Alsace's degraded oceanic climate is conducive to the culture of vines. Even though it often generates mist in spring and winter, the vines thrive on the slopes of the valleys. Hunchbacked Alsace's hilly landscape extends between the Northern Vosges and the Lorraine plateau and is one of the most preserved territories in the region. The architecture of its houses differs from the traditional half-timbered habitations found in some Alsatian cities. The buildings are longer and shared between living quarters and stables. Their roofs sometimes run lower to create open-air barns for hay or wood.