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Origin and history

The former convent of the Capuchins, located on Rue du Havre in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, was built in the last quarter of the 18th century by neoclassical architect Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart. After becoming a national in 1789, its convent buildings – including a cloister with characteristic galleries – were transformed into a high school in 1803 by imperial decree. The church attired, today Saint-Louis-d.

Condorcet High School, installed in these walls in 1804, became a symbol of liberal education in Paris in the 19th century, attracting a progressive bourgeoisie. Its history reflects urban upheavals (perceived from Rue du Havre in 1844, sacrifices of gardens) and political (name changes according to regimes). The cloister, historic heart, contrasts with subsequent extensions such as the façade of Charles Le Coeur (1860).

Ranked a Historic Monument in 1981, the site protects the church, the facades of the cloister and its galleries, while the façade on the Rue du Havre is inscribed. The high school, which is still active, perpetuates this heritage by integrating spaces such as the CDI or the library of preparatory classes. Its role in the Resistance (receiving Jewish students despite persecution) and its early opening to women (from 1924 onwards) mark its social commitment.

The buildings also house discreet architectural traces, such as the view of the passage of Le Havre from the north windows, or the "Aquarium", glass study space. The high school, despite its small size (1,000 pupils), remains an excellent institution, ranked among the best in France. Its history, in conjunction with that of Paris – the Capuchins in May 68 – makes it a major memory place.

The convent was designed in a sober style, typical of the Capuchins, with local materials (stone, brick) and a spatial organization centered on the cloister. The Revolution transformed its use, but the columns, the roofs and the chapel (now parish church) retained their integrity. The modifications of the 19th century, such as the addition of Rue du Havre, met the needs of a changing neighbourhood, between Saint-Lazare station and large boulevards.

Today, Condorcet High School combines academic prestige and heritage: its rooms bear the names of illustrious former students (Proust, Bergson, Sartre), and its cloister, accessible from the rue de Caumartin, recalls its religious origin. The duality between the "Grand Condorcet" (lycée) and the "Petit Condorcet" (neighboring college) also perpetuates the memory of the Capuchins, whose grip extended over this growing area in the 18th century.

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