In 1858, Jean-Baptiste Bichelberger chose the small town of Etival-Clairefontaine to set up his paper mill. Taking advantage of the rags supplied by the local textile industry, Clairefontaine grew to become one of the most important factories in the industry.
Clairefontaine began to manufacture their famous stationery products in 1890. Clairefontaine is currently the only European manufacturer making its own paper for its own products. This guarantees not only consistent product quality, but also controls the environmental impact of the manufacturing process. Clairefontaine is now managed by sixth generation family members.