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Origin and history

The former convent of the Benedictine Ladies of the Blessed Sacrament has its origins in the Community of the Daughters of Saint-Aure, founded in 1687 by the parish priest of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont as the Community of the Daughters of Sainte-Théodore. Destined for the education of poor young girls, it moved in 1700 rue Tournefort (then rue Neuve-Sainte-Geneviève), where a chapel was built. In 1707 the community adopted the protection of Saint Aure and gradually extended until 1765, occupying much of the island. In 1753 the Dauphin Louis imposed the Saint-Augustin rule and granted an annual annuity of 1,500 pounds.

The Revolution closed the convent in 1796, and its buildings became a paper factory. During the Restoration, the Benedictines of the Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament bought the site in part. Sold in 1975 to a promoter, the convent lost its church (1936-1939) and chapel of 1707, replaced by housing. Today, the Pantheon Residence retains 17th and 18th century facades, classified as historical monuments, as well as arcades evoking the old cloister.

This place inspired Victor Hugo to describe the convent of Petit-Pippus in Les Misérables. The architect Claude-Martin Goupy built in 1760 the building of 20 rue Tournefort, while the portals of 16 and 18 rue Tournefort, dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, bear witness to his religious past. The protected elements include facades, roofs and an interior staircase, inscribed in 1975.

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