AP PHOTOS: Virus revives demand for traditional French soap
In this photo taken Monday March 16 2020, a factory worker cuts soap into bars at the Licorne soap factory in Marseille, southern France. Amid the rapid outbreak of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French public rediscovers this essential local product. As French shops were ordered closed this week in a bid to counter the new coronavirus, Bruna's Savonnerie de la Licorne now runs its operations only for delivery, supplying pharmacies across France and handling individual orders placed through its online store.…
In this photo taken Monday March 16, 2020, Julie Dinot wears a mask as she attends to customers at the Savonnerie de la Licorne shop on Marseille's Old Port in Marseille, southern France. Amid the rapid outbreak of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French public rediscovers this essential local product. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some it can cause more severe illness. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
In this photo taken Monday March 16 2020 workers wearing masks produce soap at the Licorne soap factory in Marseille, southern France. Amid the rapid outbreak of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French public rediscovers this essential local product. As French shops were ordered closed this week in a bid to counter the new coronavirus, Bruna's Savonnerie de la Licorne now runs its operations only for delivery, supplying pharmacies across France and handling individual orders placed through its online store. (A…
In this photo taken Monday March 16 2020 a factory worker wears a mask as he attends to a customer at the Licorne soap factory in Marseille, southern France. Amid the rapid outbreak of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French public rediscovers this essential local product. As French shops were ordered closed this week in a bid to counter the new coronavirus, Bruna's Savonnerie de la Licorne now runs its operations only for delivery, supplying pharmacies across France and handling individual orders placed throu…
In this photo taken Monday March 16 2020 discarded bars of soap sit in a bucket at the Licorne soap factory in Marseille, southern France. Amid the rapid outbreak of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French public rediscovers this essential local product. As French shops were ordered closed this week in a bid to counter the new coronavirus, Bruna's Savonnerie de la Licorne now runs its operations only for delivery, supplying pharmacies across France and handling individual orders placed through its online store…
In this photo taken Monday March 16 2020, uncut bars of soap are pictured at the Licorne soap factory in Marseille, southern France. Amid the rapid outbreak of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French public rediscovers this essential local product. As French shops were ordered closed this week in a bid to counter the new coronavirus, Bruna's Savonnerie de la Licorne now runs its operations only for delivery, supplying pharmacies across France and handling individual orders placed through its online store. For …
In this photo taken Monday March 16, 2020, Serge Bruna locks up the Marseille soap museum on the Old Port in Marseille, southern France. Amid the rapid outbreak of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French public rediscovers this essential local product. As French shops were ordered closed this week in a bid to counter the new coronavirus, Bruna's Savonnerie de la Licorne now runs its operations only for delivery, supplying pharmacies across France and handling individual orders placed through its online store. …
In this photo taken Monday March 16 2020, a factory worker wearing a mask produces soap at the Licorne soap factory in Marseille, southern France. Amid the rapid outbreak of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French public rediscovers this essential local product. As French shops were ordered closed this week in a bid to counter the new coronavirus, Bruna's Savonnerie de la Licorne now runs its operations only for delivery, supplying pharmacies across France and handling individual orders placed through its onli…
In this photo taken Monday March 16 2020, fourth generation soap maker Serge Bruna poses for a portrait in his family owned Licorne soap factory in Marseille, southern France. Amid the rapid outbreak of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French public rediscovers this essential local product. As French shops were ordered closed this week in a bid to counter the new coronavirus, Bruna's Savonnerie de la Licorne now runs its operations only for delivery, supplying pharmacies across France and handling individual o…
In this photo taken Tuesday, March 17, 2020 Melanie Dinot, a retail worker at the Savonnerie de la Licorne poses for a portrait hours before nationwide confinement measures were in effect in Marseille, southern France. Amid the rapid outbreak of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French public rediscovers this essential local product. As French shops were ordered closed this week in a bid to counter the new coronavirus, Bruna's Savonnerie de la Licorne now runs its operations only for delivery, supplying pharmac…
In this photo taken Monday March 16 2020 a drawer full of soap stamps, at the Licorne soap factory in Marseille, southern France. Amid the rapid outbreak of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French public rediscovers this essential local product. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
In this photo taken Tuesday March 17 2020, a factory worker at the Licorne soap factory prepares boxes to be packed with soap an hour before nationwide confinement measures were set to go into effect in Marseille, southern France. Amid the rapid outbreak of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French public rediscovers this essential local product. As French shops were ordered closed this week in a bid to counter the new coronavirus, Bruna's Savonnerie de la Licorne now runs its operations only for delivery, suppl…
In this photo taken Monday March 16 2020, fourth generation soap maker Serge Bruna washes his hands in his family owned Licorne soap factory in Marseille, southern France. Amid the rapid outbreak of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French public rediscovers this essential local product. As French shops were ordered closed this week in a bid to counter the new coronavirus, Bruna's Savonnerie de la Licorne now runs its operations only for delivery, supplying pharmacies across France and handling individual order…
In this photo taken Tuesday March 17 2020, fourth generation soap maker, Serge Bruna empties the last delivery truck an hour before the nationwide confinement measures are set to go into effect in Marseille, southern France. Amid the rapid outbreak of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French public rediscovers this essential local product. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
In this photo taken Monday March 16 2020 Serge Bruna, right, and soap artisans cut bars of soap at the Licorne soap factory in Marseille, southern France. Amid the rapid outbreak of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French public rediscovers this essential local product. As French shops were ordered closed this week in a bid to counter the new coronavirus, Bruna's Savonnerie de la Licorne now runs its operations only for delivery, supplying pharmacies across France and handling individual orders placed through …
In this photo taken Monday March 16 2020 Serge Bruna, center, and soap artisans cut bars of soap at the Licorne soap factory in Marseille, southern France. Amid the rapid outbreak of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French public rediscovers this essential local product. As French shops were ordered closed this week in a bid to counter the new coronavirus, Bruna's Savonnerie de la Licorne now runs its operations only for delivery, supplying pharmacies across France and handling individual orders placed through…
In this photo taken Monday March 16 2020 freshly cut soap bars are packed away at the Licorne soap factory in Marseille, southern France. Amid the rapid outbreak of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French public rediscovers this essential local product. As French shops were ordered closed this week in a bid to counter the new coronavirus, Bruna's Savonnerie de la Licorne now runs its operations only for delivery, supplying pharmacies across France and handling individual orders placed through its online store.…
MARSEILLE, France (AP) — Amid the rapid spread of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French rediscover an essential local product.
Serge Bruna's grandfather entered the then-booming business in the southern port city more than a century ago. His father followed suit, although the family enterprise was requisitioned during World War II, when soap was considered an essential commodity.
Today, Bruna sells soap from the same shopfront on Marseille’s Old Port — wearing a sanitary mask and skintight gloves.
“Even though we work in a factory full of virus-repellent soap, it is good to take precautions,” he said.
Bruna’s Savonnerie de la Licorne, which runs four soap shops on the Old Port, a museum and a small factory in the heart of Marseille, has seen its shop sales increase 30% and delivery orders quadruple since Italy declared a state of emergency over the coronavirus.
“We had fewer tourists or none at all in our stores,” he said. "On the other hand, (Marseilles residents) were much more frequent visitors and some even came to stockpile.”
The COVID-19 illness causes mild or moderate symptoms in most of those infected, but severe symptoms are more likely in the elderly or people with existing health problems. The vast majority of those infected recover.
As the public rushed to buy supplies to last during a looming quarantine, Bruna and his artisans continued making soap by hand, filling the port-view shops as well as boxes destined for export.
With an abundance of local oils, soda, and salt, Marseille boasts a lengthy tradition of producing the natural soaps once prized throughout Europe. But only a handful of businesses are still active.
Since French shops were ordered closed this week as a public health precaution, the Savonnerie de la Licorne now only carries out deliveries, supplying pharmacies across France and handling individual orders made online.
“I’m not sure that making our soaps is more important than before, but I would say that people who have lost the habit of using Marseille soap have all of a sudden rediscovered its properties,” he said.
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