Historical & Geological Context
Grès Rose des Vosges is a hard, quartz-rich sandstone quarried on the eastern slopes of the Vosges mountains. Its distinctive warm pinkish-red hue originates from iron oxide cements. Weather-resistant and easy to split along the bed, it was the exclusive construction material for Strasbourg Cathedral, fortified Rhine castles, and Alsatian manor houses.
Petrographic & Geological Characteristics
Buntsandstein silicified triassic quartz sandstone, ferric oxide pink-red hue, medium-coarse grain.
Lime Mortar & Breathability Compatibility
Bed with natural hydraulic lime (NHL 3.5) and crushed sandstone aggregates; avoids synthetic chemical sealants.
Provenance & Historical Sourcing
Vosges Massif, Alsace, France.
Condition Report & Patina
Remarkable resistance to atmospheric acid rain; non-calcareous stone.
Grès Rose des Vosges (Grès Bigarré de Champenay)
Alsace & Vosges, France (FR)
Non-commercial reference. Not sold or brokered by Le Cercle du Roi.
This material dossier is compiled from public geological surveys, heritage conservation research (BRGM, CTMNC, Historic England, Monumentenwacht), and historical treatises. Inclusion does not constitute a sales offer by Le Cercle du Roi.