The Church of Saint-Jacques du Haut-Pas is located on the Rue Saint-Jacques, to the South-East of the Luxembourg gardens. Externally the building appears to be unfinished: above symmetrical façade stands, only the left tower, right there. As controversial and the whole history of the Church.

The earth in this place with about 1180 belonged to the brothers Hospitallers – the knights of St. John, later known as the order of Malta. In 1572 moved here at the direction of Marie de Medici also the Benedictine monks of the monastery of Saint-Magloire. Chapel and later a Church of the Benedictines, was close to the population of the surrounding neighborhoods, and in 1630, brother of Louis XIII, Gaston of Orleans Church decided to expand. Conceived, it was a lot, but not systematically enough, and parishioners, the good Catholic, came here once a week to work for free.

For the life of the parish had a huge impact charismatic young abbess of the convent of Port-Royal, Marie-Angelique Arnaud, a prominent activist jansenistic movement, later recognized as heresy. It was here, in Saint-Jacques du Haut-Pas, was buried one of the pillars Jansenists the movement Duvergier de Goran, Abbot of Saint-Cyranski is long made the Church a place of worship Jansenists. The Duchess de Longueville, who applied to Jansenism at the end of his life, donated considerable funds for the continued construction of the temple, and buried inside her heart. Here lie the remains of the famous astronomer Jean-Dominique Cassini, who discovered four satellites of Saturn and the Great red spot on Jupiter.

Almost a quarter of a century, from 1756 to 1780 year, the rector of the Church was the priest Jean-Denis Cochin, a brilliant preacher and a staunch philanthropist. He founded the Church of the hospital of St. James for the poor – Saint-Jacques du Haut-Pas have returned to their roots (the order of Hospitallers was famous for advanced medicine). The hospital still exists and bears the name of its founder. In the Church you can see the marble memorial plaque with words of gratitude to the priest, who gave all his fortune to the cause of helping the poor.

During the revolution the Church was looted and turned into a "Church of mercy". Under Napoleon, the building was returned to believers, when the July monarchy was restored. In the nineties of the last century, the restoration was repeated, there were restored historic interiors.