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Origin and history

The Pigeonier du Moulin-Grand, located in Perrex in the department of Ain, is an emblematic building of the early 17th century, built in wooden strips resting on four stone columns. This type of structure, typical of Savoyard Bresse, makes it a rare testimony to the rural architecture of this border region between Bresse and Dombes. Although often associated with the neighbouring commune of Saint-Jean-sur-Veyle because of the proximity of the eponymous mill on the other side of the Menthon, the pigeon-house is indeed located in the territory of Perrex, near the confluence with the Veyle.

Ranked as a Historical Monument by order of 17 December 1993, the pigeon house is one of the last preserved outbuildings of the Moulin Grand, mentioned in 1675 as property of Jean Conte. Its exact origin remains uncertain: while the mill has undergone modifications over the centuries, the precise dating of the pigeon tree — sometimes mentioned as 1704 — is not formally attested. It is now one of the last three copies of dovecotes in dovecote of the region, with those of the Balmondière (Saint-André-d'Huiriat) and Coron (Beley), highlighting its exceptional heritage character.

The dovecote is part of a historical context where these constructions symbolized both social status and economic function. In Bresse, a region marked by strong agricultural activity and local seigneuries, the dovecotes were reserved for landowners or mills, as evidenced by that of the castle of Perrex — destroyed during the Revolution — of which only the dovecote remained. The current structure, owned by a private company, thus illustrates both the traditional construction techniques and the seigneurial dynamics of the Ancien Régime in this transition zone between Savoie and Lyonnais.

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