Lycée Hoche (Hoche High School), Versailles

Hoche High School is a prestigious public secondary school with deep historical roots. The building originally began as a convent called the Convent of the Queen, founded in the late 1760s by Queen Marie Leszczyńska, the wife of King Louis XV. Its purpose was both religious and educational: the nuns there taught young girls, particularly those connected to the royal household’s officers and court servants.

The French Revolution changed its role dramatically. In 1792 the nuns were expelled, and the building was repurposed for various uses-including as a military hospital and later as a storehouse. Then, in the early 19th century, during the Napoleonic era, it was transformed into a secondary school. Its name was officially adopted in 1888, in honor of Lazare Hoche, a French general who was born in Versailles.

Architecturally, Hoche High School offers more than just an educational institution. Its chapel-originally part of the convent-is a fine example of neoclassical design and is registered as a historic monument since 1926. Today, Lycée Hoche is recognized as one of the top secondary schools in France. It offers both regular high school education and preparatory classes for elite higher education.