Snow White Camembert Labels from France

Located in Charente-Maritime in southwestern France, the Chadenac Dairy Cooperative (Laiterie Coopérative de Chadenac) started producing a 40% fat camembert cheese circa 1938. This little bit of information is important to us why? Because the cheese bore a Snow White label and was called Blanche Neige Camembert Supérieur. The illustrations for this--and all of the labels--were created by H. Garnaud of Angoulême.

The distinctively Disney-like princess is pictured standing under a tree with two generic-looking dwarfs, warming their hands by a campfire.The lack of any Disney copyright markings is an indication that the dairy was using the Snow White likeness without permission.

This next label for the extra fine cheese also displays no Disney imprint, and yet, the princess looks even more like her motion picture character. The dwarfs, however, remain indistinct.

In a later label. it's clear that the Disney Company caught on, because not only does Snow White appear like herself, but she's also joined by a very identifiable Bashful and Happy. And now found along the bottom is the standard international imprint used in the day, "Walt Disney - Mickey Mouse S.A."

The same illustration and markings are seen on a square label, 45% fat Carré de L'ouest.

The evolution of the Chadenac Dairy labels is seen below with a yellow design in the middle, and a red "Belle Neige" on the right.

The Belle Neige label dates from the 1970s when the dairy stopped using the Disney characters--due to the high cost of the licensing fees. The co-op simply changed the name of the cheese to Beautiful Snow and created their own design personifications.

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An advertisement for the Blanche Neige Camembert is seen on this ink blotter paper. In France, when school children were taught to write with fountain pens, these papers would be placed under the left hand (for right-handers) and slid as the writing progressed. When too much ink came out of the pen, the paper would absorb the stain. Some companies used them to advertise, including the Chadenac Dairy Cooperative.

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French cinema and television producer, Pierre Tchernia, is a well-known personality throughout France. It's also common knowledge that his favorite film is Blanche Neige et les Sept Nains. In the early sixties, he was the host of a TV show called, The Public Friend #1 (L'ami public numéro 1). In the introduction to the first episode, he is talking with Jacqueline Huet. They’re discussing the concept of the program, showing clips of Disney features, shorts, and other materia--many of them for the very first time on French TV. In the brief excerpt that follows, they chat about Snow White camembert boxes that Pierre has collected.

Camembert information, images, and subtitled video generously provided by Greg Philip, author of A Lost Film blog.

1962 French TV Guide

In 1962, only one television network existed in France, the state-operated RTF--Radio-Télédiffusion-Française--yet there were many different TV Guides to choose from. This one is Télé Magazine No. 374 from the week of December 23-29. Featured on the cover is an image of Snow White peering through the dwarfs' cottage window.

The magazine would have been sold throughout France and along the border in other French-speaking countries where the RTF signal could be picked up. Price: 1 NF (French New Franc), 15 FB (Belgian Franc), 1,30 FS (Swiss Franc).

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was re-released to French theatres on December 12, 1962. In celebration of its return, several television "specials" were scheduled to air. The small box on page 2 explains what these are, though not in much detail. It only states that some shows are for adults, others for kids and that Snow White should be interesting for both.

This 1962 reissue of the film was extra special because it included a totally redubbed French soundtrack. Disney employed Lucie Dolène to be the new voice of Snow White. In addition, she also recorded her own versions of the songs to a 45 with Caravelli and His Magic Violins. (Visit the earlier post to hear a short excerpt from the record.)









The first Snow White TV event would include Lucie Dolène. On Sunday the 23rd at 2.30 pm (14:30), during the Télé dimanche show, Lucie would sing her Snow White songs with Caravelli and his violins.

On page 42, there is an ad for the other Caravelli Snow White record, sans Lucie Dolène. (See previous Archive entry.)

On Thursday (Jeudi), December 27th at 12:30 pm, the La Séquence du Jeune Spectateur (Young Spectator Sequence) show ran short excerpts from Snow White along with clips from the Romy Schneider movie, Un Petit coin de paradis. No more details were given other than an announcement for the return of Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains to Parisian screens.

On page 48 is an ad for the adaptation of the Snow White comic strip which was first published in newspapers in America. This French version would appear weekly in “Le Journal de Mickey” (Mickey’s Newspaper).

Page 55: French TV personality and Snow White enthusiast, Pierre Tchernia, appeared at 8:30 pm for 15 minutes after the evening news. He hosted a Blanche-Neige special where he shared why this was his favorite film.

Info and image scans generously supplied by Greg Philip of A Lost Film.

1962 was a big year for Snow White in France; there were probably plenty more sneak peeks at the film on various TV shows.