Due to the violence of the mistral wind, the cabin's exposed north face is rounded off to give it more protection. The south face, being vertical, can easily accommodate an arbour to provide shade in the high temperatures of summer.
The roof is made from reeds (la sagno in Provençal, report about the reed in Camargue); cheap material that can be found in abundance in these marshy regions. They are stitched onto the roof's framework using iron thread..
When the roofing is finished, a cement-lime mortar is spread over the very top of the roof. On the round part, which finishes in a cone, is a beam on which a bull's horns or a cross-bar is placed, forming the cross of the cabin. It is used to repel lightning and to secure the cabin. In cases of high winds, a rope is attached between this and a rock on the ground.
These cabins, originally destined for agricultural workers, shepherds or gardians (bull herds-men specific to the Camargue region), are today often used as luxury residences, such as inns, hotels etc.
Rancher's cabin and its reed roof
Construction of the roof of a rancher's cabin
