Feeling slightly overwhelmed by the choice? You're not alone.
At first glance, French soap can seem surprisingly complicated. There are olive oil cubes, Aleppo soaps, black soaps, liquid soaps, colourful Provence soaps, laundry soaps and household cleaners. Some are made in Marseille. Some are made elsewhere in Provence. Some are fragranced. Others contain no added fragrance at all.
The good news is that our range is extensive not because there are hundreds of versions of the same soap, but because there are centuries of different soap-making traditions sitting side by side.
Most traditional soaps were created with a specific purpose in mind. Some were developed for laundry, some for household cleaning, some for daily washing and others simply for the pleasure of fragrance. Over time, different regions, makers and traditions evolved their own approaches, each with its own strengths and character.
Once you understand what each was designed to do, choosing becomes much simpler.
This guide explains the main categories, what makes them different and the products we most often recommend to customers discovering French soap for the first time. Whether you are looking for a traditional everyday soap, a fragrance-free option, a household staple or a small taste of Provence, we'll help you find a place to begin.
Savon de Marseille - Probably The Most Versatile Soap in the World
If there is one product most closely associated with French soap, it is Savon de Marseille. Traditionally made by cooking vegetable oils in large cauldrons, this remarkably simple soap has been used for generations for washing, laundry, stain removal, travel and household cleaning.
If you only buy one soap today, buy this.
Aleppo Soap - The Soap That Started It All
Long before Marseille became famous for soap, Aleppo was already producing olive oil soap using methods that continue today.
Made each winter and traditionally aged for at least nine months, Aleppo Soap remains one of the oldest surviving soap-making traditions in the world. Popular with soap purists, those looking to avoid added fragrance and customers seeking a long-lasting traditional soap, it is a product that has changed remarkably little over the centuries.
Provence Soaps - The Soaps Found on Market Stalls Across Southern France
These are the colourful soaps many people first discover whilst travelling in France. Inspired by the flowers, fruits and aromatic plants of Provence, they celebrate fragrance, colour and everyday pleasure.
Produced in a variety of formulations including shea butter, olive oil, sweet almond oil and other plant-based recipes, these are the soaps that often spark a lifelong interest in French soap. For many customers, they are the scents, colours and memories of holidays in southern France.
Fragrance-Free - The Simplest Formulations in Our Collection
Many customers find us whilst looking for fragrance free soap products. Others simply prefer products with fewer ingredients and a more traditional approach and this is where French Soap excels.
This collection brings together our fragrance-free Savon de Marseille, Pure Aleppo Soap and selected liquid soaps, providing a straightforward place to begin for those who prefer or require a soap without scent.
Black Soap - The Traditional Household Staple Most Customers Wish They Had Discovered Sooner
One of France's most versatile household products, Black Soap has been used for generations throughout the home and garden. Made primarily from olive oil, it is valued for cleaning floors, kitchens, bathrooms, outdoor spaces and countless everyday tasks.
Customers love that one product can tackle so many cleaning jobs. From degreasing kitchens and cleaning floors to garden furniture and outdoor spaces, Black Soap is often the product that transforms how people think about household cleaning.
Laundry - The Category Most Customers Never Knew They Needed
Long before modern detergents, traditional soap was caring for everything from everyday linens to delicate fabrics and treasured household textiles.
Today, Marseille Soap Flakes, laundry soaps and stain removers remain some of the most practical products we stock. Valued for their economy, versatility and impressive stain-removing abilities, they are used on everything from everyday laundry to wool, silk, antique lace and heirloom textiles. Whilst many customers first arrive looking for soap for themselves, it is often the laundry products that earn the strongest loyalty and recommendations.
Behind Every Soap Is a Savonnerie
French soap is not made by one company, nor has it ever been.
Some savonneries specialise in traditional Marseille soap. Others focus on fragrance, household cleaning, goat's milk soap or Aleppo soap. Many have spent decades refining a particular expertise.
Understanding the soaps is one part of the story.
Understanding the people who make them is another.
Explore The Savonneries →
Beyond the Soap
One of the reasons French soap continues to fascinate people is that every product has a story behind it.
Why is Marseille Soap made in a cauldron?
What does "72%" actually mean?
How does Aleppo Soap differ from Savon de Marseille?
Why do some soaps contain olive oil whilst others use shea butter, almond oil or coconut oil?
What makes one savonnerie different from another?
If you would like to explore the history, formulations and traditions behind these products in greater depth, visit The French Soap Library.