The different types of shelters built by European beavers (Castor fiber) in the Rhone basin, between Lyon and Pierrelatte, are described. Natural holes present along the banks are often utilized at first. When such holes are not available, beavers dig their own burrows, provided that the soil substrate is hard enough, and the bank high enough. When this is not the case, intermediates between ordinary burrows and true lodges are often found. They are here called «terriers-huttes» and correspond with the «bank lodges» of Wilsson (1971). More and more woody material is brought in by the animal, either to conceal the burrow’s entrance (stage 1), to compensate for the looseness of the soil (stage 2), or to make up for a lack of soil depth (stage 3). True lodges, made entirely of woody material are built only when the beaver cannot dig burrow or «terrier-hutte» ; they are very rare in the area studied. Temporary resting places, e.g. in bramble bushes, are used during floods.