The dovecote, or pigeon loft, is a key feature of the Lot-et-Garonne department's local heritage. Up until the French Revolution, the dovecote was often considered a symbol of the power of the owner of the surrounding land. Find out more about the importance of these little heritage structures that are so often overlooked today.
Deux pigeonniers tourelles à MoncautFondation du patrimoine
In France, up until the Revolution, dovecotes were reserved for landowners, mainly from the nobility.
They were used to collect pigeon droppings, which made an excellent crop fertilizer.
Pigeonnier de MoncrabeauFondation du patrimoine
The interior walls of the dovecotes were hollowed out into pigeonholes, each of which could accommodate a pair of pigeons.
The number of holes inside was determined by the surface area of the owner's farming property. It was usually two pigeonholes for every hectare.
Le pigeonnier de Saint-AstierFondation du patrimoine
So, the more pigeonholes a dovecote had, the larger the landowner's fiefdom was, and therefore, the larger his fortune.
In matrimonial alliances, the wealth of each party was often determined by the number of pigeonholes in the dovecote.
Some families had false pigeonholes added to misrepresent the surface area of their land… This practice could be the reason why the word "pigeon" is used to mean "dupe" even today.
Le pigeonnier de Montagnac-sur-AuvignonFondation du patrimoine
The Lot-et-Garonne department: A wealth of dovecotes
During the French Revolution, the privileges of the nobility were taken away, and every farmer could then erect their own dovecotes. This is why the landscape of the Lot-et-Garonne is dotted all over with various types of these buildings. The land in the region wasn't actually very good for farming livestock, so manure was rare. Pigeon droppings were therefore the best option for fertilizing land in the Moyenne Garonne region. More than 6000 dovecotes can still be found in this region even today.
Le pigeonnier d'Esclottes avant travauxFondation du patrimoine
However, pigeons can be harmful to crops because they raid the wheat and corn fields for food.
To protect their fields, farmers erected their dovecotes on the edge of their estates, in the hope that the pigeons would go and eat their neighbors' crops instead of their own.
Le pigeonnier de LaparadeFondation du patrimoine
To retaliate, the neighboring farmers, whose crops were then endangered, would build a more imposing dovecote directly opposite.
This use of dovecotes in landowners' squabbles resulted in the construction of even more of these buildings.
Pictured here: A dovecote in Laparade.
Deux pigeonniers tourelles à MoncautFondation du patrimoine
Throughout the 19th century, the dovecote remained a sign of financial success and some owners were keen to embellish them. Their styles could vary, as there are up to eight different types of dovecotes.
Here are two turreted dovecotes in Moncaut, which make the estate look like a castle.
Pigeonnier de MoncrabeauFondation du patrimoine
Dovecotes with arcades are mainly found in castles. These types of buildings contain a large number of pigeonholes, which can be accessed by a central ladder.
Here is a dovecote in Moncrabeau.
Le pigeonnier d'Esclottes avant travauxFondation du patrimoine
A heritage to be preserved
With the advent of chemical fertilizers, pigeon breeding became less attractive, and as such, so did dovecotes. Consequently, they were often left to fall into disrepair, unless they became of an actual dwelling. The Fondation du Patrimoine (Cultural Heritage Foundation) has helped to support the restoration of many of the dovecotes in Lot-et-Garonne, such as this fine example in Esclottes and the others mentioned here.
Le pigeonnier d'Esclottes en travauxFondation du patrimoine
The Esclottes dovecote was originally built in the early 19th century and subsequently restored in 2019. Its plaster, floors, and roof were restored. Plans are underway to hold events celebrating the community's heritage around the building.
Le pigeonnier d'Esclottes avant travauxFondation du patrimoine
As was often the case, the pigeonholes inside the dovecote of Esclottes were filled in to prevent the pigeons from coming to nest there once their droppings were no longer needed for fertilizer.
Le pigeonnier de Saint-AstierFondation du patrimoine
The Jean-de-Blanc dovecote in Saint-Astier is a symbol of the AOC Côtes de Duras vineyard. It is where the annual celebration of the festival marking the beginning of the grape harvest takes place.
Having become a danger to the public, it was acquired by the commune in 2014. They had it restored with support from the Fondation du Patrimoine (Cultural Heritage Foundation), to allow this popular event to continue each year in its traditional location.
Credits: Story
We'd like to thank Esclottes Town Hall for their invaluable help in putting together this content.
Follow this link to support the work of the Fondation du Patrimoine (Cultural Heritage Foundation): https://www.fondation-patrimoine.org/
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The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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