Pigeonniers, et le Petit Gitan

Since last May, when attending an annual gypsy pilgramge at St. Marie de la Mere, in the Camargue, I've been questioning the concept of camping. We were one of three tents among thousands of camper vans. Considering our tent blew down at 3 a.m., and we spent the rest of the night curled up in the back of our car, I'm surprised it has taken us this long to get our own. Announcing the newest member of our family, a ten year old Citroen, called a Romahome. We've named it, le Petit Gitan.

We started the first trip the day we picked the camper up and headed south to the Mediterranean.  Our second day we were in Collioure, and that finally brings us to the subject of this blog - PIGEONS!  Here is my pigeon portrait from Collioure.

Blog highlight: Pigeonniers

On our trip to check out the camping car, we drove by a wonderful example of double arcade pigeonniers (pigeon houses).  

Pigeon facts:  

No other farm animal or bird has received such favored treatment or been provided with such carefully built dwellings. 

Pigeonniers (pigeon houses) range in construction and can be classified into several general categories.  

The porche (porch) pigeonnier was derivative of the arcade pigeonnier which was situated at the entrance to the farm courtyard, thus symbolically serving a defensive purpose.  

-Pigeon Houses of the Midi Pyrenees

There will be lots more on pigeonniers, in upcoming blogs.  Here is an example of a round stone tower pigeonnier built below the limestone cliffs on the out skirts of our French village. 

Upon our return home, some of our pigeons were waiting for us on our terrace.