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Heritage classified

Origin and history

The Pigeonier de Courtioux is an emblematic building located in the hamlet of Courtioux, on the commune of La Saulsotte, in the Aube department. Dating from the 15th century, this monument illustrates the rural architecture of the medieval period, marked by the importance of pigeons in seigneurial or agricultural areas. These structures were used not only to raise pigeons, a source of meat and fertilizer, but also to display the social status of their owners, often lords or wealthy landowners.

Courtioux's dovecote was registered as historical monuments by order of 19 November 1990. This official recognition underscores its heritage value and its role in local history. The building, identified under the cadastral reference B 68, is today a testimony of the economic and social organization of the Champagne countryside in the Middle Ages. Its precise location, 179 Rue de la Maison Brûlée, allows to situate it in a preserved rural setting, typical of the Grand Est region.

The region, formerly integrated with Champagne-Ardenne, was marked in the 15th century by a predominantly agricultural economy, where pigeons played a key role in resource management. These buildings, often associated with farms or manor houses, reflected a strict social hierarchy, reserving their use to local elites. The pigeon house of Courtioux, by its inscription and its conservation, thus offers a concrete overview of this functional and symbolic heritage.

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