Couvent des Feuillantines, 17th-century convent in Latin Quarter, France
The Couvent des Feuillantines once covered more than six hectares in what is now the 5th arrondissement, shaped by the architect Jean Marot. The grounds included several buildings, gardens and courtyards arranged to serve the needs of monastic life.
Anne of Austria founded the monastery in 1622 at the request of Anne Gobelin, bringing sisters from Toulouse to Paris. After the Revolution, the buildings were dissolved and converted into residential houses.
The convent welcomed women from noble families who sought a life of prayer away from the outside world. The Archbishop of Paris enforced strict rules that governed how the sisters moved through the separate sections.
The surviving annex from 1688 stands at 10 rue des Feuillantines and features a protected 18th-century staircase inside. This building remains the only visible trace of the former monastery complex.
Victor Hugo lived here as a child from 1808 to 1813, after the rooms had been converted into apartments following the Revolution. These early years influenced his later literary work and his memories of Paris.
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