Despite of being caught out with the sneakers, Sofia Coppola’s interpretation of ‘Marie Antoinette’ filmed in Versailles is not all inaccurate. As spotted in the film, Cire Trudon is the authentic appointed candle maker for the 18th Century French Royals. It is also one of the oldest candle makers in the world.

Aged over three hundred years, Cire Trudon witnesses the rise and fall of the French Royals. Their candles are lit in the Église St-Roch (designed by architect Jacques Lemercier, who also designed the Louvre) since 1643, as well as most of the churches in France. It is the appointed candle maker of the French Royals since 1719, even throughout the revolution and the final hours of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. It caught the eyes of Napoleon and was the only gift he ever gave to his then new born son. Fast forward to now, Cire Trudon produces candles for the likes of Hermes, Cartier, Dior, Guerlain and Kenzo.

Cire Trudon create candles in various sizes, from ‘miniatures’ to ‘giant’. The highlight is ‘La Grande Bougie’ which weighs 2.8kg (6.8lbs), ready to be ordered in any Cire Trudon scent of your choice. With such scent like ‘Empire’ (inspired by Napoleon), ‘Revolution’ (which smells like bread fresh from the oven), ‘Dada’ (a psychedelically surreal scent), ‘Ernesto’ (think Havana cigar and gun powder) and ‘Trianon’ (inspired by the country life dreams of Marie Antoinette), ‘Odeur De Lune’ (the scent derived from the reports written by the NASA), no wonder its current designer Ramdane Touhami proudly claimed ‘Cire Trudon ne fabrique pas des parfums, mais invente des odeurs.’ (Cire Trudon does not make perfumes, but creates smells).

Text: Carmen Lee | Translation: dilettante | Photo: Kimio Ng
Update: 17 Oct 2008

CIRE TRUDON
www.ciretrudon.com