The last taxidermist in Dordogne is “overwhelmed”

Sébastien Simon's order book is full. He is the last taxidermist of Dordogne, based in Saint-André-de-Double, he works in a profession that is becoming increasingly rare. This Tuesday, he was the guest of France Bleu Périgord to discuss this quality know-how. There are so few of them still practicing this profession that it takes more than a year to wait for Sébastien Simon to obtain the final result of these works.

A disappearing profession

A passion that dates back to adolescence for this taxidermist, who has always been attracted to these creations. “It’s a passion that I’ve had since I was little and I said to myself why not get into taxidermy in 2015”explains Sébastien Simon. Precision, tedious work, which he learned from another professional before his retirement. “Between the skinning, the tanning, the assembly, just one assembly on a doe, it already takes three days” he explains.

There is still training in Île-de-France, but he preferred to turn to the direct transmission of methods. But it was not easy to find someone to train him, because many taxidermists recommended him not to go into this sector to the point of telling him: “It’s not a job with a future, you won’t make a living in it”.

Pets

This taxidermist even receives requests from neighboring departments, because he is one of the last to master the precise movements required to stuff animals. Customers from Limousin come knocking on his door. Demands that continue to increase every day, “the longer it goes, the longer it will be”affirms Sébastien Simon who even accepts requests for pets.