The Brand we love: Introducing Mariage Frères, a luxury tea house

Its tea menu includes more than 650 blends from 36 producing countries, encompassing all tea families.

Brand Mariage Frères traces its history back to the 17th century, coinciding with the rise of the tea trade in France. The Mariage family journeyed to distant places like Madagascar, India, and Persia in search of exotic new tea flavors suitable for royalty. With years of expertise in the tea industry, the two brothers established their first tea shop in Paris. Currently, there are four tea rooms in Paris, with our preferred one being the charming establishment in the Marais district.

Over time, the company has become a recognized expert in blending teas. Its blends, composed in the tradition of sophisticated and secret perfumes, bear the hallmark of its ancestral expertise. Sales of 400 tons per year are also conducted through its online store and in department stores where Mariage Frères has dedicated sections. Its tea menu includes more than 650 blends from 36 producing countries, encompassing all tea families.

Mariage Legacy

In 1660. Louis XIV commissioned a certain Nicolas Mariage, a spice merchant, to bring teas from Persia and India to the court of the Palace of Versailles. This is how the oldest French tea house was born.

In 1830, Auguste and Aimé Mariage, descendants of the family from Lille, settled in the Marais district of Paris to work in the colonial goods trade and in a sugar refinery. In 1854, their sons, Henri and Edouard, founded the first Mariage Frères company in the capital, importing teas and vanilla.

Until 1983, Mariage Frères was involved in importing teas and vanilla, providing these to delicatessens, tea rooms, and hotels. The company was managed by Marthe Cottin, a descendant of Nicolas, who had no heirs. She chose to sell the business to Kitti Cha Sangmanee, a Thai student studying international law in Paris, who teamed up with Franck Desains for the venture. Some might recall the company's dimly lit location at the end of Rue Saint-Merri, across from a private school with the same name.

The new owners swiftly decided to market the teas and develop blends under their own brand. They launched their first tea house at a now-historic site on 30 rue du Bourg-Tibourg in the Marais district. This marked the beginning of their success story. A second shop was opened across from 30 rue du Bourg-Tibourg, followed by more. The company now operates through a vast network of distributors worldwide, including gourmet shops and department stores, and owns seven tea houses in Paris, five in Japan, one in Berlin, and one in London. For some, these offerings are akin to grand cru teas, similar to fine wines, featuring vintage and rare teas. They also host tea discovery workshops and tastings.

Mariage Frères was recognized by the American magazine Newsweek as the top destination worldwide for the quality of Darjeeling tea. It also serves as the official supplier to the Élysée Palace.

Located on the first floor of 30 rue du Bourg Thibourg, the brand features a small museum dedicated to the history of tea and its associated lifestyle. Visitors can explore it after enjoying lunch or afternoon tea in the boutique. The brand has established a unique aesthetic code, use of warm-toned woodwork, rattan chairs, and scales for weighing tea. The sales staff are dressed in beige linen uniforms, while the servers wear white cotton attire.

Since 2015, Mariage Frères has been the owner of the Hôtel de Vigny, a 17th-century building designed by architect Jean Thiriot at 10 rue du Parc Royal, which was previously located in the 3rd arrondissement. This site serves as their headquarters and includes a tasting room.