Behind a discreet façade on rue de Poissy lies the second-largest Gothic nave in Paris, 70 metres long and built by the Cistercians. A fire station until 1995, the Collège is now a venue for debates, exhibitions and concerts.
The Collège at a glance
Founded in 1245 to house Cistercian monks studying in Paris, it is the only surviving remnant of the medieval University. Sold as national property during the Revolution, it served in turn as a prison, a warehouse and a fire station, before being restored by Jean-Michel Wilmotte and Hervé Baptiste and reopening in 2008.
Don't miss
The former refectory, with its three rib-vaulted aisles resting on slender stone pillars, is a space of rare purity. In the basement, the medieval cellar has recovered its original volume. The 14th-century sacristy hosts contemporary art exhibitions that sit remarkably well with the stone.
Visiting tips
It is a twelve-minute walk from the hotel, heading towards the Seine. Guided tours run several times a week. La Table des Bernardins, set in the nave, serves lunch beneath the vaults.
Close by
The Tournelle quays and the Île Saint-Louis are close at hand, with the Institut du monde arabe and its rooftop terrace five minutes away. Rue Mouffetard and its shops lie a little further south for a longer walk.
