What if the stones were also protected? Like the IGP Jambon de Bayonne, or the Périgord strawberry, there is a geographical indication, a GI for the stones. In Dordogne, four stones are trying to obtain it: the Stone of Limeyrat, the Stone of Mareuil, the Stone of Paussac-et-Saint-Vivien or the Stone of Fontbelle. The Pierres Naturelles Nouvelle Aquitaine association has submitted files to the INPI (National Institute of Intellectual Property), the organization which manages the delivery of this label recognized at European level.
Avoid counterfeits
Having a Geographical Indication, a GI, allows us to recognize the characteristics of the stones, their reputation, to make it known, but also to avoid counterfeits. “This has never happened at the moment in Dordogne”explains Frédéric Dudilot, secretary general of the Association Pierres Naturelles de Nouvelle-Aquitaine, but there have already been cases, “we have had stones presented by certain companies as Bordeaux stones when they are not those stones at all”.
For around ten years, it has been possible to know the “DNA” of a stone and to know exactly where they come from even if visually, the stones look similar.
The Pierre de Limeyrat from Beynac to Ralph Lauren
This geographical indication should also make it possible to better publicize “the stone industry which has been developing for five or six years”according to Frédéric Dudilot, “We realize that Dordogne stones are better known abroad than in France” […] We bring stones from Türkiye or India even though we have stones here that have the same qualities.” Limeyrat stone, for example, was used to build the Beynac castle, but also to create the Ralph Lauren stores. across the world, in Hong Kong, Los Angeles and even Geneva.
A controlled origin of the stones
Before submitting a file to the INPI, there was a lot of work to establish the originthe qualities and the perimeter of each stone. The companies which exploit and transform these stones met and established common specifications. “It’s good for the consumer”explains Frédéric Dudilot, “this is not just a stamp from the INPI, these are rules of production, storage, manufacturing, which companies must respect. This makes it possible to guarantee the origin of the product and to be sure that careers respect social and environmental rules”.
The Nouvelle-Aquitaine Natural Stone Association also hopes with this label to appeal to communities during public markets, “We can say that buying abroad will cost less, but if we calculate everything, that makes a cost 30 to 40% more, we have done a study which shows it.
Two public inquiries underway
If the public inquiries for the Limeyrat stone and the Fontbelle stone are still in progress, those for the Mareuil stone and for the Paussac-et-Saint-Vivien stone have been completed. For these two stones, it will still take several months before obtaining a response from the INPI.
