Pigeonnier de Pouzay

Pigeonnier de Pouzay with in its center an oak classified among the 250 remarkable trees of France. Privilege seigneurial abolished at the Revolution, the dovecote on foot or fled is a building either round or square. This dovecote has 2,700 niches or "boulins" and could at the time house about 5,000 pigeons. This intensive breeding also produced a much sought-after fertilizer called "colombine". A sharply protruding cornice prevented rats and weasels from climbing up the walls to enter the building through one of the dormer windows. A vertical ladder, suspended from gallows attached to a central mast that swivelled at its base, provided access to the nests. Over time, an oak tree replaced the original roof to give it an unusual silhouette. Of the 5 dovecotes in the commune of Béceleuf, 4 are still standing, including the one in Pouzay which is the only one accessible.