Collège Sainte-Barbe (French pronunciation: [kɔlɛʒ sɛ̃t baʁb]) is a former college in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was founded in 1460 on Montagne Sainte-Geneviève in the Latin Quarter of Paris. Until its closure in June 1999, it was the oldest identified college of Paris.
History and Founding
The Collège Sainte-Barbe was established in 1460 by Pierre Antoine Victor de Lanneau, a teacher of religious studies, as a college of the University of Paris. It operated continuously for over five centuries before closing its doors to students in June 1999.
Buildings
The college's buildings underwent numerous modifications since its founding in 1460. They were redesigned between 1881 and 1884 by architect Louis-Ernest Lheureux (1827–1898) and later rehabilitated by Antoine Stinco. Since March 2009, the premises have housed the Sainte-Barbe Library (Bibliothèque Sainte-Barbe), a university library open to the public.
The Barbiste Spirit
The "Barbiste Spirit" is preserved through the Friendly Association of Old Barbistes (Association Amicale des Anciens Barbistes), founded in 1820 and recognized as a public society since 1880. It is the oldest alumni association in France.
Notable Alumni
Former students (known as "Barbists") include a wide range of historical figures:
- Ignace de Loyola (1491–1556), founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
- St. François-Xavier (1506–1552), Roman Catholic missionary to India, China, and Southeast Asia
- Guillaume Postel (1510–1581), linguist and diplomat
- Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier (1745–1799), co-inventor of the hot air balloon
- Eugène Scribe (1791–1861), dramatist and librettist
- Gustave Eiffel (1832–1923), engineer and designer of the Eiffel Tower
- Alfred Dreyfus (1859–1939), French artillery officer at the center of the Dreyfus Affair
- Jean Jaurès (1859–1914), socialist politician and pacifist
- Charles Péguy (1873–1914), poet and essayist
- Louis Blériot (1872–1936), engineer and pioneer aviator who made the first flight across the English Channel
- Émile Borel (1871–1956), mathematician
- Henri-Georges Clouzot (1907–1977), film director and screenwriter
- Claude Lelouch (born 1937), film director
- Bernard Kouchner (born 1939), co-founder of Médecins Sans Frontières and former French government minister
- François Berléand (born 1952), actor
Notable Former Faculty
Among the former professors were the historian Jules Michelet (1798–1874) and the journalist Serge July (born 1942).
