One of the larger French hunting hounds with aristocratic long head, characteristic head markings and distinctive colour.

Highly developed sense of smell and deep bay.

Gentle and kind.

Large, long and distinguished. Occiput pronounced. Slight stop, loose skin covering head and forming one or two wrinkles along cheeks, lips pendulous and well pigmented. Black palate. Excessive loose skin to be penalised.

Dark chestnut colour, not prominent. Sad, trusting expression.

Set below the eyeline, fine, curled in, ending in a point and extending to just beyond the tip of nose when drawn forward.

Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Medium length, rounded, carrying moderate dewlap.

Strong, straight and well boned. Elbows close to body, shoulders well laid and muscular.

Chest well developed, being long, wide and deep. Ribs moderately rounded; back rather long and muscular. Flanks deep and wide.

Broad and well muscled. Hocks low to ground, set wide apart and parallel. Sloping croup. Prominent hip bones.

Long, oval, deep and well padded.

(Stern) Well set on, rather thick, fairly long and carried sickle fashion.

Loose limbed and long striding.

Smooth, weather resistant and not too short.

Black marked on a white base but covered entirely with black mottling which gives a blue appearance. Two black marks are found on head, covering each ear, enveloping eyes and stopping at cheeks. Blaze also mottled, but a small black mark is often found on skull, a characteristic of the breed. Above each eye a spot of tan gives breed ‘four-eyed’ effect. Tan marks also found on cheeks, lips, inside ears, on legs and under tail. Some hounds completely mottled, but always have required tan marks.

Height: dogs: 64-70 cms (25-27½ ins); bitches: 60-65 cms (23½-25½ ins).

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.