News Staves

Without human intervention, forests would not be able to produce wood in sufficient quantity or quality to meet society’s needs while continuing to thrive. This is why specific forestry practices and management plans must be implemented for each tree species, depending on their intended use.   French merrain oak represents exceptional wood quality, intrinsically tied […]

French oak used in cooperage represents an exceptional quality of wood that meets strict specifications. Oak of merrain quality belongs to the elite of French oaks, accounting for less than 1% of the total volume of wood (all species combined) sold annually in France.  As a result, merrain is an extremely rare raw material that […]

The first family cooperage was created in the 1900’s in Vinay in Isère department by Jules Joseph Bith, father-in-law of Arthur Berthomieu…

Tonnellerie Bernard, established in 1936 in the heart of the Grande Champagne region of South West France, has maintained time-honoured cooperage skills.

The Magreñán Cooperage has practised the grand tradition of barrel-making for five generations. Its expertise and perpetual quest for quality have forged its prestigious reputation.

Tonnellerie Leroi is the heiress of techniques and know-how of artisans from the prestigious Martell cognac house founded in 1715.

The first sawmill to produce on the Nièvre Merrain site has been built by Alexandre Boulon as shown an advertisement published in the Guide touristique de Varzy (Varzy tourist guide) in 1923.

Etymologically, “loge” (lodge) comes from the Old Frankish word laubja (foliage hut). The lodge, precarious housing typical of the forest proletariat, was usually built by loggers or coal workers directly on the cutting areas.

The first family cooperage was created in the early 1870’s in Rieux-Minervois in Aude region, by François Cabrié, father-in-law of Jean Saury.

The fourth postcard of the series « The Forest in Nivernais » shows a group of splitters working in the forest as it used to be.