Virus revives demand for traditional French soap
AP PHOTOS: Virus revives demand for traditional French soap
By DANIEL COLE
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.
Julie Dinot wears a mask as she attends to customers at
AP PHOTOS: Virus revives demand for traditional French soap
By DANIEL COLE
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.
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. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
“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.
See more of AP's top images: Photography
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.
Workers wearing masks produce soap at the Licorne soap
“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.
See more of AP's top images: Photography
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.
Workers wearing masks produce soap at the Licorne soap
factory in Marseille, southern France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
A factory worker wears a mask as he attends to a customer
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. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
Discarded bars of soap sit in a bucket at the Licorne soap
Discarded bars of soap sit in a bucket at the Licorne soap
factory in Marseille, southern France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
Serge Bruna locks up the Marseille soap museum on the
Serge Bruna locks up the Marseille soap museum on the
Old Port in Marseille, southern France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
Uncut bars of soap are pictured at the Licorne soap factory
Uncut bars of soap are pictured at the Licorne soap factory
in Marseille, southern France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
A factory worker wearing a mask produces soap at the
A factory worker wearing a mask produces soap at the
Licorne soap factory in Marseille, southern France.
(AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
Fourth generation soap maker Serge Bruna poses for a
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 (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
Melanie Dinot, a retail worker at the Savonnerie de la Licorne
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.
(AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
A drawer full of soap stamps, at the Licorne soap factory
A drawer full of soap stamps, at the Licorne soap factory
in Marseille, southern France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
A factory worker at the Licorne soap factory prepares boxes
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.
(AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
Fourth generation soap maker Serge Bruna washes his
Fourth generation soap maker Serge Bruna washes his
hands in his family owned Licorne soap factory in Marseille,
southern France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
Fourth generation soap maker, Serge Bruna empties
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. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
Serge Bruna, right, and soap artisans cut bars of soap at
Serge Bruna, right, and soap artisans cut bars of soap at
the Licorne soap factory in Marseille, southern France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
Serge Bruna, center, and soap artisans cut bars of soap
Serge Bruna, center, and soap artisans cut bars of soap
at the Licorne soap factory in Marseille, southern France.
(AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
Freshly cut soap bars are packed away at the Licorne soap
Freshly cut soap bars are packed away at the Licorne soap
factory in Marseille, southern France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
___
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
___
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
___
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
___
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
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