Clay tile roofs - General provisions

Clay roofing tiles are the most common type of small-scale roofing used in France. They account for around sixty percent of all small tile roofs installed in France each year.

The use of terracotta for roofing buildings dates back to ancient times, and some of the designs used today derive from those of that era. Two of the terracotta tile families described in this article (canal tiles and flat tiles) are currently presented in a form they already had in the 11th century. The interlocking tile family, on the other hand, is more recent, having been developed in France in the 19th century, using a mechanical press manufacturing process that gives this model the "tuiles mécaniques" designation still sometimes used today. Interlocking tiles are characterized by their transverse and longitudinal overlaps, which significantly reduce the number of tiles per square meter and the weight of the roof.

The manufacture of clay roof tiles, which involves clay preparation, shaping, drying and firing, has become considerably more mechanized in France over the past two decades, mainly as a result of the first oil crisis, which led to changes in manufacturing conditions to reduce energy consumption during drying and firing. This evolution in manufacturing processes has generally been accompanied by greater consistency in the characteristics of the products manufactured.

The current range of clay tile shapes and appearances is extensive, as is the tradition of using this type of roofing in France. It should also be pointed out that this tradition is to be considered on a European level, and that the "Latin" character of tile roofing remains a factor that can still be observed in Europe today, when it comes to the predominance of tile roofing over other types of roofing.