Home > Paris Attractions > Historic Buildings > National Museum of Port-Royal de Champs

The Musée de Port-Royal des Champs was at one time a famous school. The ruined abbey, which the museum overlooks, was once the centre of Jansenism (a Catholic reform movement largely directed against the Jesuits).

It is quite easy to underestimate the influence that the type of groups and schools had on French life; this is where the intellectuals and power-mongers came to learn the arts of reason and debate.

The endless wars of the Middle Ages often revolved around the nuances of Catholic doctrine and schools such as this played a crucial role in politics. Important intellectuals such as Pascal and Racine studied here and refined their beliefs and rhetoric which would go on to be so influential.

The Musée National de Port-Royal de Champs is dedicated to the history of this political and religious movement and contains a large number of engravings, books and paintings.

This is a thought-provoking and contemplative museum which provides a glimpse into a vanished world. It is also a quite lovely place, a wonderful stop with the Paris Pass.