THE CHURCH AND THE "GRANDES ÉCOLES" ("great schools")

CATHOLICS TOO EXPLAIN SAINT-GERMAIN'S INTELLECTUALITY, SINCE THE CHURCH CONTROLLED THE LEFT BANK 

 Outside the wall and north of Protestant territory was the powerful abbey of Saint-Germain. Only the tower below is left.

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Its tower, neighborhood symbol

  Conference room at 4 place de Saint-Germain du Prés; access thanks to Mr. Payen-Appenzeller

Within the wall was the Sorbonne University, where much of Europe's clergy was trained

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A class in theology at the 15h-century Sorbonne

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The Sorbonne is still at the heart of the French university system and the country's Great Schools* cluster around it 

* Schools whose students are admitted by competitive exam after two years of special preparation. They become state officials, are paid a salary and must work for the State for two years after graduation. For other ways in which the French system is far more democratic than that of the United States, please click.

• The prestigious Lycée [high school] Saint-Louis, which Jesuits founded in the 16th century to train the sons of the elite, is across the boulevard and the Schools of Law and Medicine are steps away.

• The École Normale Supérieur, the École des Sciences Politiques, the Faculté de Jussieu and the Collège de France are in the neighborhood.

•  The École Polytechnique and École Centrale were there until moved to the suburbs (in 1964 and 2015 respectively).

The bus stop next to the Sorbonne

 is called "Les Écoles" (The Schools).

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Next,

Intellectuals, cafés and the Occupation