Saint-Claude, still the capital of the pipe?

With the trade in crisis, are the pipe makers of Saint-Claude in decline? Is the town still the world capital of the briar pipe? Let us take stock.

A symbol proudly attached to Saint-Claude

Saint-Claude has been making pipes of renown for the whole world since the middle of the nineteenth century. The town still carries that attachment proudly, right down to its streets, where the bins are shaped like pipes.

A pipe museum, well-known master pipe makers: the object is part and parcel of the heritage of this sub-prefecture. Time, however, has worn that history down somewhat.

A craft slowly fading

Only two master pipe makers are left in Saint-Claude today, although buying a pipe remains fairly straightforward. They are not complaining and continue to meet the demand for briar pipes, but is that still enough to claim the title of "world capital"? According to Jacques Craen, one of the town's two pipe makers, the pipe employs only 25 people in Saint-Claude. That is little, in his view, on which to claim the status of world capital.

The market today suffers from unproductive competition. According to Claire Mermet, president of La Pipe rit, the individualism of the Saint-Claude master pipe makers led to the deterioration of the pipe market in previous years. It has now stabilised, but it is not safe from another crisis in the months, or even the years, to come.

The pipe is coming back into fashion, with a growing number of young smokers, men and women alike. This rediscovery of the object is doing something to revive the sector. Yet even though Saint-Claude pipes are sought after and renowned, rather more will probably be needed for the town to recover its standing and its legendary reputation. As the birthplace of the briar pipe, the small French town asks nothing better than to win back pipe smokers the world over.