Repairs on dry stone wall in France: Must stones be bought or can they be picked up?

Reader Question: Where can I find old stone to fix a dry stone wall? Can I just pick them up?

The first thing you must do when repairing this wall is ensure that you do not need planning authorisation or the permission of a neighbour. 

Although you are only repairing the wall, depending on your property’s location there may be planning regulations you need to abide by. 

If this is the case, and the repairs are going to be sizable, check with the mairie if this is acceptable.

The rules also depend on whether you are repairing a shared wall between you and your neighbour’s land.

In this case, you need to get their permission, even if it is only for repairs. 

Read more: Explainer: Rights and obligations for shared garden walls in France

Materials not free 

In terms of where to acquire the rocks to repair the wall, you will likely need to purchase them.

Considering the likely size of the stones you will need, these cannot just be taken at random.

Rocks and stones are, essentially, the property of landowners, whether land is privately owned or it is owned by the state.

Forests, for example, are mostly privately owned, which includes the resources inside them, and you cannot take these materials without the landowners permission. 

There are also especially strict laws relating to picking up natural items along coastal areas such as beaches, dunes and marshes.

Picking up a few small pebbles for a keepsake is okay, but anything further – such as the stones needed to repair a wall – can be classed as a disturbance of the ecosystem and see you penalised with a fine.

This is set out in the Code de l’environnement, article L.321-8. It is also confirmed in the public property code, article L2132-3 which states, relating to areas near that sea, that “No one may… carry out extractions or degradations”. 

You are unlikely to face penalties if it is just a small quantity of small stones, but even in that case it is not, strictly-speaking, allowed.

However, there are several online stores where you can purchase stones and other materials to build or repair a dry stone wall. 

This includes options to buy natural-looking stones and some companies even allow you to order them made to specific size requirements.

Search with terms such as pierre à muret or mur en pierre.

Some tips and waste centres collect stones, but it is unlikely you will be able to take these for yourself from the centre after they have been dropped off by someone else.

Consider hiring a mason

Depending on the extent of the renovations required, hiring a professional mason may be the best course of action. 

Masons will have access to more types of stone, allowing a greater control of the repair process, and will ensure all work is structurally sound too. 

It can cost around €70 per hour to hire a mason, although this could be worth it to prevent future repairs being required. 

We are not aware of specific financial aids towards such work. Grants from the Anah national accommodation agency exist in the case of renovating building facades where this will improve energy efficiency, but not towards garden or other types of wall.

Read more: Letters: France's energy audit system does not work for stone properties