Lycée Saint-Louis


The lycée Saint-Louis is a post-secondary school located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, in the Latin Quarter. It is the only public French lycée exclusively dedicated to classes préparatoires aux grandes écoles. It is known for the quality of its teaching and the results it achieves in their intensely competitive entrance examinations. It is widely regarded as one of the best preparatory class in France and one of the most elitist and prestigous along with his neighbours Lycée Henri IV or Lycée Louis-Le-Grand.

History: the Collège d'Harcourt

Until 1820, the lycée Saint-Louis was named Collège d'Harcourt. At the time of its founding it was meant to be a residence for students of the University of Paris. The Collège d'Harcourt was founded in 1280 by Robert and Raoul d'Harcourt to offer food and lodgings to some forty impoverished students. It was not originally a teaching establishment, but this became an increasingly important part of its function over the years.
In the 18th century, it was a stronghold of Jansenists and produced several of the philosophes and Encyclopédistes.
The original building was demolished in 1795 and the present one erected on its site in 1814.
In the course of the 19th century, the lycée was successively a prison, barracks and reformatory.

Notable alumni