La Savonnerie du Fer à Cheval
In business since 1856, the Compagnie des Detergents et Savon de Marseille honors, more than 160 years later, its ancestral brand LE FER A CHEVAL.
A brand steeped in History
It is in the nineteenth century, in the Phocaean city, that hundreds of small factories made soap, the flagship product of Marseille. For one of them, a special adventure b...
In business since 1856, the Compagnie des Detergents et Savon de Marseille honors, more than 160 years later, its ancestral brand LE FER A CHEVAL.
A brand steeped in History
It is in the nineteenth century, in the Phocaean city, that hundreds of small factories made soap, the flagship product of Marseille. For one of them, a special adventure begins ...
In 1856, Saint-Marthe road, a factory of candles becomes quickly and exclusively a factory dedicated to the manufacture of Savon de Marseille ...
Since a repurchase in 1895, the factory manufactures the Marseilles soap on behalf of several brands including Le Chat and, in 1953, it takes again the exploitation of a historic mark which, since 2003 remains the only brand of the factory : Fer à Cheval. The factory manufactures and selects the materials to create the bases of Savon de Marseille ... They are at the source of the product and pass on this know-how from generation to generation, to the point of being today a Living Heritage Company and holder of the Qualité Tourisme label for ancestral know-how preserved.
In 1856, Saint-Marthe road, a factory of candles becomes quickly and exclusively a factory dedicated to the manufacture of Savon de Marseille ...
Since a repurchase in 1895, the factory manufactures the Marseilles soap on behalf of several brands including Le Chat and, in 1953, it takes again the exploitation of a historic mark which, since 2003 remains the only brand of the factory : Fer à Cheval. The factory manufactures and selects the materials to create the bases of Savon de Marseille ... They are at the source of the product and pass on this know-how from generation to generation, to the point of being today a Living Heritage Company and holder of the Qualité Tourisme label for ancestral know-how preserved.
Fer à Cheval, Lucky Brand
In the nineteenth century, it was customary to baptize one's brand or soap business with an expression, word, or other phrase that recalled happiness and luck in making business flourish under the best auspices. With the name Fer à Cheval, accompanied by the symbol hit by 7 nails, success and fortune were promised.
Today they remain the oldest soap factory in Marseille to continue its production according to an ancestral recipe. They like to believe that this name will continue to bring us luck.
Today they remain the oldest soap factory in Marseille to continue its production according to an ancestral recipe. They like to believe that this name will continue to bring us luck.
Ancestral know-how
With 160 years of existence, the Savonnerie Fer à Cheval continues to use a recipe transmitted to each new generation of master soap makers. The soap factory, rooted in living heritage, is proud to continue the making of this flagship product of the Marseille cultured with tradition, meticulousness and, it must be said, a lot of love ...
The saponification is done in old cauldrons in a traditional way ... Following the recipe certified by the Edict of Colbert in 1688 and confirmed by the decree of Napoleon Bonaparte of 1812, it is manufactured in 5 stages: the pasting, the release, the cooking, washing and liquidation. 5 steps that make the fame of a soap iconic.
The saponification is done in old cauldrons in a traditional way ... Following the recipe certified by the Edict of Colbert in 1688 and confirmed by the decree of Napoleon Bonaparte of 1812, it is manufactured in 5 stages: the pasting, the release, the cooking, washing and liquidation. 5 steps that make the fame of a soap iconic.
A story of passionate men
A real good Savon de Marseille has to be watched over like milk on the fire ... All the master soap makers, trained by the old masters perpetuated this artisanal recipe, without preservative, nor dye, without perfume or animal fat added ...
Every bubble, every smell, every sound and every hatch is the result of an experience and has a very special meaning ...
The quality of the products and the authentic image of the soap factory are only related to what they have dearest: the passion of men, like Michel, their soap master for over 30 years. A transmission already planned since the soap factory has a new apprentice soap master; Stéphane, who learns and enriches the ancestral know-how to continue the tradition of authentic Marseille soap.
Every bubble, every smell, every sound and every hatch is the result of an experience and has a very special meaning ...
The quality of the products and the authentic image of the soap factory are only related to what they have dearest: the passion of men, like Michel, their soap master for over 30 years. A transmission already planned since the soap factory has a new apprentice soap master; Stéphane, who learns and enriches the ancestral know-how to continue the tradition of authentic Marseille soap.
Take a trip back in time
Perpetuating its traditional know-how, the Compagnie des Detergents et du Savon de Marseille, pays tribute to this brand by recreating THE SAVONNERIE LE FER A CHEVAL and dedicating an exhibition tracing its history in its BOUTIQUE D'USINE.
In the very heart of the oldest Marseillaise soap factory still in operation, the LE FER A CHEVAL soap factory also offers all fans of the genuine Savon de Marseille, to find the virtues of the products, as well as the secrets of its manufacture by accessing the VISIT FROM THE FACTORY.
On this occasion, room of the cauldrons, fire room, drying tower, molding workshop, all the scenes of the oldest Marseillaise soap factory still in activity are open to you.
Go behind the scenes of the largest Marseillaise soap factory still in operation. From the cauldron room to the molding workshop, you will learn all the secrets of making a real soap from Marseille with our master soap maker ...
Guided tour of the workshops every Wednesday at 14:00
In the very heart of the oldest Marseillaise soap factory still in operation, the LE FER A CHEVAL soap factory also offers all fans of the genuine Savon de Marseille, to find the virtues of the products, as well as the secrets of its manufacture by accessing the VISIT FROM THE FACTORY.
On this occasion, room of the cauldrons, fire room, drying tower, molding workshop, all the scenes of the oldest Marseillaise soap factory still in activity are open to you.
Go behind the scenes of the largest Marseillaise soap factory still in operation. From the cauldron room to the molding workshop, you will learn all the secrets of making a real soap from Marseille with our master soap maker ...
Guided tour of the workshops every Wednesday at 14:00
Group on Thursday at 14:00 by reservation
Duration: 45min-1h00
Cost: 3 € / person
Savonnerie LE FER A CHEVAL - 66 way of saint marthe-13014 Marseille
