Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris, also known as Mines ParisTech or Mines Paris - PSL, is the first French mining school. Founded on 19 March 1783 by order of King Louis XVI, his initial objective was to train "smart directors" for the mines of the kingdom. She moved first to the Hôtel des Monnaies in Paris, then disappeared in 1791 during the Revolution before being reconstituted in 1794 under the name of École pratique des Mines du Mont-Blanc in Savoie.

In 1802, the school was transferred to Peisey-Nancroix, where it trained between 60 and 70 students in twelve years, combining theory and practice on the ground. The Sardinian invasion of 1814 interrupted its functioning, but it was restored in Paris in 1816 at the hotel of Vendôme, its current location. Over the centuries, it evolves towards a generalist school, while maintaining its historical anchor in geosciences, energy and materials.

The school extends geographically with campuses in Fontainebleau (1967), Évry, and Sophia Antipolis (1976). It delivers engineering degrees, master's degrees, specialized masters and doctorates, in collaboration with universities such as PSL. His research, organized in 18 centres, covers fields such as energy, materials, applied mathematics and social sciences, with a strong industrial partnership via Armines.

Mines Paris has trained prominent personalities, including Nobel laureates (Georges Charpak, Maurice Allais), industrialists (Carlos Ghosn, Tidjane Thiam) and politicians (Alain Poher, Alain Minc). His pedagogical model combines internships, research and internationalization, with exchanges at prestigious universities such as MIT or Harvard. The library, founded in 1783, and the Presses des Mines complete its intellectual heritage.

The school is also known for its commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship, with structures such as the Junior-Entreprise JuMP or the Fondation Mines Paris, created in 1946 to support its development. Its history reflects the industrial and technological developments of France, from the Revolution to the digital age, while remaining a key player in the formation of scientific and economic elites.

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