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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Pigeonier de Borde de Nadesse, located in Verdun-sur-Garonne, is a historic monument built in the 2nd quarter of the 18th century, as evidenced by the date of 1740 engraved above the entrance door. This square-planed dovecoier tower is distinguished by its brick and coated structure, its pavilion roof with aileron windows and its lantern. A circular staircase turret, covered with a dome, allows access to the floor where there is a structure of mixed bolts, partially preserved. The interior walls of the ground floor were decorated with naive murals at the end of the 19th century, without knowing the author or the precise date of this decoration.

The construction combines architectural elements typical of the eighteenth century, such as the blind arches of the ground floor, the denticles of the cornice and the earth and brick bolts arranged in checker. The skylights, alternately curved and triangular, retain their original wooden flight grids. The roof, initially in flat tiles, was rebuilt in 2004. This dovecote illustrates the economic and symbolic role of this type of building in the agricultural fields of Occitanie, where they served both as a food reserve (via pigeons) and as a social status marker for landowners.

The building was listed in the Historic Monuments by order of February 21, 2012, recognizing its heritage value. Although its detailed history remains partially unknown, particularly with regard to the author of 19th-century paintings, its architecture and interior fittings (such as the wooden screw staircase) bear witness to the craftsmanship and functionality preserved throughout the centuries. The precise location at the edge of Nadesse is attested by the GPS coordinates and archives of the Merimée base, with a reliability deemed satisfactory (level 7/10).

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