A number of hypotheses have been put forward regarding the habitations at Étiolles. One suggestion is that dome-shaped tents, like those known in Siberia, were used in habitations where there are circles of stone slabs. In units without these stones, it is possible that another type of construction, for example, a conical tent, was used.

In the foreground on this photo, we can see a yaranga, a traditional round tent from eastern Siberia. Behind the yaranga we can see the ends of a bundle of sticks, left to dry. A little further away is a conical tent, known as a chum, here made from canvas. This is the summer tent, erected on the riverbanks during salmon fishing. It is the same shape as traditional mobile habitats made from reindeer hide and used in parts of western Siberia, for example, by the Nenets.