Half-timbered houses

Since the earthquakes in the 15th century, timber-framed houses have become rare in the metropolitan area of Clermont Auvergne. In Pont-du-Château, three of these houses can still be seen and are protected as Historic Monuments.
Timber-framed houses are rare in the Clermont Auvergne metropolitan area. Most of them did not survive the earthquakes of 1477 and 1490. Following this destruction, it became common from the early 16th century onwards to build houses using Volvic stone.

At numbers 2 and 14 rue de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, and 1 place de la Liberté, three of these houses can still be seen. They are three storeys high. The ground floor, made from Volvic stone, provides a solid base for the building and houses the boutique, which features a basket-handle arch. The upper floors, separated by plate beams, include a framework of vertical timber beams arranged in the form of a Saint Andrew’s cross, with windows set into them. The spaces between the timber beams are filled with either hollow-core slab (light masonry made from stone, brick and limestone) or wattle and daub (earth and straw). The floors are built with a corbelled structure, overhanging the street to save space in the tight confines of medieval towns. At 14 rue de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, the timber-framed house has retained its fire-resistant stone wall, located to the right of its façade, which provides protection from fire spreading from the neighbouring house. These houses have been listed as Historic Monuments since 1962 and 1963.

A few other timber-framed houses can be seen in Montferrand, such as the monumental apothecary's house at the corner of rue Jules Guesde and rue de la Rodade.