Boéchat Frères was founded in 1930 in Bordeaux by the Boéchat brothers, a family of Swiss printers, as a printing and cardboard manufacturing business producing board games, puzzles and other printed games. In 1945 the company moved into new premises in rue Héron, where it expanded into the manufacture of playing cards. The Héron trademark and heron logo were derived from the street name, and the company soon specialized exclusively in playing cards, becoming one of France's four principal card manufacturers. Héron gained particular recognition for its high-quality promotional and custom-designed packs produced for major commercial firms. Following financial difficulties, Boéchat Frères entered receivership and was acquired in 1986 by a consortium of master cardmakers, which retained the Héron brand under the name Héron S.A. The company was subsequently acquired by France Cartes in 1994, ensuring the continuation of the Héron name within what later became the Cartamundi group.
Decks from the 1950s–1980s are variously marked Boéchat Frères, I.B.F. (Imprimerie Boéchat Frères), or Héron - all referring to the same manufacturer.
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