Gardians, fishermen and shepherds live in huts which are easily recognizable thanks to their geometric shape, a juxtaposition of a parallelepiped, a cylinder, a cone and a prism.
The traditional architecture
of this hut is the perfect mix between simplicity and ingeniousness.
Its apse has its back turned to the mistral (a high north wind in
Provence).
Its walls are whitewashed and a rafter
with an extremity sometimes topped by a bull’s horn or a transversal
piece of wood, goes through its big roof. This rafter, put on the
opposite side of the apse of the hut repels the lightning and on windy
days a rope is tied to the rafter and fasten to the ground.
Formerly, the walls of the hut used to be built with materials from the marsh: clay and reeds.
Nowadays,
other materials are used...but its architecture is still appreciated
for the pleasure found in keeping traditions alive or simply for its
adaptation to the climatic conditions.