Former chapel of the abbey of Port Royal, Chapel in Paris, France
The Former Chapel of the Abbey of Port Royal is a 17th-century chapel in central Paris, part of a monastic complex that still stands today. It has a single nave with a vaulted ceiling and narrow windows that let in filtered light; the adjoining cloister with its small garden is also accessible.
The Abbey of Port Royal de Paris was founded in the 17th century as an offshoot of a monastery outside the city, built to house the growing community. Over the following centuries the complex served in turn as a religious house, a prison during the French Revolution, and eventually part of a hospital.
The chapel was once the spiritual heart of a community that followed Jansenism, a strict approach to Christian faith that valued austerity and moral discipline. Visitors today can still read this spirit in the bare walls and unadorned interior, where nothing was built for show.
The chapel and cloister sit within a hospital complex, so access may be limited and it is worth checking whether guided tours are available before you go. The site is close to the Boulevard de Port Royal and easy to reach by public transport.
The main entrance of the chapel was originally on the side, because the staircase leading to the intended front facade was never built. The front of the building was designed to have a decorative arrangement of columns, but that work was never completed, leaving the chapel with an unfinished exterior that can still be seen today.
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