Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The former Sainte-Claire convent in Perpignan was founded in the middle of the 16th century (1548–1550) under the impulse of Charles Quint, after the destruction of the first convent of the Clares during the siege of 1542 by Francis I. The nuns, installed from the 13th century outside the ramparts, remained there until their expulsion in 1792 during the French Revolution. The site was then converted to prison, a function which he retained until 1989, marking nearly two centuries of prison use.

The architectural ensemble, classified as a historical monument in 1988, includes a unique nave church with a vaulted choir, side chapels, and a cloister with sober arcades, partially covered. The choir is still decorated with 17th century murals. After its restoration, the convent has been home to the French National Documentation Centre of Algeria since 2012, highlighting its memory and cultural anchor.

The convent is located 1 rue du Général Derroja, in the historical district of La Réal, in Perpignan (Pyrénées-Orientales). Its original plan and medieval structure, including the cloister and church, were preserved despite the transformations. The burial of Anne-Marie Antigo is also attested, adding a local heritage dimension.

The official protection concerns the church and the cloister (classified) as well as the facades and roofs of the convent buildings (registered). A municipal property, the site illustrates the transformation of a religious monument into a secular space, between monastic heritage, prison memory and contemporary documentary vocation.

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