Detailed profile of this breed: origin, year of creation, recognised varieties and official approvals.
Breed summary
Gris Bleu de Vienne is the French name for a central-European type commonly referred to in English as Vienna Blue Gray. Documentation in international standards is limited and regional breeder descriptions vary. Qualitatively, the type is noted for a clear blue-gray (steel-blue) coat, a calm and docile temperament and a compact to commercial body suitable for dual-purpose (meat and show). Quantitatively, breeders report adult weights typically in the approximate range 3.0–4.5 kg, dense short fur with a guard-hair structure, and a body length commonly around 40–48 cm; these figures are approximate and can differ by strain and country.
Detailed origin
Reliable historical sources specifically naming 'Gris Bleu de Vienne' are scarce in the literature available to me. The name indicates an origin or selection history linked to the Vienna region (Austria/Central Europe) or to breeding lines developed there or named in reference to Vienna. Regionally, similar blue-gray rabbit types emerged in the 19th–20th centuries by selection for slate/steel-blue pigmentation from local breeds and imported stock. Quantitatively, documented breed-formation events (foundation stock, dates) are not consistently recorded across sources; therefore precise year-by-year origin data cannot be asserted without a primary standard or historical registry.
Detailed description
Coat and colour: characteristically blue-gray/steel-blue, either as a self shade or an even agouti-type; coat short, dense, with medium-length guard hairs. Body type: compact to commercial — chest moderately broad, back straight to slightly arched. Temperament and use: generally described by breeders as calm and easy to handle; often kept as a dual-purpose type (meat and fur) and shown where regional clubs recognize it. Quantitative traits reported by breeders include: mature weight about 3.0–4.5 kg (does sometimes slightly heavier than bucks by 0.2–0.5 kg), pelt density measured subjectively as 'high' by breeders rather than with consistent numeric scoring, and average litter size reported by some breeders in the 6–8 kit range — these performance figures vary with management, genetics and are not from a single standardized registry.