Pierre Seche House

The dry stone huts in France were built without mortar. The techniques used were not of modern way or an urban construction techniques because it is the opposite. They actually used stone vaulting which is of ancient way of building houses. The builders were very skilled enough in building these stone huts. These huts already underwent modifications and repairs. Again, the Pierre Seche Houses in Dordogne are not the work of architects. These were built by peasants and self-construction workers or also known as masons.

The functions of these stone huts are for agricultural and pastoral purposes. These are not used on a regular basis but only seasonal or temporary. Not only in Dordogne can you find stone huts or stone houses. In many different areas like Souvignargues, Ausseing, Vals-pres-le-Puy, and Menerbes, there are dry stone huts to be seen. These are also attractions where tourists visit every year. There are protected dry stone huts aside from that of Dordogne. The areas include Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Doubs, Haute-Loire, Haute-Saone, Rhone, and Vaucluse.

There are various names given to the dry stone huts. For its generic name, it is called a hut, hut of stone, or dry stone, cabana, chaban or tsabana, tsabano, or tsabone. It also has vernacular names given and used by those who build it such as acoigneau, baracou, barrack, bar, barracun, capitelle, and caselle. There are also the learned appellations like borie, chasalou or chazalou, and chibotte. For the fanciful or whimsical appellations, it includes boutigon, capeline, caravel, and so on.