Maya Selva Named Knight of France’s Legion of Honor

Maya Selva, founder of Maya Selva Cigars, has received one of France’s most prestigious distinctions. The cigar entrepreneur was appointed Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur—Knight of the Legion of Honor—as part of the country’s July 14, 2026 promotion.

The distinction was awarded by the President of France in recognition of Selva’s accomplishments at the head of a company producing and distributing premium handmade cigars.

For cigar enthusiasts, the honor carries significance beyond the title itself. Selva has spent more than three decades introducing French and international smokers to the cigar-making traditions of Honduras while building one of the premium-cigar industry’s most recognizable independent companies.

From Honduras to the French Cigar Market

Selva entered the French market in 1995 with handmade cigars from Honduras, her father’s native country. What began as an effort to bring Honduran cigars to French consumers steadily developed into an international premium-cigar business.

Her company is now associated with several Honduran cigar brands, including Flor de Selva, Villa Zamorano and Cumpay.

That journey reached another milestone when Selva established her own cigar factory in Danlí, Honduras. According to the company, the factory opened approximately 18 months ago, giving her greater control over production while strengthening her commitment to Honduran tobacco and craftsmanship.

Recognition Beyond the Factory

Selva’s influence has not been limited to manufacturing and distribution. From 2022 through June 2026, she served as Grand Master of the Confrérie Jean Nicot, a French organization dedicated to cigar culture and fellowship.

Her appointment as a Knight of the Legion of Honor recognizes the entrepreneurial career behind the cigars—the international business she built, the Honduran craftsmanship she championed and the place she earned within France’s cigar community.

Why This Matters

The Legion of Honor is France’s highest national order of merit. Seeing someone from the premium-cigar world receive that recognition is unusual and worth celebrating.

It also highlights something cigar enthusiasts sometimes overlook: behind every established brand is a long process of building relationships, opening markets and convincing smokers to give an unfamiliar tobacco origin a chance.

Maya Selva helped make Honduran cigars part of the conversation in France and later far beyond it. More than 30 years after introducing her cigars to the French market, that work has now received recognition at the national level.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Maya Selva Cigars