Paris's Convents

The history of Paris's convents since 1789 provides new perspectives on the history of the capital and the ways in which it has been shaped by the intersection of religion, gender, and politics. Female religious communities of the Catholic Church were once located throughout Paris, home to thousands of nuns and sisters. Although the property, membership, and purpose of these communities differed considerably, they formed an integral part of Parisian society, notably for their provision of services in education and care. These services expanded dramatically in the nineteenth century as women joined the religious life in unprecedented numbers. Yet from the French Revolution to the Third Republic, convents in Paris were targeted repeatedly in times of political unrest as authorities sought to curtail clerical – and female – influence. Although the social transformations of the twentieth century led to a decline in numbers, the many remaining physical traces of their past in the city serve as a reminder of a way of life that was once central to its functioning one that documents both changing opportunities for women and changing patterns of religious belief in modern France.