Alexandre Mareuil

French artisanal leather goods near Bordeaux. Specialist in rare leathers and customization. From bespoke hunting goods to handbags, craftsmanship recognized by the French Arts and Crafts.

André Colombeix was a hunter. Returning from a hunting trip in Sologne, he passed through the village of Mareuil-sur-Belle in Dordogne and the name stuck. In 1972, self-taught in leather working, he founded Alexandre Mareuil in Bordeaux. The idea was precise: handmade leather hunting articles for demanding hunters.

The first products were gun cases, cartridge belts, game bags. Calf and bovine leather, worked the old way. Each piece cut and assembled by hand, edges burned and smoothed, leather buffed to a shine. Hardware is custom-made and stamped "Alexandre Mareuil." Traditional French saddlery-leather craftsmanship.

The company changed hands twice before being taken over by the Van Robais family, themselves hunting enthusiasts. Arnaud Van Robais now runs the workshop in Artigues-près-Bordeaux. The range has expanded beyond hunting: handbags, belts, luggage, accessories. But the core remains bespoke work and rare leathers.

What sets Alexandre Mareuil apart is the diversity of leathers. Calf, ostrich, crocodile, shagreen (stingray skin), elk, elephant. Each skin demands different skills, different tools, a different approach. Shagreen, the calcified stingray skin, is one of the hardest to work in leather goods. Alexandre Mareuil is one of the few French houses to master it fluently.

The craftsmanship is doubly recognized: Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (Living Heritage Company) label and inscription in France's Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory. The house remains confidential, distributed through high-end gunsmiths and specialized retailers like Champgrand and The Gundog Affair. Prices are French artisanal luxury. No flashy marketing, no aggressive social media. Word of mouth among hunters suffices.