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Origin and history

The Maison des Filles de la Charité in Rennes came into being in 1673, when three nuns of the Saint Vincent de Paul congregation were called to manage a pot to relieve the poor. It was only in 1683 that they settled permanently in a house on Rue du Griffon, immediately rebuilt to accommodate their convent. The building, characteristic of the civil and religious architecture of the period, consists of two floors on the ground floor, with mansard roofs and a small campanile. The facade combines low-coated bellows and straight wooden panels to the upper floors, while some windows still retain their original carpentry.

The outbuilding overlooking the street of the Griffon served both as an entrance and as a way to other buildings that have now disappeared. This convent illustrates the charitable commitment of the Daughters of Charity, whose social mission falls within the context of religious reforms and 17th century charities. The building, partially protected since 1965 for its facades and roofs, also bears witness to the constructive techniques of the period, mixing traditional materials such as wood and stone.

The inscription under the title of Historical Monuments in 1965 allowed to preserve this rare example of conventual urban architecture in Brittany. Although some parts have disappeared, the main building and its campanile remain significant elements of the Rennes heritage, linked to the history of charity and public assistance under the Old Regime.

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