Appartement Natal de Stendhal (Stendhal’s Birthplace), Grenoble

Stendhal’s birthplace, located on rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau in central Grenoble, offers a glimpse into the early life of one of France’s great literary figures. Then known as rue des Vieux-Jésuites, the street housed the apartment of Chérubin Beyle, a lawyer at the Parliament of Grenoble, and Henriette Gagnon, where their son Henri Beyle-later known as Stendhal-was born on January 23, 1783. The second-floor apartment reflected the lifestyle of the 18th-century bourgeoisie and played a formative role in the young boy’s emotional and intellectual development, a setting vividly recalled in Stendhal’s autobiographical work The Life of Henry Brulard.

Until the death of his mother in 1790, the home symbolized happiness for the young Henri. Afterward, it became a more solemn place of study under the supervision of his stern tutor, Abbé Raillane. By age seven, he had moved to live with his maternal grandfather, Dr. Gagnon, in a nearby home that also features prominently in the Stendhal Museum’s network of sites. Though his time in the house was brief, the apartment remained a symbolic touchstone in Stendhal’s personal and literary history.

In later years, the building served a civic role as well. From 1966 to 1994, it temporarily housed the Dauphiné Resistance Museum, the first in Grenoble to honor the local resistance during World War II. The apartment was first opened to the public during the 1995 Heritage Days and has since become a key stop on tours dedicated to the writer's legacy.

Protected as a historic monument since 2000, the apartment, along with its street- and courtyard-facing façades, roof, and stairwell, reflects both historical preservation and cultural significance. Though visits are limited and only permitted on special occasions, a commemorative plaque and information panel mark the site, preserving the memory of Stendhal's beginnings in the very heart of Grenoble.