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Heritage classified

Origin and history

Barlaude's dovecote is a square-plan dovecote, built in wood covered with torchi and covered with a coating. It rests on four wing posts and is surmounted by a roof in the pavilion with a dome lantern. Its orthogonal structure, reinforced by crosses of Saint Andrew, illustrates a traditional construction technique. This type of building, frequent in Limagne, was used for pigeon breeding, a symbol of social status in modern times.

A dendrochronological expertise revealed that its construction would actually go back to the second half of the 15th century (ca. 1472 or shortly after), although its architectural style and written sources originally associated with the 18th century. The cadastral plan of 1835 places it in the center of a farm yard, now disappeared, attesting to its integration into a larger agricultural complex. Its facades and roofs were inscribed in the Historical Monuments by order of 11 July 1984.

Architecturally, the dovecote is distinguished by its half-timbered walls and its square-based bell tower, with a dome in wooden scales. This model, characteristic of the Limagne dovecotes, reflects both a utility (breeding) function and a land property marker. The flat tile cover and stilt raised structure were designed to protect pigeons from predators and moisture, common techniques in rural areas of Auvergne.

Today, the dovecote of Barlaude remains as a rare testimony of vernacular architecture and agricultural practices of the Ancien Régime. Its state of conservation and its precise location (20 Avenue de la Limagne in Villeneuve-les-Cerfs) make it a remarkable heritage, although its original environment has disappeared. The accuracy of its late dating (15th century) raises questions about the evolution of construction techniques in Auvergne before the 18th century.

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