Chaumière replacement in Kerdruc/Nevez

Granite and Rush (par Tom)

These are the traditional construction materials in our neck of the Brittany woods. We have two villages in our commune nationally known for their Chaumières — cottages built with thatch roofs on granite wall structure — the old way of doing things. Right here in Kerdruc though we have our own nice examples. I don't actually know how many of the houses extant today originally had thatch roofs.

Up the road about four hamlets, we came on a re-roof in progress. I had to stop and examine the process and take some photos. You might imagine just how captivated I was. Alas the workers were off to lunch with everything secured for the inevitable possibility of a Brittany rain. I wasn't able to watch the process happen, but I understand the process a bit. The sculpting of the entire roof form and especially the edges and around the windows and doors is not none by cutting, rather by pushing with a  metal platen with indentations to catch individual rush ends.

The life of these roofs is measured in decades and they are warm and dry. We have a few local companies that still specialize in this craft. Come visit us and examine some up close. You can touch them, but if you try to taste them, you just might find an old had witch come out to see what's about.

[Tom's Post]

The Rushes

Everyone's at Lunch (but only for 2 hours)

Rushes attached, showing temporary foot steps, ready be to be pushed into a uniform slope with the wooden handled tool at top

Le Neige near Paris