7. A lauzier's point of view

Working with lauze is a rare art. Techniques are ancestral and vary according to the rock used for the roofing, the shape of the roof and regional know-how.

Roofs made of lauzes are extremely resistant to lightning strikes. They are often exposed to wind and weather. It is said that the main quality of lauze is that it is made to last a hundred years.

Roofing with lauzes is a long and complex job, requiring a great deal of knowledge of this limestone. Blocks weighing 40 kg have to be recut, with an average of 1 m ² laid per day and per person, at a high cost of 500 to 1,000 euros per m ² . This limestone weighs 700 kg per m ² and is cut according to very precise rules with a hammer forged as it was 200...