Pigeonnier de Pouzay, Medieval dovecote in Béceleuf, France.
The Pigeonnier de Pouzay is a medieval dovecote in Béceleuf featuring hundreds of small nesting holes carved directly into its stone walls. These spaces once housed thousands of pigeons that provided both food and valuable manure for agricultural use.
This structure dates to medieval times when it served as a symbol of noble privilege and exclusive land ownership rights. The French Revolution ended these exclusive rights, and the dovecote gradually lost its importance to landowners.
Dovecotes like this one represented wealth and power in medieval times, as only noble landowners could afford to keep pigeons. The structure shows how animals were used to display social status in the countryside.
The site is located in the countryside and can be viewed from the outside, though visiting with local guidance is recommended for safety and access. It is worth contacting the municipal office beforehand to confirm accessibility and current conditions.
A large oak tree now grows through what remains of the original roof, breaking through the historic stonework. This unexpected merger of nature and architecture creates a memorable visual that catches many visitors by surprise.
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