Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The pyramid of Genillé is part of a set of four stone monuments erected in the forest of Loches in the eighteenth century. These buildings, built along the Georges-d The pyramid of Genillé, located near the forest house of Beauchêne, is distinguished by its curved cubic base and its arrow surmounted by a girouette, reflecting the functional and decorative aesthetics of the period.

The pyramids were commissioned in the 1770s by the Grand Master of Waters and Forests Cabanel d'Anglure, after the opening of the Georges d'Amboise road in 1769. Their construction was part of a tradition dating back to Colbert, which advocated in 1699 the construction of landmarks for travellers in the royal forests. Three of the pyramids, including Genillé, were classified as historical monuments in 1956, the fourth in 1958.

The pyramid of Genillé is characterized by a square base decorated with mouldings and frames, supporting a pyramid slender with worked edges. Unlike others, it wears a girouette at the top, adding a practical dimension to its symbolic role. Its location, close to the communal boundary with Genillé, highlights its integration into the forest landscape and its usefulness for hunters of the time.

These monuments illustrate the importance of the Loches forest as a preferred hunting ground under the Old Regime. Their preservation today bears witness to the architectural heritage linked to the activities of cynegetics and the management of natural spaces by the monarchy. Their alignment along a major forest road makes them unique historical and landscape markers in the Centre-Val de Loire.

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