Limestone

Napoleon Notre Dame

Napoleon Notre Dame is a French limestone from Rinxent in the Boulonnais region (Pas-de-Calais) with a warm cream-beige base tone and an irregular, cloudy grey-beige figure. The classic Marbre du Boulonnais — used for wall cladding, floor surfaces and prestige interior fit-outs with historic French elegance.

Limestone France

Available as: Tiles and flooring slabs

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About Napoleon Notre Dame

Napoleon Notre Dame shows a warm, calm material effect. The base tone moves between cream-beige pale beige and a shade tending slightly towards sand, shot through with irregular cloudy lines in darker grey and brown tones. The slab image remains restrained with clearly legible movement, without a dramatic play of veins. It is precisely this calm, elegant character that makes the stone interesting for wall cladding, floor surfaces, stairs and prestige interior fit-outs — wherever a warm French elegance with historic tradition is called for.

Geologically, Napoleon Notre Dame is a Lower Carboniferous limestone from the quarries around Rinxent near Boulogne-sur-Mer in the Pas-de-Calais département in northern France. In France the material is traditionally carried as Marbre du Boulonnais — petrographically, however, it is a limestone, not a marble in the strict sense. The Boulonnais region is one of the classic French natural stone districts and has produced high-quality carbonate rocks for French architecture for centuries. On the international market the material also runs under the trade names Notre Dame, Notre Dame Clair and Marbre du Boulonnais. DNSA documents frequent use in the German market.

Technically, Napoleon Notre Dame behaves like a classic French dimension limestone: dense carbonate structure, good workability, polishable (with a low gloss). Chemically the stone remains acid-sensitive: wine, lemon juice, vinegar or acidic sanitary cleaners leave etch marks on the material surface. The polished surface is not durable outdoors — the material is classically used as an interior stone.

At ROSSITTIS we carry Napoleon Notre Dame as a raw slab for wall cladding and vanity tops, in tiles for floor and wall surfaces, as tread and riser, window sill, skirting and project-specific cutting to size. The application determines the choice of finish: polished emphasises the warm depth and the cloudy veining most strongly — the first choice for prestige interiors and bathrooms. The finishes available from stock are listed in the »Finishes« block further down.

Compared with classic Italian dimension limestones such as Botticino or Trani Bronzetto, Napoleon Notre Dame brings the characteristic French irregular cloud structure with it — somewhat more lively and more expressive than calm Italian selections. Against Portuguese limestones such as Mocca Creme, the material shows more movement and material character. For classically elegant interior fit-outs with a French historic character, Napoleon Notre Dame is a very fitting choice.

Technical data

Guide values for the stone type, taken from manufacturer and test reports. Natural stone is a natural product — individual batches and slabs can differ. For critical applications, request slab-specific test data.

Säurebeständig Nein

Finishes

Napoleon Notre Dame is available in a range of finishes. The finish affects appearance, feel and the care it needs.

Poliert

Politur ist die klassischste Veredelung für Marmor und Kalkstein — eine glänzende Oberfläche mit höchstmöglicher Farbintensität und ausgeprägter Tiefenwirkung der Aderung. Je nach mineralischer Zusammensetzung kann die Wirkung stellenweise mattglänzend sein. Säureempfindlich — Wein, Zitrone und Essig hinterlassen Ätzspuren bei längerer Einwirkung.

Care & fabrication

As a carbonate limestone, Napoleon Notre Dame is acid-sensitive. Wine, lemon juice, vinegar, cola, sanitary cleaners or descalers leave etch marks on the material surface — visible as dull shadows or loss of gloss.

For all applications, a silane- or polysiloxane-based sealer is essential. It prevents the ingress of water, oil and colouring agents and reduces staining — but it does not remove the acid sensitivity. On polished surfaces we recommend refreshing the sealer every 1-2 years, and more frequently on heavily used floor surfaces.

Daily care is carried out with a pH-neutral natural stone cleaner and a soft microfibre cloth or mop. Avoid vinegar cleaners, cement haze removers, acidic sanitary cleaners and strongly alkaline products. Wine, coffee, oil, lemon juice or cosmetic products should not be left to act for long on polished surfaces — wipe off immediately and wipe over with clear water.

For kitchen worktops, Napoleon Notre Dame is only conditionally suitable — acids from everyday cooking can leave a visible patina. The classic use is as wall cladding, floor tile, stair and window sill. For carefree warm-toned kitchen worktops we recommend a quartzite or granite.

Napoleon Notre Dame is primarily an interior material. The finishes available from stock are listed in the »Finishes« block further down. Freely weathered external surfaces are not recommended.

Frequently asked questions

Is Napoleon Notre Dame suitable for the kitchen?

Conditionally. As an acid-sensitive French limestone it works as a kitchen worktop only where patina is accepted, sealing is consistent and acids are removed immediately. The classic use is as wall cladding, floor tile, stair and window sill. For carefree warm-toned kitchen worktops we recommend a quartzite or granite.

Which finishes are available for Napoleon Notre Dame?

The finishes available from stock are listed in the »Finishes« block on this page.

Where does Napoleon Notre Dame come from?

Napoleon Notre Dame comes from the quarries around Rinxent near Boulogne-sur-Mer in the Pas-de-Calais département in northern France. In France the stone traditionally runs as Marbre du Boulonnais. Internationally it runs under the trade names Notre Dame, Notre Dame Clair and Marbre du Boulonnais. Geologically it is a Lower Carboniferous limestone.

Is Napoleon Notre Dame a marble or a limestone?

Petrographically, Napoleon Notre Dame is a limestone — the French trade name Marbre du Boulonnais is a traditional trade convention for polishable carbonate rocks, but geologically it is not a marble in the strict sense. In fabrication and care the stone behaves like a high-quality French dimension limestone: acid-sensitive, polishable (with a low gloss).

How do I clean and care for Napoleon Notre Dame?

Sealing is essential. Daily care with a pH-neutral natural stone cleaner and a microfibre cloth or mop. Consistently avoid acidic cleaners, descalers, vinegar and citric acid. Wipe off wine, coffee or oil immediately.

Is Napoleon Notre Dame frost-resistant and suitable for outdoor use?

Napoleon Notre Dame is primarily an interior material. Glossy external surfaces are not durable. In sheltered external positions with a honed or sandblasted finish and correct installation with falls, moderate loading is possible. Freely weathered external surfaces are not recommended.

Napoleon Notre Dame or Botticino — which suits better?

Both are acid-sensitive pale dimension limestones with a similar care requirement. Botticino from Italy typically reads as paler and calmer with more discreet veining — classically Italian in its elegance. Napoleon Notre Dame from France brings a characteristically livelier cloudy vein figure with it — French and historic in character. For a calm Italian feel, Botticino; for classic French elegance, Napoleon Notre Dame.