Fishwives of Paris
Why France Refuses to Let Duralex Die
Listen to the full episodeDo not have it yet? Parasocial is a podcast player by Super Simple.
About this episode
Duralex is the little tempered glass found everywhere from French school cafeterias to Parisian bistros—and once you start looking at its history, it becomes a surprisingly revealing story about modern France. After decades of globalization, disastrous ownership and repeated financial crises, Duralex’s own employees stepped in to save the company, transforming it into a worker cooperative and investing their own money. Now soaring energy costs have put the French icon in danger again. Caroline and Emily unpack why France cares so deeply about an inexpensive water glass—and somehow end up discussing Stanley Cups, the American obsession with hydration, French distrust of ice, cafeteria lunches, James Bond and the secret childhood game hidden on the bottom of every Duralex glass. Podcast Show NotesDuralex was officially launched in 1945, but its origins stretch back to a Loire Valley vinegar maker who needed bottles. Its tempered glass eventually became synonymous with French cafés, schools and institutional dining. In this episode: • How Duralex became a postwar French design icon • The disastrous ownership period that helped push the company into decades of instability • Wh