Cire Trudon

Founded in 1643, Cire Trudon is the oldest wax manufacturer in the world.
In 1640s Paris, Claude Trudon, a convenience store owner, began to make tapered candles with a new methodology he had developed, utilising a special blend of beeswax and vegetable wax. His high-quality candles rapidly gained popularity, as they didn’t warp, smoke or splutter, and therefore didn’t cause fires!

In 1702, Trudon opened a factory so that their highly sought-after candles could be manufactured on a larger scale. Before long, their secret wax formula (still used today!) attracted the attention of the Crown. The house of Trudon became the candle provider to the Royal Court of Louis XIV, as well as many of the great churches of France. Louis XIV was so impressed with the candles that he issued his seal of approval with the official family crest. This crest can now be seen affixed to every Trudon product, with the addition of the motto “Deo regique laborant”, which means: “they (the bees) work for God and the King”, a nod to the creature that made their successful formula possible!

By the mid 17th century, Trudon had become the largest wax manufacturer in France. As candle makers for the Royal Court, Trudon were commissioned to make candles for many French icons – from Louis XIV to Marie Antoinette to Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon actually commissioned Trudon to make a candle for the birth of his son – rumoured to be the only gift he ever gave him – a black candle decorated with his likeness in gold.

Fast forward to 2007 when the house took the name Cire Trudon and became the leading specialist in manufacturing perfumed candles. All their candles are still hand-made, using traditional production methods akin to those Claude Trudon would have used in the 1600s. In their Normandy factory, each candle is hand-poured into hand-blown vessels from Tuscany. Today, Cire Trudon has extended their savoir-fare to a line of genderless perfumes as well as a variety of options to luxuriously scent your space.