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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Convent of the Ursulines of Bollene was founded in the early seventeenth century by the Ursulines of Valréas. This building, originally dedicated to religious life, became a local symbol before being deeply marked by the upheavals of the French Revolution. In 1792 the nuns were expelled from Bollene, and some of them suffered guillotine in Orange. The convent, emptied of its primary function, was then transformed into a hospital to meet the needs of the local population.

The chapel of the convent, the centrepiece of the building, has preserved its original altarpiece, a carved and gilded wooden work. This altarpiece features a central painting depicting Saint Roch and St James, bearing witness to the religious art of the time. The whole convent was protected as historical monuments in 1984: the chapel was classified, while the rest of the building, including the entrance door, the staircase and its baluster ramp, was inscribed.

Today, the Convent of the Ursulines of Bollene, owned by the municipality, remains a major architectural and historical vestige of the Vaucluse. Its history reflects the religious, political and social changes of the region, from its foundation to its heritage recognition. The archives of 1792, preserved at the National Archives, as well as its record in the Merimée base, document its enlivened journey.

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