Over the centuries, Marseille soap has become a symbol of the city of Marseille and its cultural heritage. Today, the Fer à Cheval soap factory is proud to perpetuate this tradition by offering authentic Marseille soaps, made according to ancestral methods.
Making real Marseille soap is a complex process requiring special know-how. The master soap-makers at Fer à Cheval have inherited this expertise. For over 165 years, they have passed down the secrets of making authentic Marseille soap from generation to generation: ancestral know-how and an authentic recipe dictated by Colbert's Edict of 1688.
In 1856, a candle factory was set up at 66 chemin de Sainte Marthe. This gradually became a Marseille soap factory.
In 1900, Savon de Marseille began to be manufactured at the soap factory. It even won a gold medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition for the quality of its soaps.
The history of the soap industry is closely linked to that of Savon de Marseille. After gaining notoriety and conquering many households thanks to its hygienic and detergent properties, the use of Savon de Marseille declined sharply at the end of the Second World War. It was replaced by washing powder.
Savonnerie Fer à Cheval diversifies and launches a plant dedicated to this new product. Previously producing Savon le Chat, the soap factory launches Le Chat Machine, the first washing powder made with Savon de Marseille.
After some darker years, the Seghin family took over the soap factory in 2013 and breathed new life into it. Their ambition is to safeguard a part of Marseille's heritage and preserve ancestral know-how, restoring Savon de Marseille to its former glory.
While the soap factory used to produce soap exclusively for professionals, the historic Fer à Cheval brand is now back at the heart of the business, to be sold directly to consumers.
Both manufacturers and processors, the teams at Savonnerie Fer à Cheval continue to produce genuine Savon de Marseille, developing the Fer à Cheval brand while retaining their contract manufacturing.
