In 1688 Louis IV passed the Edict Of Colbert allowing the use of Savon de Marseille label for olive oil soaps. By 1924 there were 132 soap makers, but by 1950 there was an explosion of petrol-based soaps and the olive oil soaps went out of fashion. Now there are just five savonneries who can claim the true title Soap de Marseille and they have a certification mark to prove it too – a small square soap block with the Union des Professionals du Savon de Marseille stated clearly on their packaging. Without that, the soap is in effect – a fake. Judi Castille investigates...
A Soap story from Marseille