The Alsatian half-timbered house is part of the local landscape and contributes to the image of this region of eastern France. With the abundance of vast forests around Riquewihr, wood naturally became the first choice of raw materials. The traditional house is first shaped like a wooden frame that serves as a solid bone structure, without screws or nails. The application of a mortar composed of mud and straw completes its walls. The whole structure is finally covered with whitewash, often white, but also blue (the color of the Virgin), red, ocher, green or yellow. The steep roof (up to 60°) is designed to prevent snow from accumulating.