Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The convent of the Sisters of Wisdom, located in Loix in Charente-Maritime, was originally established in 1775-1776 thanks to Anne Large. She exchanged estates for vineyards to build a school of Charity, including a chapel, three bedrooms, a dining room and a kitchen. The Congregation of the Daughters of Wisdom, founded in 1703 by Louis-Marie Grignon de Monfort and Marie-Louise Trichet, took over the administration to educate the young girls and care for the sick. The chapel was blessed on 11 April 1776 under the name of Saint Anne, marking the beginning of his educational and charitable activity.

In the 19th century, the convent underwent several extensions and renovations. In 1805 a new bell was installed, and in 1834 the chapel was restored by Louis Bouthillier. An asylum room replaced the stables in the south, while a square courtyard, surrounded by rooms, a pharmacy and gardens, structured the space. In 1844 Jean-Baptiste Malardier, a local entrepreneur who had rebuilt the church of Sainte-Catherine, intervened on the building. Finally, in 1856, a communal class for girls was added to the north, by municipal decision, under the direction of the entrepreneur Dervieux Bonnin.

The decline of the convent began in the 20th century, parallel to the demographic decline of Loix. Closed gradually, it became communal property and was converted into a party hall. Today, the building, located on Rue de la Poste, keeps a record of its educational and religious past, while serving as a gathering place for the local community. Its architecture reflects the successive adaptations linked to its varied uses, from teaching to social life.

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