3. Evolution

The Romans then made a major contribution to the development of tile use across their vast empire.

The introduction of flat tiles around the 6th century A.D., combined with the development of timber framing techniques, facilitated the appearance of steeper roofs.

The twelfth and thirteenth centuries saw a boom in the use of flat tiles, particularly in towns, as they enabled the construction of steep roofs more suited to the development of attic space in multi-storey dwellings, which were already becoming the norm in order to reduce land costs in urbanized areas.

From the 18th and 19th centuries onwards, the development of transport, especially by rail, encouraged the spread of tiles throughout France. But it was above all the invention of "mechanical" tiles, more precisely pressed and interlocking tiles, "large mold"...