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Made in France

Made in France, in the small workshops that still cut, rivet and polish a frame by hand.

Read: French eyewear brands

83 frames

About Made in France

The frames on this page are made in France. Henau is a Belgian brand whose frames are made entirely by hand by artisans in France, from rare and often strongly coloured acetate. Sabine Be frames are handmade in France for a brand founded in Orléans by an optician. Traction Productions frames are made in the Jura by the Gros family company, founded in 1872, which turned to eyewear in 1930.

Only brands with a verified Made in France fact are here. J.F. Rey, designed in Marseille, is not, because we have no confirmed statement of where its frames are made, and we would rather leave a brand off than guess.

Mostly acetate, mostly round

Most are acetate; the rest are metal or combine the two. Every Henau frame is acetate, cut from plates the brand chooses for colour: Green Crystal, Blue Marble, Champagne Crystal, Coral Red.

Round is the dominant shape, then cat-eye and geometric, with rectangular, oval, square and aviator behind. The sizes lean small. Eye sizes run from 35mm to 58mm with a median of 48mm, and the smallest in the store are Traction Productions rounds. Most are one of a kind; each ships as a frame within the US, free and insured, and your own optician fits the lenses.

Which glasses brands are made in France?

Three of the brands we stock state that their frames are made in France: Henau, Sabine Be and Traction Productions. Henau is Belgian by origin but makes in France; Sabine Be is from Orléans; Traction Productions makes in the Jura. We only put a brand on this page when the brand itself says where it makes, so J.F. Rey, designed in Marseille, is not here.

Are French glasses frames handmade?

The three here are. Henau describes its frames as made entirely by hand by artisans in France, and each model starts as a hand sketch by its designer. Sabine Be says every frame is made by hand in France. Traction Productions is made in the Jura, France’s traditional eyewear region, by a family company in its fifth generation. Most of the frames are also one of a kind.

Where in France are these frames made?

Traction Productions is made in the Jura, a region with generations of eyewear-making behind it. Henau and Sabine Be state that their frames are made in France without naming a town in the facts we have verified, so we do not name one either. If it matters to you, ask us and we will find out what the brand says.

Can I get prescription lenses in French frames?

Yes. Each frame ships as a frame, and your own optician fits the lenses. Most are acetate, cut from a solid plate, which hides a thicker lens edge and holds an optician’s adjustment. Our lens guide explains lens choices, and both of our shops belong to the Eye Rx practice, where fittings and adjustments happen.