Before PERRIER was Called PERRIER

CHAPTER 1
120 million years: The Extraordinaire Love Affaire Between
Water and Gas.

Do you know the story of how water met gas in Vergèze, France? Well, back when the world was younger and a little more rebellious, an underground love affair ignited between rainwater and gas of volcanic origin. In a series of several eruptions, they met, they mingled, and they fell in love making one of prehistory’s most extraordinaire power couples. 120-million-years later and this passionate pairing is still going at it – seriously, they’ve been making bubbles since dinosaurs stomped the earth. With time these two lovebirds dubbed Les Bouillens would become the legendary source of PERRIER®.

218 BC: Hannibal
As legend has it, the greatest military commander in history, Hannibal, quenched his thirst at the renowned source in 218 BC on his march to Rome.

58 BC: Julius Cezar
The Romans built the first baths at the bubbling source - you know, they were just roman around until they got thirsty.

CHAPTER 2
The Taming of the Wild Spring

Relax, take a deep breath, and drink PERRIER®. By the mid 19th century well-to-do spa cities, aka ville d’eaux, were some real hot spots. With the spa craze at its hottest temperature, the fever eventually spread to Les Bouillens thanks to a production decree granted by Napoleon III. Under the provision of Alphonse Garnier, out of gas clients looking to regenerate basked in a variety of types of baths, and of course drank to their hearts’ content bottles of the carbonated mineral water.

Decree of June 23, 1863
The decree signed by Napoleon III authorizing the use of Les Bouillens in Vergèze.

Château de Vergèze
The now PERRIER® Museum and former home of the Garnier Family.

Establisment Boulliens
This shows the project that established a spa resort at Les Boulliens, ahhh… a Perrier spa dreamy.

CHAPTER 3
The Good Doctor Perrier

What’s up, doc? Well, in 1898, Dr. Perrier was up to a lot. This was the year the good doctor became the official medical director for our beloved bubbling spring. With many years worth of knowledge in the benefits of mineral water, Dr Perrier examined and tested this extraordinaire source. 

Dr Perrier established the combination of water and CO2 gas in perfect proportions to deliver an unmatchable product experience. The carbonation technique consisted in pumping water charged with CO2 in the same geographic area as Perrier Source, to then capture the gas, then separate it from the water, and eventually use the captured gas to reinforce Perrier natural mineral water. This technique had remained the same since then.

In 2018, with the objective to reduce its water footprint, Perrier will start introducing a CO2 gas from an external source in its carbonation process, allowing to manage the water resource differently, and permitting to reduce the total water consumption, at constant perimeter. The blend of water and gas in the perfect proportions established by Dr Perrier will remain the same: hence continuing with the same winning formula established in the late XIXth century, that has made Perrier the most appreciated and most unique sparkling water in the world.

Louis Eugène Perrier
Physician with experience in thermal spring medical direction. He perfected techniques for water and gas capture, and established the optimum blend for the water we know and love today. Thanks Dr. Perrier!

Label
At the turn of the 20th century the spring was still known by Les Bouillens as seen on this early label.

View of PERRIER® bottling
The Perrier bottling plant circa 1927.