Beginning of pigeon shooting in Vichy 1880 (≈ 1880)
Practical appeared near the Lardy baths.
1888
First international competitions
First international competitions 1888 (≈ 1888)
Organized on the field of races.
années 1900
Movement of land
Movement of land années 1900 (≈ 1900)
Transferred left bank of Allier.
1901
Construction
Construction 1901 (≈ 1901)
Commanded to Antoine Percilly against the Celestines.
1937
New site in Bellerive
New site in Bellerive 1937 (≈ 1937)
Displaced shot Gannat road.
1980
End of Pigeon Shooting
End of Pigeon Shooting 1980 (≈ 1980)
Final cessation of practice.
26 juillet 2022
Registration historical monument
Registration historical monument 26 juillet 2022 (≈ 2022)
Official protection of the building.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The Pigeon Fire Building located 14 rue Claude Decroître, on parcels Nos. 351 and 566, in the cadastre section AP: inscription by order of 26 July 2022
Key figures
Antoine Percilly - Vichyssois architect
Manufacturer of the building in 1901.
Président des tirs de Dieppe, Deauville et Nice - Contest Organizer
Offered his services to Vichy in 1888.
Origin and history
The pigeon shooting building, located in Bellerive-sur-Allier, was built at the beginning of the 20th century to accompany a sporting practice then in vogue in the spas. The activity of pigeon shooting, which appeared in Vichy in the 1880s near the Lardy baths, institutionalizes with the organization of international competitions. In 1888, two major competitions were held on a field of racing, before the activity was moved in 1901 on the left bank of the Allier, opposite the Celestins. The Vichyssois architect Antoine Percilly designed a specific building, marked by a monumental portal framed by square turrets and a functional rear façade, adapted to the needs of the shooters and the public.
The building, initially modest, was enlarged westward a few years after its construction. The competitions, held between 1 July and 25 August, attract an international clientele and contribute to Vichy's attractiveness, in the same way as golf. These events, with prestigious awards, are highlighted in the advertising materials of the spa. In 1937, the activity was transferred to a new land in Bellerive, Gannat Road, where it continued until 1980. The former site, used in the 1950s-1960s by the Vichy Archery Company, was finally acquired by the community of agglomeration in 1998.
Architecturally, the building is distinguished by its low and broad shape, built in parallel with the Allier. Its central entrance, emphasized by a brick frame and a curved portal, contrasts with the small twined bays of the facade. At the back, square poles support the foreground, while a backyard serves changing rooms and other technical spaces. This monument, registered in 2022, bears witness to the history of seaside recreation and the sport heritage of the country.
Pigeon shooting, although controversial today, was then perceived as a noble discipline, associated with the social elite attending spas. Its gradual decline from the 1980s onwards reflects changes in animal welfare attitudes and regulations. The building, now a public property, retains a heritage value linked to that time, where sport and socialism were closely intertwined in the Vichyssian landscape.
