Church Tops

I guess you'd call them bell towers, but I'm not sure. I don't know what they're called in French, either (do you know?). But you see them all over, especially in smaller towns.

A bell tower somewhere in Provence.

I wonder if these were built because the towns couldn't afford to complete their towers in stone, or if these iron armatures are just more stable than a higher stone construction.

At any rate, these bell cages can get pretty elaborate and they're really beautiful. This one's in Provence.