Colorful, decorated, and flowery, the Alsatian half-timbered house contributes to the image of this region of eastern France. With the abundance of large forests around Riquewihr, wood has naturally become the first choice of raw materials. The house is shaped like a wooden frame that serves as a solid bone structure, without screws or nails. The walls are erected thanks to a mortar composed of mud and straw. The whole is covered with lime, often white, sometimes blue (color of the Virgin), red, ocher, green or yellow. The steep roof, up to 60 °, is designed to prevent snow from accumulating.