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Origin and history

The Notre-Dame convent of Sarlat-la-Canéda was originally established in 1633 by nuns of the company Marie Notre-Dame, fleeing an epidemic of plague in Domme. Located in the suburbs of Bouquerie, they were authorized by Bishop Louis II of Salignac de La Mothe-Fénelon in 1637. This first convent, inspired by the company of Jesus and dedicated to the education of young girls, was destroyed in 1652 during the fighting of the Fronde.

In 1671 Paule de Salignac de La Mothe-Fénelon, sister of Fénelon and superior of the company, financed the reconstruction of the convent. Under his direction until 1690, the site developed thanks to the support of Bishop Francis II of Salignac and the local noble families. In 1778, a wing was transformed into a classical boarding school for girls.

Sold as a national property in 1813, the convent will successively house the gendarmerie, a prison, and then the sub-prefecture from 1841. Its buildings, partially classified as historical monuments in 1949 and 1981, bear witness to its evolution between religious, educational and administrative vocation.

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