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Origin and history

The convent of the White Augustinians came into being in the early 14th century, when a Naillac lord offered land to a hermit of the Augustinian order to found a convent there. The present chapel, built between the second half of the 14th century and the 15th century, bears witness to this medieval period. The oldest remains have disappeared, but a chapel of the fonts and three 15th century openings remain in the old church.

Between 1648 and 1672, the convent buildings were rebuilt on the north side of the church, including a cloister erected in 1669 by master mason Antoine Estèves. This reconstruction followed the reform of the Augustins in 1616, marked by a stone bearing the date of 1620. At the Revolution, the convent, sold as a national property in 1792, was acquired by the commune. The church was transformed into a hall, while the convent buildings were used for administrative purposes, resulting in the destruction of the bell tower and cloister.

In 1822, architect Murison began the construction of the town hall south of the nave of the old church, replacing destroyed chapels. The site, partially listed as historical monuments in 1928 (chapelle) and then in 1986 (façades and vaulted halls), retains remarkable architectural elements: cradle vaults, long-paned roofs, and a roofing panel in the nave. In 1950, a performance hall was built there, altering the original structure despite the protected status of the monument.

The materials used, calcareous stones coated for most buildings and stones for the town hall facade, reflect local constructive techniques. The refectory, vaulted in basket cove, and the 17th century rooms illustrate the architectural evolution of the site, passed from religious place to civic space. Today, the Augustine convent embodies both the monastic heritage and the administrative history of Le Blanc.

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