Sweet chestnut shingle roof on a stone manor house in the Limousin at sunset
Janailhac · France · straight from the forest

Sweet chestnut, cleft by hand.

Laborare manibus suis

Shingles and shakes from our own woodland in the Limousin, central France, cleft one by one the way they have been for centuries. A roof that lasts for generations, without a drop of chemical treatment.

French sweet chestnut workshop

We make solid sweet chestnut shingles, cleft one by one in the Limousin, for roofing and cladding that lasts more than a century.

One integrated chain

A story of wood and hands.

In Janailhac, everything starts in our own woodland. We select the tree, fell it at maturity, then cleave every bolt along the grain. The timber travels a few hundred metres from the stump to the workshop.

This ultra-short chain guarantees full traceability, a minimal carbon footprint, and absolute control over the quality of every single shingle that leaves the workshop.

100 yrs +
The lifespan of a roof
2
Durability class · EN 350
~300 m
From stump to workshop
0
Chemical treatment
Six minutes in the workshop

Watch a shingle come to life, from tree to roof.

The craft, the tools and the material, in short form. French audio, and the full twenty-minute film awaits on the workshop page.

Shingle cleaving workshop at Manufacture Saint Eutrope
The craft

Cleft, never sawn.

Cleaving follows the natural grain and leaves the wood fibres intact, so water runs off. Sawing severs them, and water soaks in. That is the whole difference between a roof that ages and a roof that rots.

Understand the material
Our shingles and shakes

One size, three finishes.

Our sweet chestnut shingles, known in the French Alps as tavaillons, come in three finishes: square-cut (our signature), chamfered and fishscale.

Good to know

Sweet chestnut, without the myths.

Why does sweet chestnut need no chemical treatment?
Sweet chestnut is naturally rich in tannins, which protect it from fungi and insects. It is rated durability class 2 under EN 350, an excellent natural resistance, with no added products whatsoever. A healthy material for the household and the forest alike.
What is the difference between cleft and sawn wood?
Cleaving follows the natural grain of the wood and respects its fibres: the surface sheds water. Sawing cuts through the fibres and opens pathways for moisture. A cleft shingle therefore lasts considerably longer than a sawn one.
How long does a sweet chestnut shingle roof last?
Properly laid and ventilated, a cleft chestnut roof routinely lasts more than a century. Countless church spires and farmhouses still bear witness to it today. The wood silvers on the surface over time, without losing any of its structural qualities.
Do your shingles comply with building standards?
Yes. Our products meet the French building codes DTU 40.29 for roofing and DTU 41.2 for cladding, and Eurocode 5 for structural work. Sweet chestnut stores biogenic carbon, recognised by the French RE2020 environmental regulation, and our woodland is sustainably managed (PEFC-certifiable and Bois de France).

Compliance & commitments

DTU 40.29 roofing DTU 41.2 cladding Eurocode 5 structural RE2020 biogenic carbon PEFC managed woodland Bois de France

Recognised as a heritage material by the Architectes des Bâtiments de France, the French heritage authority. Technical documentation available for your specification files.

Castle roofed with sweet chestnut shingles
Heritage

On the finest roofs in France.

Church spires, castles, barns and manor houses: cleft chestnut has covered France's heritage for centuries. A material recognised and specified by the French heritage authority.

For architects & roofers
Who we work with

Every project, the right expertise.

Homeowners

A characterful house, a barn conversion, a garden building: a roof that adds value to your property for generations.

Architects & heritage bodies

A compliant heritage material, with a data sheet and a sample for your specification files.

Roofers

Cleft to order, checked one by one, delivered ready to lay across Europe and worldwide.

Public bodies

Restoration of public buildings and church spires: craftsmanship recognised by France's historic monuments authorities.

Feel the wood for yourself

Receive a sample of hand-cleft chestnut.

The material is its own best argument. Leave us your e-mail address and we will prepare your sample and, if needed, your quote.

Answer within 48 working hours · Louis Vachette · louis@manufacturesainteutrope.fr

Specification kit · architects & roofers

  • Technical data sheetProperties, installation, ratings
    PDF
  • The brochureOur full presentation, ready to download
    PDF
  • Physical sampleA cleft shingle, shipped within 48 hours
    Free
Instant online quote Enquiry form