During the Heritage Days, we go off the beaten path by taking advantage of the exceptional openings of museums, monuments, institutions and unusual venues, on the 19 and 20 September 2026! For one weekend, explore the capital in search of the finest architecture, the greatest mysteries and the anecdotes your guides will gladly share during tours and workshops, often free!
18 meters above the Capucins underground quarries, ancient galleries 1.2km long, exploited between the 12th and 17th centuries (not open to visitors this year), you'll find theCochin hospital and the Port-Royal cloister, part of the former Cistercian abbey, where you can learn about the history of Jansenism and the reign of Louis XIV. This magnificent building, now part of the Hôpital Cochin, is full of anecdotes...
Founded in 1780 by Jean-Denis Cochin, parish priest of Saint-Jacques-du-Haut-Pas, the Saint-Jacques hospice was originally intended for the neighborhood's poor and workers, but continued to expand over time. In 1784, after the closure of the Capuchin novitiate, part of the building was used as a hospital for adults suffering from venereal diseases, first under the name of Hôpital des Capucins, then Hôpital du Midi.
The two establishments successively merged with the Ricord hospital, the Port-Royal maternity hospital, the Baudelocque clinic and the Tarnier hospital. Associated with the hospital since the 1980s, there has been a biomedical research institute, theInstitut Cochin , reorganized in 2002 as a joint research structure in genetics, molecular biology and cell biology. Hôpital Cochin is now a hospital of the Assistance publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, part of the Université Paris-Cité medical faculty.
Please note thatregistration is required for guided tours.
Visit to Cochin-Port-Royal Hospital
Discover the history of Cochin Port-Royal Hospital, nestled in the heart of Faubourg Saint-Jacques, and its remarkable architectural heritage—from its abbey origins to the maternity ward, and from charity to philanthropy.
Guided tours by advance registration only.
Participation conditions: Limited to 20 people - Free | Advance reservations required - https://www.linscription.com/pro/activite.php?P1=191110
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00–10:45, 11:00–11:45, 12:00–12:45, 14:00–14:45, 15:00–15:45, 16:00–16:45
Dates and Opening Time
On September 19, 2026
Location
Port-Royal cloister
123 Boulevard de Port-Royal
75014 Paris 14
Route planner
Prices
Free
