FEAST OR FAMINE

  In the Normandy region of northern France, an architectural style of house retains its centuries old charm: the half-timbered house, or   maison à colombages . These  houses, with their visible wooden frameworks and intricate patterns, are more than postcard pictures — they are living pieces of history. The origins of half-timbered houses in Normandy date back to the Middle Ages, between the 12th and 15th centuries  and remained popular through the Renaissance and into the 17th century.   Their k ey architectural features  include timber framing with infill, steep slate roofs, small dormer windows ( lucarnes ), brick foundations, and lower walls.    These homes were crafted by hand, from the region’s natural resources: oak wood for the frames, clay for the infill, and slate for the steeply pitched roofs designed to withstand Normandy’s rainy climate.    The patterns formed by the visible timber beams were not just structural but a...