Couvent des Ursulines de Rouen, Historical convent in Croix de Pierre district, Rouen, France

The Ursuline convent on rue des Capucins consists of a single rectangular wing begun in 1652 and finished on 1 December 1653, built by architects Abraham and Pierre Hardouin. Its tall ashlar front has a curved projecting bay with a rounded pediment, a large barred arched window and carved side medallions. A broad stone staircase with a plain parapet rises along the base.

Ursulines reached Rouen in 1617 but the city refused them the Bons-Enfants convent; a first house was bought near the Rougemare. In 1630 they taught 500 pupils, and around 1640 they moved between rue des Champs and rue des Capucins. The convent was built from 1652 by Abraham and Pierre Hardouin and finished on 1 December 1653.

The sisters created an education center for girls from the city, which became one of the region's most important places for female learning over time. Their teaching mission shaped generations of students and left a lasting mark on the local community.

The property is managed by the city of Rouen and typically opens to visitors during special heritage events throughout the year. Plan your visit around these announced opening days to see the interior spaces and courtyard.

In 1727 Marie-Madeleine Hachard and other sisters left this convent for New Orleans, where they founded a convent, ran a hospital and taught girls. Hachard's letters describing the crossing and the colony are among the earliest written accounts of Louisiana by a woman.