Truly a classic French limestone, this stone has been used locally for centuries in France. Only with the introduction of modern cutting equipment have the qualities of this stone become more widely appreciated. A stone of light golden- brown tones on a cream (sometimes pink) background with occasional veining, this is the standard understated limestone to which all others are compared. Equally suited for traditional and modern design schemes, it is a designer's favourite stone of choice. The close-grained texture of the refined French limestone comes from the beds laid down in the Jurassic period some 90 million years ago. This hard- wearing stone is available in a wide range of sizes and thickness and is suitable for carving.