Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The monastery of the Visitation of La Flèche was founded in 1646 on the initiative of Gabriel du Puy du Fou, local lord, whose sister Marie-Angélique became its first superior. The Puy-du-Fou family, influential in the region, actively supported its construction. The works began in 1650 under the direction of architects Jean and Charles Cesvet (father and son), originally from Lude, in collaboration with artisans like carpenters Antoine Roux and Jean Grossier. The south wing and east wing of the cloister, dating from 1651, as well as the wall of enclosures, were the first erected structures.

The construction continued in stages: the south wing was completed in 1660 by Charles Cesvet alone, after the death of his father. The wall was raised in 1664 and in 1672 by the master builders Urbain Landais and Jean Freslon. The west and north wings, including a monumental staircase with a day return, were built from 1679 by architect Pierre Ricossé de la Briere, according to the plans of his predecessors. The carpenters Antoine Roux and Pierre Counand contributed to this work, the latter carrying out in 1681 the false vault covering the stairs.

At the French Revolution, the convent was closed and transformed into a hospital in 1802, run by the hospitals of Saint-Joseph de La Flèche. In the 19th century, modifications were made: partial walling of the arches of the cloister (1830), construction of a new chapel in the west wing (1837) by architect Lemoine, and extensions of the buildings. The ensemble, including the claustral buildings and their carved decoration (keys, medallions), was classified as a Historic Monument in 1985. Today, the site retains remarkable elements such as original parquet floors and a wooden staircase with four nuclei.

The monastery is part of the history of the Order of Visitation, founded in 1610 by François de Sales and Jeanne de Chantal in Annecy. This order, originally conceived as a congregation dedicated to prayer and accessible to elderly or disabled women, became an order cloistered in 1615 to conform to the Council of Trent. The late foundation of La Flèche (1646) illustrates the expansion of order in France before the Revolution, which counted up to 87 monasteries in 1641. The coat of arms of the Visitation, designed by François de Sales, often adorns these buildings.

External links