Prytanée National Militaire, Military school and historic monument in La Flèche, France
Prytanée National Militaire is a military training and education institution in La Flèche that prepares students for higher military and civilian studies through a combination of academic classes and officer preparation. The complex consists of several connected buildings arranged around interior courtyards, including dormitories, classrooms, a chapel, and administrative wings constructed in a classical French style.
King Henry IV founded the institution in 1604 as a Jesuit college to provide education in the region. After the dissolution of the Jesuit order, Louis XV converted the college into a military preparatory school in 1764, a role it continues to serve.
Students at the Prytanée, known as Brutions, follow specific traditions and wear military insignias that indicate their academic achievements and grade levels within the institution.
The facility remains closed to the public as a working boarding school, but visitors may occasionally tour parts of the grounds during special events or heritage open days. The historic courtyard and chapel are most likely to be accessible during such occasions.
René Descartes spent eight years of his youth here between 1607 and 1615, receiving his foundational education in philosophy and mathematics. The school still preserves some rooms and corridors from that period that the young philosopher once walked through.
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