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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The House of the Ursulines of Dole, located in Choisey (Jura), was built between 1770 and 1771 by the Ursulines nuns. Trusted to master mason Joseph Gerdy, this construction reflects the religious civil architecture of the 3rd quarter of the 18th century. The building, originally dedicated to education or community life, embodies the influence of women's congregations in the region before the Revolution.

In 1792, under revolutionary laws on the property of the clergy, the house was sold as a national property to an individual. This change of ownership marks the break with its original religious vocation. The commune of Choisey bought it back in 1837 to install schools and the town hall, illustrating the frequent reallocation of religious buildings into public facilities in the 19th century.

Partially classified as Historic Monuments in 1997, the house retains remarkable elements: facades, roofs of pavilions, fence walls, and a garden staircase with its old vineyard. These protections underline the heritage value of the site, now communal property. The accuracy of its location is estimated at 6/10, according to Merimée data.

The building also bears witness to local social and political transformations, from its educational role under the Ancien Régime to its contemporary administrative function. Its architecture, sober but elegant, recalls the legacy of Jurassian masters like Joseph Gerdy, whose name remains associated with its construction.

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