Furry Diary

Champagne d'Argent

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Also called Argente de Champagne (BRC), Argenté de Champagne, French Silver

Recognised breedShort profile

From Champagne region, France; one of the oldest known rabbit breeds, possibly present by the mid 1600s. Exported to America around 1912.1234

At a glance the quick version

Weight4.1 to 5.4 kg3412
Lifespan7 to 9 years3
Sizelarge

PetGuide and the Wikipedia breed list give 9-12 lb (4.1-5.4 kg); ARBA maximum 12 lb; the Argenté article gives 3.6-5.0 kg for the ARBA type.

Gentle and curious
Affectionate when socialised
Gets along with other rabbits
3

Coat and looks how to spot one

short, dense silvered fur on a commercial body

A large, well-muscled rabbit with full shoulders, deep hindquarters and medium-long ears. The adult coat is the colour of old silver or skimmed milk, sprinkled with longer black guard hairs over a dark slate-blue undercolour, with slightly darker ears and nose.32

ColoursSilver (old-silver surface with black guard hairs and slate-blue undercolour; the only colour)12

Personality what they are like

A gentle, inquisitive rabbit that likes attention from people once it has been handled from a young age. PetGuide compares its manners to those of a well-behaved cat.3

Daily activity how busy a day looks

A large rabbit that needs room to move and regular exercise time; it can even be trained to walk in a harness.3

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Brush weekly, and daily during moults. Spot-clean rather than bathe.3

Home where they are happiest

Can live indoors or outdoors in a spacious solid-floored enclosure; spot-clean daily and change bedding weekly.3

Food basics what goes in the bowl

At least 70% hay, plus pellets, leafy greens, vegetables and a little fruit.3

Company who they like around

Does well with other rabbits and enjoys human company when socialised early.3

The story where it all began

Thought to have been kept in France's Champagne region since at least the 1600s, it was long valued for its silvery pelt and once went by the name French Silver. It reached America around 1912, where breeders refined it into a larger rabbit with a shorter, softer coat.123

Fun facts for the dinner table

  1. 1

    Kits are born jet black; the silver starts on the belly at a few weeks old and spreads until the coat is finished at around 6-8 months.3

  2. 2

    Its name means 'silver of Champagne'.1

  3. 3

    It is counted among the oldest known rabbit breeds, possibly kept in France by the mid 1600s.1

  4. 4

    A grown Champagne d'Argent is big enough to wear a medium-sized dog harness.3

Recognised by the official bits

ARBA
Recognised, one colour; maximum 12 lb. National club: CDARF. Prized for its silvery pelt and meat qualities.1
British Rabbit Council
Recognised as the Argente de Champagne: dark slate-blue undercolour, bluish-white surface with long black guard hairs.2

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Champagne d'Argent. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.

Start a free diary

You might also like

our little thank-you jar

Like what we are building? Buy us a coffee.

The breed atlas is free for everyone, with a source on every fact, and it will never show ads. If it helped you, a small tip keeps the research going. Any amount is lovely, and no is a perfectly fine answer too.

Leave a tip

Where this comes from

Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at support@furrydiary.app and we will fix it.

  1. ARBA - Recognized Breeds arba.netused for origin, recognition, max weight
  2. Argenté rabbit - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for BRC standard, coat, history name
  3. Champagne d'Argent Rabbit - PetGuide petguide.comused for weight, lifespan, temperament, care, kit colour change
  4. List of rabbit breeds - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for weight, origin

Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.