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Origin and history

La ferme au pigeonnier d'Ollé, located in the Eure-et-Loir department in the Centre-Val de Loire region, is an architectural testimony of the seventeenth century. This monument is distinguished by its dodecagonal doveconier, a rare and well preserved structure, listed in the inventory of Historic Monuments in 1971. The dovecote, round inside, has 1850 brick bolts spread over 26 rows in height and 70 in vertical, an exceptional capacity for the time. It is located in the centre of the agricultural buildings, west of the main house, stressing its importance in the organization of the farm.

The Ollé region, integrated into the Beauce chartraine, was at this time a rural area marked by a dominant agricultural economy. Pigeons, symbols of wealth and social status, were reserved for lords or prosperous farms. Ollé, with its original frame and octagonal roof lantern, illustrates the ingenuity of the construction techniques of the time. Local archives refer to humanitarian crises, such as the famine of 1693-1694, which severely affected rural populations, recalling the difficult context in which these farms operated.

Today, the farm remains a preserved example of Beauceron's agricultural heritage. Its dovecote, the only protected element, attracts attention for its architectural characteristics and its state of conservation. The village of Ollé, rural and sparse, thus retains a tangible vestige of its agricultural history, linked to the development of the large cereal farms of the Beauce. The materials used, such as brick for bolts, reflect the local resources and craftsmanship of the 17th century.

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