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V A C'est bon pour le diaporama, collègue du Gers m'a donné le feu vert pour les Pays Bas. Pas de contre indication, au contraire cela ne peut ramener qu'un + pour le tourisme. Salutations, Yves TONNELIER to permission Europe was granted Aviculture words this With splendid publishthis presentation Pigeon French of Houses. The Pigeon Houses in the French Departement The

(Pigeon Houses

a very well done document in , she drew my a presentation. And of course,

various architectural charac-

During a stay at my daughter’s attention to the pigeon-houses in the area. She thought it might be interesting to make these pigeon houses are of teristics. But there are over 1700 in the Tarn region, so how can you make a choice? there is available, offered by the Tourist Board of Tarn region and produced in collaboration wi th Michel Lucien, author of the book “Les Pigeonniers de Midi-Pyrénées” in the Midi-Pyrénées). He describes 20 pigeon houses, classified into several general categories. My curiosity was piqued and I decided to go find those pigeon houses, which I did in three wandering tours of around 500 km. All information as given in the following presentation is according the perfect book by Michel Lucien. The Tarn is a department in the South- West of , in the Midi-Pyrénées region.

TARN e

Built on arcades Cylindrical tower

In this departement you can find the following types of Pigeon-Houses: - Mules foot “pied de Mulet” or Toulouse type - Built on pillars - - typ - Square tower - Polygonal tower -Porche - Integrated into construction of homes the

the “Caisse”.

houses. I would like to add that the of the Tarn region Tourist Board is a different good help in identifying the This scheme taken from the document architectural elements of the pigeon- mainpart of the pigeon-house is called in reason is the presence

uction. The type “" is de vache”(cow’s tail); the

One may wonder why there are so many pigeon-houses in the Tarn. It seems that ma of the many wheat fields and vineyards in the west of most frequently ... county, where they are found In the Tarn several types of pigeon-houses are found, mainly differing in roof constr a square-tower whose roof slopes outward at the bottom and is commonly called “queue type with a pinnacle or turret, "Castrais" and the Saint-Sulpice or Albigenzen, with a four- sided roof of flat tiles. . r in the wall there are also five r in the wall there

use of its location it is believed that grated in a residence, which is built a square window from e pigeons fly

smaller square flight holes.

with a landing platform. A little lowe this was originally a watchtower. Th At MILHAR, this pigeon house is inte as a part of the wall castle. Beca

DE LEVIS.

tiles (Tuiles plate).

with curved tiles (tuiles It is located below the with four slopes, covered house on pillars has a roof canal), while the pinnacle on the top is covered with flat Restored in 2004, this pigeon village church of LABASTIDE

the roof.

house of beautiful white the "Gaillac" type, with a At , this pigeon- steep sides bordered with a decorative ceramic pigeons on limestone is representative for pyramid-shaped roof with four line of tiles (génoise). Note the

This pigeon house in LE access to the interior. consists of six limestone (caisse) is half timbered, bricks and stone. The two those on pillars. Each pillar holes, allowing the pigeons cylinders . At the top of pillars and under the body of the pigeon-house, there is a predators. The square body VERDIER is a fine example of shaped roof have round flight featering use of wood with the ‘attic windows’ in the pyramid- stone cap (the so-called ‘capel’) which prevents the ascension of

is a square tower built of bricks "Saint- roof, almost flat, is of the in the courtyard of the Museum of

Sulpice" type and covered with tiles "canal".

At GAILLAC, this loft is located closed and I could not get close. It Natural History and at the late hour when I arrived, museum was

typical of the region. The four-sided region.

with all sorts of Despite extensive because it is very restored in 2008. typical bricks of the BRENS,... I was sorry find this pigeon house in It was built in 1848 and particular, almost looking ornaments such as vases, balls and weathervanes. are constructed with the research, I just could not like a small Baroque castle and the roof is decorated The 16 square flight holes base. pigeons.

called ‘crepi’.

SUR TARN I found this The brick construction is We cannot see the pillars able to see three cornices In the small town of LISLE largely hidden by a plaster Public Place to wash clothes prevents the full view of its is the flight opening for with high arches, but we are pigeon house; unfortunately a (randières); two of bricks and the center one of tiles. Above ...

When passing through constructed in stone. Southwest region. The edge of the building, is In the city centre, this constructed of with the traditional bricks of the of the two stone cornices LAVAUR, I always noticed hexagonal roof is a bellied turret, projecting from the pottery pigeon which stands (‘randières’), a square stone body of the pigeon-house is what I took as a watchtower ornament (l’épi) on top of the proudly on a vase. Above one with four holes provides access for the pigeons. The cantilever construction (corbel) below the

pigeon.

timbering, panels filled with a on pillars of sandstone is the it has a wooden riser with flight "mules foot" type. It is built with holes. The body “le caisse” is half- bricks from the region. "nogging" of bricks and covered with tiles "canal", Seven ornaments (épis) dominate the This pigeon house in , built ridge, one of which supports a ceramic

and its body

is "mules foot" type.

Located in a garden near the pigeons consisting of a single massive stone with flight holes. pigeon house is built of beautiful nursing home , this ocher coloured natural stone. It is supported by very solid pillars with In the front is access for « capel et chapiteau » cornerstones. It is Its pyramid roof is This pigeon house in house This pigeon stone with beautiful covered with slates. LOMBERS is made of

supported by wide arches. two towers is found in

tiles, are topped with a pinnacle which is decorated with a ceramic pigeon on ball. , a grange with pigeon house at “sur arcades”) and built of stone. The stone This pigeon house with house This pigeon The roofs with four slopes, covered flat each corner. It is surmounted by arches (type cornices (‘randières’) serve as a landing board.

board.

chapiteaux ». CAP DE JOUX I especially love ... The half-timbered The half-timbered construction is very an elongated landing This one, in ST PAUL The pinnacle or bell- traditional « capels et meet. the roof slopes four slopes are covered turret is extended with It rests on very massive with flat tiles and ‘canal’ tiles where the siding of pillars decorated with the decorative. The roof with approached.

This pigeon house in house This pigeon scales’ roofing tiles. base of this pinnacle. property and cannot be permitting me to admire its beautiful high spire, already lost their leaves, The pigeons fly from the is on private Fortunately, the trees had which is covered with ‘fish

al (l ’épi) is a pigeon on ball. s and topped by a pinnacle with

of low height. The cross sections

type "castral" par excellence.

of wood are found only on three sides. The four-sided roof is

Very elegant, it rests on pillars Restored by fellow builders, the pigeon house of LEMPAULT is covered with ‘fish scales’ roofing tile pigeon holes set in the base. The fini

its full glory.

this pigeon house in

when I asked a very kind enter his yard, and now – finial surmounting shows a beautiful pigeon on a ball. walking in a dead end road gentleman he allowed me to resulting in a farmyard. But FRÉJEVILLE: I thought to be a little further in the field It is shaped like a "cylindrical tower" There are only four of its kind in the Tarn. The roof type “castral” is covered with ‘fish scales’ roofing tiles. The I had some difficulty in finding from the other side – although I could admire the pigeon tower to the interior.

pigeon on a square base. This pigeon house in SAIX distinguishes itself by having on top is a ceramic glazed the body (caisse) allows access eight pillars. A staircase under Its pinnacle is rather short and The pigeon-house of PUECH AURIOL is built on private land. I started taking photographs from a small path. Then I met the owner who kindly invited me to enter his garden. of bricks.

hole above the cornice on a ledge of half-moon with a slate roof, finished with a slate roof, finished there is an ogival door and It is octagonal and covered with a cross. In the front, (“randière”) of three layers window. Above the window is window. Above a plate with three flying holes holes a plate with three flying shaped sandstone. On each of the other 7 sides is one flying

1852

PUECH AURIOL ment, one of the identified on had to be located in ,

it was on my way when I t behind the castle, but

According to the touristic docu Tarn regi pigeon houses of the but it was impossible to find ... Moreover, as the latter was at the other end of department, only one that is not in the west, and as returned, I decided to give it another try this time. The address seemed to be inaccurate and first I discovered a beautiful castle. I can not resist the urge to show it you... was buil The pigeon house as it was private, I could not come closer. searched and finally found the tiny road marked on the document but not reported at the road junction! Again, I was lucky that the trees had lost their leaves. Together with the castle, it was a lovely picture. The XII century Castle of SAUVETERRE is built with different kinds of

made of slate slabs. The roof is conical squat.

stone, ocher and gray coloured. The surrounding cornice (‘randière’ ) is This round pigeon house in SAUVETERRE At Sauveterre ends the tour given by Tourism Office of the Tarn region. However, traveling the back roads, I had opportunity to see many others including some very beautiful ones. Many have been restored to serve as living quarters. Without dwelling on their architecture, I will show you a few. integrated into the construction of home.

This pigeon house with its four-sided roof flat tiles is well

Four-slope roof with flat tiles.

habitation.

type. It has been restored for

A pigeon tower of the "mules foot” from SAUR.

Both of the below pigeon houseshabitable. They are located not far are

house.

leasding to the house serves the The above pigeon the upper step of the stone staircase purpose of protecting COUFFOULEUX, with four finials. A pigeon-house in "mules foot" type Without words…

(arcades)

houses near SAUR,the one other surmounted by arches Two "mules type pigeon foot" surmounted by 8 pillars the and

garden.

pigeon house in a covered with ‘fish In SAINT-MARTIN In SAINT-MARTIN we found D'AMOUR It is surmounted by scales’ roofing tiles. this beautifully rebuilt pillars, the body half- roof with four slopes, timber with bricks, the Not far from ceramic tiles.

this pigeon house GAILLAC, there is GAILLAC, there with ‘randières’ of

ceramic pigeon on a ball.

arcades’) and is topped with a located in a small garden. It is restored by local inhabitants, is surmounted by arches (type ‘sur A RABASTENS, this pigeon house, CAZELLE s highly regulated. In

It is interesting to know that the Right for a Pigeon House was sometime the North, it was long exclusive right of big landowners, whether lords or abbeys. One should own a minimum of 25 ha land. However, in the South, in 1682, Simon Olive, Advisor to the Parliament of Toulouse, had decreed that it was "appropriate that it was allowed to everyone explains their build a pigeon-house”. This abundance presence in the region around Toulouse. The pigeons were appreciated both for the pigeon manure, which is essential to fertilise crops the and vineyards, because the birds provided a tasty source of very tender fresh meat. a water reservoir. restored by friends.

restoration, making it again used construction techniques

de mulet" in CORDES SUR CIEL, Photos taken before and after its Finally, a pigeon house, type "pied suggest that the base was built in the thirteenth century. Beneath is habitable. During the work, another door was found at the rear and Copyright ©2011 Aviculture-Europe. All rights reserved by VBC. Documentation: Document du Comité Départemental du Tourisme du Tarn Photos: M.J. Farizy-Chaussé November 2010 [email protected]

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