As night falls, head to the Mont-Louis in Montmorency for the Nuit des Musées 2026, whose 22nd edition takes place on Saturday, May 23, 2026, to visit the House of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Although the philosopher lived in Montmorency for only five years—from 1757 to 1762—there he produced his greatest works: Julie or the New Heloise, The Social Contract, and Emile or On Education.
Rousseau's controversial Émile ou de l'Éducation, which earned him exile, has made the town of Montmorency a place of pilgrimage for lovers of literature. Although the philosopher's house is still in use after his departure, the town of Montmorency has made every effort to recover it and turn it into a museum dedicated to Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
In this reconstructed house, we discover furniture and objects in the style of the Rousseau period, including Rousseau's bed, Thérèse's bed, the table on which he wrote his Nouvelle Héloïse, his barometer and 2 crystal jars from which Rousseau sheltered his light, so he could read in the garden at night.
On the walls, original documents take us back to Rousseau's Montmorency period, for a biographical presentation of the philosopher of the Enlightenment. A great idea for all readers of the philosopher... or high school students studying him for the French bac, as the case may be.
The CM2 students at Buisson School in Montmorency will display the works they created as part of the “La classe, l’œuvre!” project.
Meet at 6:30 p.m. for a presentation of the project.
Often tied to the triumph of reason, the Enlightenment was also a stage for wounded pride, deep friendships, and dramatic ruptures.
Through the Jean-Jacques Rousseau Museum’s collections and with exceptional loans from the Musée de la Musique – Philharmonie de Paris, the Comédie-Française, and the Domaine de Chaalis, discover how leading figures came together or clashed over questions of aesthetics, morality, religion, and politics.
Letters, portraits, engravings, books, instruments, maps: more than sixty works reveal the complexity of these ties and show how rivalries, alliances, and scandals fed major works and innovative ideas.
A plunge into an 18th century as brilliant as it is ruthless.
Step into these big debates and untangle the quarrels with a free, game-like booklet and interactive, manipulable devices.
Follow the guide to uncover the humble home of the renowned Enlightenment philosopher and his daily life in Montmorency! It’s here that Jean-Jacques Rousseau penned his most famous works, notably The Social Contract.
Violin and cello concerts in the intimate setting of the Rousseau Studies Library.
Dates and Opening Time
On May 23, 2026
Location
Jean-Jacques Rousseau Museum
5 Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau
95160 Montmorency
Prices
Free
Official website
www.ville-montmorency.fr
More information
Reservations for guided tours the same day, at the Museum reception desk.
