[1][2] In 1318, Thibaut II de Rochefort (circa 1260–after 1327), Viscount of Donges, an officer of the Duke of Brittany in Nantes (and perhaps governor of the city), established a Carmelite convent.

[5] In addition to the fact that the building had previously been used as a tavern, a public bordello was located on the opposite side of Rue de Verdun [fr], which allowed those opposed to the Carmelites to disparage the new establishment.

In 1348, in exchange[1] for the foundation of two masses, the knight Alain de Saffré transferred ownership of a house to the convent.

[7] The development of the convent encountered a significant challenge: the establishment's enclosure was traversed by the Gallo-Roman wall [fr], which was under the ownership of the duke.

The victory of John IV over Charles of Blois benefited the Carmelites, as the Franciscans of the Cordeliers Convent had supported the defeated side.

John IV, presumably desirous of garnering the favor of the citizens of Nantes to reinforce his recent triumph, resolved to bestow upon the Carmelites the portion of the wall that traversed the convent, the residence designated as "Tour-neuve," and an adjacent dwelling.

[9] A final acquisition, situated close to Rue de Verdun, permitted the erection of a structure that housed the chapter room, with a refectory above, where a dormitory was arranged.

Upon his release, the duke honored his pledge, presenting a collection of jewelry, coins, and goldsmith's work, valued at the time at a considerable sum, to the establishment (the inventory of which has been preserved).

In 1506, the Duchess and Queen of France obtained authorization to transfer the remains of her mother and her father's second wife, Marguerite of Foix, to the Carmelite church, where the tomb was completed.

Following her demise in 1514, Anne of Brittany was laid to rest in the Basilica of Saint-Denis, by the tradition observed for Capetian monarchs.

[11] Following the conclusion of the Wars of Religion in the 17th century,[1] the chapel was remodeled to address the deterioration of the convent buildings that had resulted from the conflict.

[9] In 1727, Gérard Mellier [fr], then mayor of Nantes, once again exhumed the casket containing Anne of Brittany's heart, citing concerns that the monks had melted down the gold within.

It was not until December 16 that Julien Gaudin, a merchant from Rue de Richebourg [fr], purchased the Carmelite Convent.

[11] In 1802, the former nave was transformed into a performance hall, the "Théâtre des Variétés," which was initially managed by the widow Charles "et Compagnie," and subsequently by individuals named Ferville and Potier.

Although this report was probably drafted to emphasize the poverty of the Carmelites, it nevertheless allows us to gain insight into the distribution of the buildings at that time.

[22] The convent complex comprised three buildings situated around the cloister, with the northern section adjoining the church (or chapel).

The eastern wing, situated along Rue du Moulin, was occupied by commercial establishments and the sacristy on the ground floor.

In addition to the tomb of François II and the reliquary of Anne of Brittany's heart, almost no ornamentation or sculpture was preserved during the destruction of the convent during the revolutionary period.

The Nantes media library [fr] preserves several works that were previously held by the Carmelite convent, including an incomplete copy of Saint Augustine's Enarrationes on Psalms 1 to 50.

The library at Princeton University also holds the Carmelite Missal, a work that intertwines the history of the convent with that of the Montfort house.

18 and 20 Rue des Carmes [fr], Frédéric Mahaud, unearthed many statue fragments within the courtyard of his property.

However, the attribution of these works to the Carmelite convent is based solely on the location of their unearthing, as no documents have been preserved regarding the building.

[17] The medieval works were probably discarded and buried during the refurbishment, which would explain how they escaped the destruction and dispersal associated with the French Revolution.

[26] Additionally, there is a fragment, a woman's head, which has been preserved since 1867 at the Thomas-Dobrée departmental museum.The statue of Saint Mark is now the oldest of those held by the museum.

[32] Although crafted by Breton artisans, the statue evinces a clear stylistic affinity with the artistic traditions of the Loire Valley.

[33] The quality of the craftsmanship is comparable to that of four statues from the early 15th century, which were situated at the base of the cathedral's crossing tower.

The head is tilted and disproportionate, and the cord holding the garment does not encircle the waist but is placed higher on the torso, indicating that the artist tried to mitigate the effects of perspective.