Innovative learning space for the historical ‘Legion of Honour’ House of Saint-Denis, high school

Maria Elena Cuomo, Prof. Gilles Dreyfus, and Francisco A. Diaz Lison with Julien Le Gars, Secretary-General of the Grand Chancellery, and Jacques Boudy, his predecessor (2014-2023) - Monaco, July 24, 2023.

As a significant and contemporary institution, the Legion of Honour is a crucial component of the French nation's heritage. With its deep connection to French history, it represents timeless values and enjoys significant popularity. Recognized globally, this prestigious decoration honours individuals, both military and civilian, from France and abroad, who have demonstrated merit.

In 1805, Napoleon decided to allocate the former Royal abbey of Saint- Denis to create the Legion of Honour ‘house of education’ specifically for girls. He was intent on fulfilling the educational needs of girls and convinced that women should have a major role to play in society. Today there are 3 educational Institutions, the House of Loges, the middle school, the House of Saint-Denis, the high school and the House of Saint-Denis, the post-baccalaureate college. They have a 100% success rate at national exams for the middle school certificate and the baccalaureate.

The ‘houses of education’ accepts, solely as boarding students, the daughters, grand-daughters, and great-grand-daughters of French and foreign recipients of the Legion of Honour, the Military Medal, and the National Order of Merit.

In compliance with the founding principles of the Legion of Honour, the admission process endeavours to respect: Equality, giving the same attention to all applicants and granting financial aid to the less well-off families. Universality, ensuring that all socio-professional categories are represented among students.

It is a public high school under the direct responsibility of the Grande Chancellery of the Legion of Honour; the Grand Master of the Chancellery is the President of the Republic and therefore it is on the budget of the prime minister.

In 2022, the Cuomo Foundation became a funding patron of the Chancellery’s ‘Memory of Honour ‘project. This ongoing initiative aims to digitise and preserve the centuries-old historical institutions’ archives of all its French and foreign recipients of its military and civilian awards.

In 2023, the Foundation agreed to continue its patronage by supporting the renovation and modernisation of the ‘educational building’ of the Legion of Honour’s ‘House of Saint-Denis’ high school. It will be transformed into an innovative educational space, proactive in terms of adaptation to climate change, natural resource conservation, circular economy, and energy efficiency. It will provide an improved living environment for high school students, not only to excel academically but also to develop forward-thinking ideas aligned with current global issues.