Antoine Gilles Menier
Encyclopedia
Antoine Gilles Florent Menier (October 13, 1904 - August 12, 1967) was a French
businessman and municipal politician who was a member of the prominent Menier family
of chocolatier
s.
Born in Paris
, Antoine Menier was the eldest of the four sons of Georges Menier (1880-1933) and Simone Camille Marie Legrand (1881-1972). He studied at the Lycée Condorcet
in Paris but had little interest in business and did not go on to advanced studies. Instead, he used his wealth to pursue a life of sporting activities. An auto racing
enthusiast, Antoine Menier set a number of records driving Alfa Romeo
vehicles in hillclimbing
events.
In 1933 Antoine Menier became the mayor of Lognes
, a town about 2 miles south of the family's factories in Noisiel
. He held the mayoral position until 1945 when his uncle Jacques Menier died. Since 1871, Menier family members had been the mayor of the town of Noisiel and Antoine replaced his uncle Jacques as Noisiel's mayor. He held that office until 1959 but was the last Menier to be the town's mayor.
in France's Loire Valley
. On Antoine's death his estate became the subject of a court
battle and ultimately the château was acquired by his widowed sister-in-law, Odette. On her death in 1975, her son Jean-Louis Menier inherited it and made Chenonceau one of France's major tourist attractions.
company with his brother Hubert. In spite of the difficult times of World War II
, in 1950 Menier Chocolate was still the industry leader in France. However, Antoine Menier was ill-equipped to run the company and his brother Hubert lacked the leadership skills to overcome the growing number of problems in what had become an intensely competitive market. On Hubert's death in 1959 there was no Menier family member capable or desirous of replacing him. Married late in life to Parisian fashion model Renée Vigne, Antoine Menier had no children and would be the last of the Menier family to head the company.
By 1960 the once mighty Menier Chocolate company was losing substantial amounts of money and merged with the Rozan chocolate company of Oloron-Sainte-Marie
. A shell of its former self, the Menier workforce in Noisiel would soon be reduced from a peak of more than 2,000 to just a few hundred. By 1965 the Menier family no longer held an interest in the company.
Antoine Menier died in Paris in 1967.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
businessman and municipal politician who was a member of the prominent Menier family
Menier family
The Menier family of Noisiel, France, was a prominent family of chocolatiers who began as pharmaceutical manufacturers in Paris in 1816. They would build a highly successful enterprise, expanding to London, England, and New York City, New York, USA. The Menier Chocolate Co. remained in the family...
of chocolatier
Chocolatier
A chocolatier is someone who makes confectionery from chocolate. Chocolatiers are distinct from chocolate makers, who create chocolate from cacao beans and other ingredients.Professional chocolatiers study topics including the following:...
s.
Born in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Antoine Menier was the eldest of the four sons of Georges Menier (1880-1933) and Simone Camille Marie Legrand (1881-1972). He studied at the Lycée Condorcet
Lycée Condorcet
The Lycée Condorcet is a school founded in 1803 in Paris, France, located at 8, rue du Havre, in the city's IXe arrondissement. Since its inception, various political eras have seen it given a number of different names, but its identity today honors the memory of the Marquis de Condorcet. The...
in Paris but had little interest in business and did not go on to advanced studies. Instead, he used his wealth to pursue a life of sporting activities. An auto racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
enthusiast, Antoine Menier set a number of records driving Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
vehicles in hillclimbing
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
events.
In 1933 Antoine Menier became the mayor of Lognes
Lognes
Lognes is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France from the center of Paris....
, a town about 2 miles south of the family's factories in Noisiel
Noisiel
Noisiel is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the eastern suburbs of Paris from the center....
. He held the mayoral position until 1945 when his uncle Jacques Menier died. Since 1871, Menier family members had been the mayor of the town of Noisiel and Antoine replaced his uncle Jacques as Noisiel's mayor. He held that office until 1959 but was the last Menier to be the town's mayor.
Château de Chenonceau
As a result of his grandfather Gaston Menier's will, in 1935 Antoine Menier inherited Château de ChenonceauChâteau de Chenonceau
The Château de Chenonceau is a manor house near the small village of Chenonceaux, in the Indre-et-Loire département of the Loire Valley in France. It was built on the site of an old mill on the River Cher, sometime before its first mention in writing in the 11th century...
in France's Loire Valley
Loire Valley
The Loire Valley , spanning , is located in the middle stretch of the Loire River in central France. Its area comprises approximately . It is referred to as the Cradle of the French Language, and the Garden of France due to the abundance of vineyards, fruit orchards, and artichoke, asparagus, and...
. On Antoine's death his estate became the subject of a court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
battle and ultimately the château was acquired by his widowed sister-in-law, Odette. On her death in 1975, her son Jean-Louis Menier inherited it and made Chenonceau one of France's major tourist attractions.
Decline of the Menier chocolate empire
On his father's death in 1933, Gaston Menier became the co-managing head of the Menier ChocolateMenier Chocolate
The Menier Chocolate company was a chocolate manufacturing business founded in 1816 as a pharmaceutical manufacturer in Paris, France at a time when chocolate was used as a medicinal product and was only one part of the overall business....
company with his brother Hubert. In spite of the difficult times of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in 1950 Menier Chocolate was still the industry leader in France. However, Antoine Menier was ill-equipped to run the company and his brother Hubert lacked the leadership skills to overcome the growing number of problems in what had become an intensely competitive market. On Hubert's death in 1959 there was no Menier family member capable or desirous of replacing him. Married late in life to Parisian fashion model Renée Vigne, Antoine Menier had no children and would be the last of the Menier family to head the company.
By 1960 the once mighty Menier Chocolate company was losing substantial amounts of money and merged with the Rozan chocolate company of Oloron-Sainte-Marie
Oloron-Sainte-Marie
Oloron-Sainte-Marie is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. The town of Oloron-Sante-Marie is positioned at the junction of two rivers and has a population of approximately 12,000. While not spectacular, it is a pleasant looking town, with an ancient quarter,...
. A shell of its former self, the Menier workforce in Noisiel would soon be reduced from a peak of more than 2,000 to just a few hundred. By 1965 the Menier family no longer held an interest in the company.
Antoine Menier died in Paris in 1967.