The History of Cire Trudon

1643 - a salesman named Claude Trudon arrived in Paris and became the owner of a store in Rue Saint-Honoré. He was a grocer but also a wax merchant and supplied his customers with candles for lighting their homes and for the parish. On the eve of Louis XIV's reign, Trudon thus created a small family manufacturing business that was to carry his name forward and make the fortune of his heirs. His son Jacques also became a shopkeeper and wax producer and entered the court of Versailles in 1687, as apothecary distiller of Marie-Thérèse, wife of the King. In the 18th century, in 1737, Hierosme Trudon purchased the most famous wax factories of the era from the official wax provider to King Louis XV. Trudon grew and began supplying the French court and the most important churches. The Trudon company supplied Versailles until the very end of the monarchy. As Napoleon's wax producer during the Empire, the company survived the arrival of domestic lighting and the birth of the "electric revolution" continuing to prosper. Trudon continued its work throughout the centuries, without ever interrupting its activity, particularly through the making of traditional candles and perfumed candles for the greatest names. It is now the oldest and most prestigious wax manufacturer in the world.

17th century - During Louis XIII's reign, Trudon settled in Paris where he opened a grocery store in which he sold the candles and wax that he produced himself. 

1643 - In the 17th century candles became a luxury product rather than a source of light for everyday people but were used for religious ceremonies and important occasions.

Affluent families used large quantities of candles and those produced by the Trudon company became well known for their very high quality wax. The manufacturing process took the best wax collected from the beehives in the Kingdom using the best treatments: washing in water filtered through gypsum to guarantee its purity, importation of the finest cotton for producing the wicks so as to allow clean and regular burning. Perfect and really white, Trudon candles could burn for a long time, without flickering or producing smoke. They were already the height of luxury.

1700 - Ennoblement of family Trudon.

1719 - The Trudon company became the Royal wax manufacturer serving the Queen. It illuminated all the splendour of the court and the nobility. Its reputation and activity survived the fall of the “Ancien régime” and the arrival of the industrial revolution.

1728 - During the era of the Enlightenment, the Trudon company revealed to Duhamel de Monceau, one of the editors of the Encyclopaedia, the secrets of its production. So, it went down in history!

1737 - Quentin de la Tour lived in Paris from 1737 onwards and became painter to the King. The candles featured in all his “luminist” works could quite easily have been those produced by the Trudon company which, at that time, had the honour of being the "Royal Manufacturer".

1747 - During the 18th century, the Trudon company supplied the court of Louis XIV, as well as almost all the large churches in France. More than a hundred workers worked in what would become the best wax manufacturing company in the Kingdom. 

1757 - The archives of the Trudon company still keep records of the ancient wax whitening tools: wrought iron "romaines", 17th century pans… The moulds used to form candles bearing the royal blazons still remain, on which certain indications can be read: "cierge pascal pour la Chapelle du Roy à Versailles, Bougies de nuit pour le Roy" (Easter candle for the Royal Chapel in Versailles, night candles for the King).

1762 - In 1762, in his encyclopaedia, "l'Art du Cirier" (The art of the wax producer), the engineer Duhamel du Monceau praises the skills of the Trudons. Its Latin motto and its blazon are engraved on a stone board of the factory building: a depiction of hives and bees bordered by the saying: Deo regique laborant (They -the bees- work for God and for the King).

1785 - Marie-Antoinette advocated the qualities of Trudon MADs so much that « Trudonne » became the official name for MADs.

1789 - The Trudon company would supply the Palace of Versailles until the very end of the Monarchy. It weathered the chaos of the French Revolution surviving the tragic events.

1793 - The Trudon company also illuminated the last sad hours of the royal family. During his captivity, Louis XVI used the candles from his royal wax producer. The Trudon blazon and the motto would be hidden to avoid the furies of the Revolution.

1799 - In that year, Napoleon Bonaparte became First Consul of France. In 1804 he became Emperor and with him Trudon entered the imperial court. 

1811 - Napoleon only gave a single present to his son when he was born: a Trudon candle encrusted with three pieces of gold featuring his head.

1867 - Thanks to the quality of these candles and the company's reputation, it survived the fall of the monarchy and made a graceful return under the Empire, having great success over the 19th century and its "industrial revolution" this time... Houses and hotels were soon to be illuminated using gas and then electricity. Candles and their subdued, precious lighting lived on in religious buildings and the intimacy of boudoirs…

1889 - The company won a gold medal at the World Exhibition as well as other prizes for its constantly innovative intelligence and know-how. It was one of the jewels in the crown of up and coming French industry.

2006 - Cire Trudon lit up the queen Marie-Antoinette once again, supplying candles for shooting Coppola's film in Versailles.

This content is courtesy of Cire Trudon

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