The walls are filled using cob -sometimes of a cob and stone mix-, only then floor and the roof structure are been built. The wooden framework is naturally strong and rigid once erected, the strength of the structure can be supplemented using wood plugs. Cob is an English term attested for an ancient building material that has been used for building since prehistoric times. The etymology of cob is unclear, but in several senses, means to beat or strike, which is how cob material is applied to a wall. Cob is a natural building material made from subsoil, water, fibrous organic material (typically straw), and sometimes lime.
The dominant construction material used in the Auvergne region of France is stones. Τhe half-timbered structure in Auvergne is built over a stone structure, protecting the first floor from potential fires and the humidity. Half-timbered properties are partially made of local stones, the half-timbering structure covering a part of the house only. This half-timbered style is a legacy of the middle-ages. The use of wood forms the key element of these Auvergne properties. Wood is used both inside and outside the house, for both decoration or protection. Some Auvergne half-timbered houses also have a corbelling structure, giving more space to the upper floors’ rooms. A corbel is a piece of wood jutting out of a wall to carry the bearing weight of the floor above. This is a technique used since Neolithic times – late Stone Age (around 3,500 BC): this is actually a traditional construction method in the region.
i.          Auvergne Houses: Basalt stones are used. In the North of the French region, roofs are covered with Lauze or flat tiles