We’d like to take you on an unusual tour during this festive season, to discover a little-known craft: making candles using a ladle, just like in the 15th century!
The Ciergerie de l’Abbaye des Prémontrés is located in Tarascon, between Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and Arles.
The company has been awarded the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (Living Heritage Company) label.
So it may come as a surprise to find it in such a modern location, in large hangars in Tarascon’s industrial zone.
A little history...
It was founded in 1858 by the Premonstratensian White Fathers living in Frigolet Abbey, between Avignon and Tarascon.
In 1903, the White Fathers went into exile in Belgium and Great Britain.
They sold the ciergerie to Monsieur Chabrier, who set up the workshop in former stables in the heart of his Provençal village, Graveson.
The quality of the production attracted churchmen and lovers of fine workmanship alike, and the ciergerie’s reputation grew until, in October 2009, a fire ravaged these beautiful workshops, destroying dozens of wax moulds.
It was Stéphane Richard, owner of Tissus Soleiado in Tarascon, who bought the business, moving it to this functional location at the entrance to the town to open a workshop-boutique.
Did you know what a Maître Cirier does?
There are six of them working at La Ciergerie de l’Abbaye des Prémontrés, all of them surprisingly young, passionate and proud to be practising the profession of Master Candlesmith.
One of them, concentrating on finishing huge candles, shows us the two 15th century manufacturing techniques: the ‘plunge’ technique used to make conical candles. Wicks of cotton are stretched over a frame and dipped repeatedly in a 70° wax bath until the desired diameter is obtained.
The second technique, ‘à la louche’, requires real skill.
Each master wax-maker has his own technique, but his movements must be precise, and he must constantly make sure that the wax is evenly distributed when he ladles it onto the wicks hanging from a hoop, and pass the gauge to check the diameter of the candle… A 130 cm high candle with a diameter of 7 cm takes a week’s work!
Candles, decorative objects
Moulding’ is a technique that has been used for some twenty years to make fancy candles of all shapes and sizes. Original candle holders are designed here, with inclusions of Souleiado fabric, photos, a cameo of pieces of wax or coloured candle rings!
Did you know?
The Ciergerie de l’Abbaye des Prémontrés regularly works for the cinema and makes double-wick candles for film shoots… so that the flame is clearly visible on the screen!
If you would like to find out more about this factory, please contact Plaisirs & Maisons de Provence by clicking here.
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