This museum enables visitors to discover all of the manufacturing techniques involved in the making of the famous, genuine soap cube produced in the Aygalades area of Marseille.
Situated near the Aix/Marseille highway, just a 10-minute drive from Gate 4 of the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille in the 15th arrondissement, The Marseille Soap Museum provides you with the chance for an exceptional tour at Savonnerie du Midi.
The museum space has been opened to the public since December 2018 thanks to educational and territorial as well as tourist aspirations!
Indeed, this tour is organized in the last historically operating soap factory in the area. Find out everything about the history of the Marseille soap and how it is made, but also its traditional uses and its industrial background.
You can book your visit here.
Discover the scents of the Provençal land with the traditional Marseille soap, an exceptional example of a product typical of our region. The museum of the Marseille soap narrates the long history of this fundamental product from a cultural point of view, starting from the 13th century, when Provençal oils and sodas derived from burnt vegetation were mixed together in small workshops of Marseille.
You will also have the chance to understand the importance of the 1688 decree by Louis XIV, according to which it was obligatory to produce soaps made only of vegetable oils (without any animal fat) up to 72%.
The museum provides a rare chance for you to learn about the day-to-day routine and traditional expertise of master soap makers.
A visit to the Marseille soap museum is a fantastic, family-friendly excursion. Plunge into the authentic atmosphere of one of the region’s oldest active soap factories.
Here, you will visit the heart of the aromas of genuine Marseille Soap, one of the most iconic, natural, and genuine products of Provence. The Marseille Soap Museum tells the story of the making of soap in Provence since medieval times.
In this museum, you will get to know more about the process and the skills of traditional soap makers. Ancient soap-making tools, boxwood stamps, first soap molds, scrub boards… all serve as evidence of the development of the manufacture of Marseille soap.
You will get to know about the values, the knowledge, and the traditional methods of the soap masters, which have been passed down from generation to generation in order to ensure its total authenticity. The Museum of Marseille Soap, which is a real testimony of the artisanal heritage of the region, is an essential stop of your trip in Provence, no matter whether you stay in Salon-de-Provence, Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, or Avignon!
Discover the history of the production of Marseille soap from the time of Romans to nowadays.
For individuals:
For groups:
Guided tour by reservation only:
