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Origin and history

The convent of the Ursulines of Gerande is a former convent whose buildings, completed in 1704, form a large body with wings in return. A 19th century chapel completes the whole. Located in the Faubourg Saint-Michel, 600 metres from the medieval gate of the city, it is part of a historical environment marked by the proximity of the chapel Saint-Michel.

The convent originated in the Porte-Calon mansion, whose name refers to Olivier Calon, the first lord known in 1515. This mansion then passed to the Secillon family, originally from Vannes, before being acquired in 1646 by the Ursulines. They established their community there before building the current convent.

During the Revolution, the Ursulines were expelled, and the convent became a hospice for twelve years. In 1810, the commune established a secondary school there, but transferred it to the bishopric in 1823 for budgetary reasons. By order of Charles X, the site became a small diocesan seminary in 1824, a function it retained until 1906, the date of its closure after the law of separation of churches and the state.

During the First World War, the convent welcomed German and Austro-Hungarian nationals. He returned briefly to a seminary in 1922, before closing permanently in 1966. Joined historic monuments in 2001, it was bought in 2018 by the François 1er group, which carried out restoration work until 2023.

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