The Pensionnat Joseph Vacher has a complex history, intertwining the fate of the school and that of the buildings that housed it. The school, founded in the 1820s, was initially intended to provide secondary education for clergymen, before opening up to a wider audience from 1906. For decades, it was a bastion of Catholic education in the Languedoc region, attracting students from renowned families.
The buildings that housed the boarding school also have a rich history. Built in the 1860s as a convent, they were partially requisitioned during the World Wars to house convalescent soldiers. Subsequently, these buildings were transformed into a boarding school and college, offering a comprehensive education and residence to students.
However, in the late 1980s, the school gates closed for good, leaving the buildings abandoned. Despite the damage inflicted by time and lack of maintenance, an exploration of the premises still reveals the remains of classrooms, dormitories, kitchens, more modest bedrooms, the infirmary, toilets, as well as what remains of the chapel and basements.
The Joseph Vacher Boarding School today bears witness to its eventful past, recalling the importance of education and daily life in a boarding school of yesteryear.
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