The barns, stores, stables and old houses built between the 16th and 18th centuries are made of larch, the tree that dominates Zermatt’s surroundings. Rich in resin, the timber is particularly resistant to pests. The houses are roofed with heavy slabs of rock, which compress the timber supporting it and make the construction more robust still. Many sit on flat stone slabs balanced on stilts to keep out mice.