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Origin and history

The Chèze dovecote is a dovecote built in the 4th quarter of the 18th century, as attested to the date of 1776 engraved above its entrance door. According to a local legend, he was erected by a mason to demonstrate his know-how, while his competence was questioned during the construction of the nearby church. Its initial use, however, remains uncertain, although its structure — a square tower with a four-sided dardian roof — is typical of the dovecotes of the time.

The monument is mentioned for the first time on the Napoleonic cadastral plan of 1835 under the name of "pigeon", official name since 1913. Its facades have superimposed openings: four on the southeast face and twelve on the northwest face, spread over six levels. Wooden planks, supported by consoles, served as flight tables for pigeons. The southeast door, surmounted by a schist monolithic lintel, confirms the use of local materials.

Ranked a historic monument by decree of 22 February 2010, the dovecote now belongs to the commune of Chèze. Its position at the highest point of the village, as well as its functional architecture, make it a rare testimony of the agricultural and seigneurial practices of the Ancien Régime in the Pyrenees. The legend of the mason, though unverified, illustrates the symbolic importance of these buildings in rural communities.

Available sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum, Merimée base) highlight its remarkable state of conservation, with a GPS location deemed "a priori satisfactory" (level 7/10). The building, a communal property, does not seem open to visit, but its heritage protection guarantees its preservation for future generations.

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