At the bend of an alley, visitors can admire a number of medieval houses, which have been renovated over the centuries. Roofs and even facades are most often covered with wooden tiles, called ‘essentes’ in Normandy. These split chestnut shingles provide good surface protection, as long as they are cut in the direction of wood. Depending on the region, wooden tiles are called shingles, ‘essentes’, ‘tavaillons’, etc. But no matter what they are called, they are unique ecological materials that meet all of today’s challenges!