Pigeonnier souterrain

The dating of the Tourtenay dovecote is estimated to be around the 7th century. Partly built in the tufa rock, its tower is about ten metres underground. It is pierced by 1875 rectangular bolts, the first row of which is about one metre above the ground. A revolving ladder provides access to the upper parts. At its feet, this tower is completed by a vast room with an irregular floor plan whose function remains unanswered to this day. The Tourtenay troglodyte pigeon loft is the only example of its kind in the Poitou-Charentes region. The pigeon loft is an integral part of a private property: the Clos du Bois Ménard winery.