How Are Diptyque Candles Made?

I was lucky enough to go on a quick trip to France recently, to visit the factory to see how the large, luxury, ceramic Diptyque candle holders are made, and have a go at personalising one too, but on the way we stopped off at a couple of other lovely spots for wine tasting and some amazing food, well it is France after all! Here's a glimpse of what I got up to.

First stop was Chateau de Haut-Serre in Cieurac owned by renowned wine maker, Georges Vigouroux, to taste some wine and have lunch, naturally

I asked why the barrels had a red band around them, and was told that when they test the wine, it dribbles onto the wood, so they take some more and paint it all the way around! Great idea huh! Ever stylish the French!

This was my favourite of the wines we tried, a cheeky little red. This area is famous for Malbec, yes Malbec. Apparently some French people took some vines to Argentina to see if they would grow which was just as well as the vineyards in France had a disease which wiped out the whole crop, so they brought vines back from Argentina and began to grow them again! Hurrah!

And the first course of the fantastic lunch we had

This was the entrance to the pottery, these machines look like instruments of torture!

The inside of the factory Ceramique Du Lot Virebent in Puy-L'Eveque, near Cahors

Figuier is one of Diptyque's most popular scents in home fragrance, cased in this lovely spring green colour. Getting this ombre effect means using yellow and green paint in the right amounts, you have to know what you are doing!

This is the clay mixture going into the mould, any that is left over goes back into the vat to be re-used. I love the lo-tech way they use a plastic sieve and some tape!

This lovely lady is taking the candle holder out of the mould. There is a real mixture of ages and men and women in the factory which is really lovely. Good atmosphere.

This guy was putting vases in the kiln to dry. They make other stuff too, and they have a shop! See below, impossible not to buy something.

Don't these look great? I love the medallions on the front in a different colour. I don't think these have been fired yet.

These holders are special edition Christmas ones with stars on. This lady makes sure the stars are clearly defined using a sharp tool before they go in the kiln. Such attention to detail! you need a good eye!

This is the big kiln for lots of holders that they mainly use in the winter.

Yours truly personalising my candle holder. I chose 34 as my candle fragrance which is the address of the first Diptyque boutique on Boulevard St Germain in Paris, and was created to celebrate their 50th anniversary, don't you know. I am using gold paint to pick out the number. Look at that concentration!

Doesn't look much does it? but I am sure it will look FABULOUS darling! once its fired.

I added the date as a reminder of an amazing experience

Gorgeous new colour for Autumn, again with an ombre effect.

Another of the artists painting the stars in gold. Note the stripy top to show I am in France.

And THIS is where we stayed! I felt like Cinderella! 13th century Chateau de Mercues near Cahors

And the chateau had their own winery too. I was desperate to pull one of the bottles out to see what happened......

Another beautiful-looking meal for dinner, it's so pretty isn't it? That plate was huge! So was I after I ate everything....

A truly amazing trip, so interesting. Can't wait to see my candle in all its glory, filled with wax in another factory in Marseilles and ready to light.