La Corvette is the heritage brand of the Savonnerie du Midi, one of the last historic soap factories still producing authentic Savon de Marseille within the city of Marseille itself.
Founded in 1894, the savonnerie continues to manufacture traditional Marseille soap using the historic hot saponification process that helped make the city famous throughout the world. While much of Marseille's soap industry disappeared during the twentieth century, soap is still produced here on its historic home ground.
Today, the Savonnerie du Midi combines traditional soap-making expertise with modern production facilities, ensuring Marseille soap remains a living industry rather than a preserved piece of history.
Why La Corvette Matters
The story of Savon de Marseille is often told through the great soap factories that once lined the city. Many have disappeared. Few remain.
The Savonnerie du Midi is one of the surviving links to that industrial heritage. Its continued production helps preserve not only the recipe of traditional Marseille soap, but also the practical knowledge, manufacturing expertise and working skills that underpin it.
As a member of the Union des Professionnels du Savon de Marseille (UPSM), the savonnerie plays an active role in protecting authentic Marseille soap and defending the standards associated with the name.
For us, La Corvette represents something important: proof that Marseille soap remains a living tradition rather than a historical reference.
From Raw Materials to Soap
A visit to the factory reveals a working production site where traditional soap-making and modern manufacturing exist side by side.
Vegetable oils arrive in bulk before entering the soap-making process, where they are transformed through hot saponification. The soap is then washed, purified, dried and prepared for cutting and finishing.
While the principles remain rooted in centuries-old methods, modern equipment helps ensure consistency and quality. The result is a factory that continues to produce Marseille soap at scale while remaining connected to its historic foundations.
The Mark of Marseille Soap
For generations, Marseille soap makers identified their production through distinctive marks pressed directly into the soap.
These stamps served a practical purpose, identifying the manufacturer, composition and origin of the soap. Among the most recognised is the famous 72% mark associated with traditional vegetable-oil Marseille soap.
The original brass dies used to create these marks remain a tangible connection to Marseille's soap-making heritage, reflecting a time when a simple stamp communicated provenance, quality and trust.
A History Written in Stamps
One of the most fascinating reminders of Marseille's soap-making past is the collection of historic soap marks preserved by the savonnerie.
Each stamp tells the story of a manufacturer, workshop or soap house that once formed part of Marseille's thriving soap industry. Together they create a visual record of an industry that helped define the city for centuries.
Many of those names have disappeared, but the surviving marks remain evidence of the scale, diversity and importance of Marseille's soap-making heritage.
Beyond the Traditional Cube
While Savon de Marseille is best known for its iconic cubes, the factory continues to produce a wide range of soap-based products inspired by Marseille's traditions.
Soap flakes, black soap, liquid soaps and household cleaning products all build upon the same soap-making expertise that has defined the region for generations.
This broader range reflects the versatility of soap itself. The same principles that created Marseille soap as a household staple continue to inform many of the products produced by the savonnerie today.
Tradition With a Future
The Savonnerie du Midi is not simply preserving a historic craft. It is continuing to manufacture soap within Marseille while adapting to the expectations of modern consumers.
The company holds PME+ certification, recognising its commitment to responsible business practices, local employment and environmental improvement. Alongside its membership of the UPSM, this reflects a commitment to ensuring Marseille soap remains relevant, trusted and accessible for future generations.
For La Corvette, tradition is not about looking backwards. It is about ensuring authentic Marseille soap continues to have a future.
Why We Stock La Corvette
We stock La Corvette because it remains one of the few places where Marseille soap is still produced in Marseille itself.
Alongside Fer à Cheval, the Savonnerie du Midi represents an important part of the city's surviving soap-making heritage. Each savonnerie has its own history, methods and product range, but both continue to preserve the expertise and manufacturing traditions that define authentic Savon de Marseille.
Together they help ensure Marseille soap remains not simply part of the city's past, but an active part of its future.
At a Glance
- Founded: 1894
- Location: Marseille, France
- Savonnerie: Savonnerie du Midi
- Speciality: Traditional Savon de Marseille
- Production Method: Historic cauldron saponification
- Member: Union des Professionnels du Savon de Marseille
- Certification: PME+ (ECOCERT)
- Known For: Marseille Soap, Soap Flakes, Black Soap, Household Cleaning Products
Further Reading
What Is Savon de Marseille?
An introduction to Marseille's most famous soap, its ingredients, production methods and uses.
How Savon de Marseille Is Made
The traditional cauldron process explained, from oils and alkali through to curing and stamping.
How to Identify Genuine Savon de Marseille
Why the name is often misunderstood and what to look for when choosing authentic Marseille soap.
Olive vs Vegetable Savon de Marseille
Understanding the differences between olive-only and mixed vegetable oil formulations.
A Guide to Marseille Soap Flakes
How soap flakes are made, their traditional uses and how they are used for laundry today.
What Is Marseille Black Soap?
The history, formulation and practical household uses of traditional black soap.
The History of Soap Making in Mars