 2000 certification.
2007: Organic commitment strengthened, ECOCERT label awarded (reference mark for ecological and biological cosmetics) for products in the Plaisir Bio (Maître Savon de Marseille) cosmetic line.
2011: The Savonnerie du Midi founded UPSM (Marseille Soap Union of Professionals) with three other institutions to protect and promote authentic Marseille soap.
2013: The Savonnerie du Midi joined PRODEF, a French family company specialising in hygiene and cleaning products for four generations.
2014: The Savonnerie du Midi celebrated its 120th anniversary.
2015: La Savonnerie du Midi relaunches its historic brand Corvette.
2017: The Savonnerie du Midi receives at the Ministry of Economy the ESSEC Award for Responsible Consumption Industries, in the category “Sustainable consumption methods”.
2018: The Savonnerie du Midi opens its industrial site to the public after two years of work, via the creation of the Marseille Soap Museum and the opening of La Corvette factory shop.
Visit the website Savonnerie du Midi
https://www.savonneriedumidi.fr