Provence; Landscapes, Historic Towns and Cardboard

Provence; Landscapes, Historic Towns and Cardboard

The rolling hills of sunflowers, lavender and Rhone Valley vineyards have a natural appeal. Scattered with medieval towns and the delights of Provencal cuisine, it is no surprise that this region of Southern France has attracted visitors for centuries. Impressionist artists were inspired by the light, chefs by the fresh produce and for those in need of escape, the stunning surroundings are hard to beat.

If you have enjoyed a holiday in Provence, you may have walked the streets of Avignon, toured the vineyards to sample the local wines, walked in the region around Mont Ventoux, or explored the underground caves of Thouzon Caves. An attraction that may not have caught your eye is one of the world’s only museums dedicated to cardboard packaging!

Cardboard and Printing Museum

It might be hard to believe, but Valreas in Provence is home to the ‘Cardboard and Printing Museum’, where the production and printing methods used in cardboard packaging are celebrated.

From the hard cut and folded boxes of the mid-19^th Century, through to modern day cardboard manufacturing, they have it covered in an archive of photographs, videos and exhibits. A showcase of lithographs, typographs and off-set printing also show how the printing of boxes can transform a humble packaging item into marketing material.

If you’ve ever wondered how cardboard was cut to ensure the safe transport of live silk worms, or how cardboard was transformed to illustrate the essence of luxury for the packaging of jewellery and perfume, it sounds like this is the place to head.

Cardboard Packaging; Past, present and Future

This museum does highlight that cardboard packaging has stood the test of time. As a practical and affordable packaging solution that can be shaped and printed in many ways, it has been used to transport and display an extensive range of products.

Cardboard remains the most widely used packaging material, with around 5million cardboard boxes being used in the UK each year. It is also sustainable, which means it has plenty of scope for meeting our future packaging requirements.

Maybe Provence should be the destination for our next office away day…