Molitor grew up in Betzdorf, Luxembourg as the son of a miller and went to Paris in 1777, where one of his cousins already worked as a cabinet-maker.
Later, Molitor was able to reopen his business and employ several artisans who helped him create a variety of furniture, including dressers, tables, desks and cupboards.
In 1811, Molitor became fournisseur de la Cour impériale (purveyor to the imperial court).
In 1800, Bernard Molitor bought a house on the elegant Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
In 1995, while Luxembourg was the European Capital of Culture, a retrospective brought broad public attention to Molitor's work for the first time.