Photo : Charles Lansiaux / DHAAP - Ville de Paris
Prisoners - The final years of Saint-Lazare prison 1919-1932
Hidden behind the walls of a modern library in the 10th district lies a forgotten chapter of Parisian history, where an old convent once served as a harsh women's prison. Through rare archival photographs and haunting personal inscriptions, this exhibit reconstructs the daily lives of those silenced figures who walked these streets a century ago.
Médiathèque Françoise Sagan (Paris 10th)
About
Discover the hidden history of the Saint-Lazare prison through the exhibition Prisonnières, running from September 17 to December 13, 2026. Split between the Alban Satragne square and the Françoise Sagan media library, this exhibit documents the lives of women incarcerated in Paris between 1919 and 1932. Recommended for ages 12 and up, this free event utilizes archival materials, photographs, and personal artifacts to shed light on the female experience within this former convent-turned-prison. The entire site is wheelchair accessible, offering an inclusive look at the social and carceral history of the interwar period.
At the end of the Great War, all Parisians knew the somber facade of the Saint-Lazare prison, in the Faubourg Saint-Denis. Behind the dilapidated walls of this former convent, people were punished and treated. The only women's prison in Paris, it held more than a thousand detainees: defendants, those serving short sentences, and prostitutes who had broken regulations or were infected with syphilis. The latter were treated in the special infirmary, a true prison-hospital.
The fate of this institution, often compared to a leprosy in the heart of the capital, was decided in the 1920s, marked by a repressive pro-natalist policy and the fear of the "venereal peril." In 1932, the prison closed before being partially demolished. The infirmary, initially transformed into a health center for prostitutes, now houses the Françoise-Sagan media library.
The exhibition aims to make visible and tangible this history, of which the current site retains few traces. Through images, books, archives, and objects from the collections of numerous institutions, the exhibition looks back at the final years of the prison.
It begins with an outdoor route in the Square Alban Satragne, where large-format photographs reveal the former prison in its urban environment. The journey continues in the media library, where the exhibition examines the final years of the prison, the multiple perspectives on the prisoners and what they reveal about the condition of women at the time, as well as the faint traces they left behind themselves: writings, graffiti, and imprints testifying to the lives of these shadows of history.
Exhibition at two locations: Square Alban Satragne and the Françoise Sagan media library
This project was initiated by the association Histoire et vies du 10e, and supported by the City Hall of the 10th arrondissement.
A program of visits and activities is associated with the exhibition
Visits during the European Heritage Days
The show "Maison noire," a spoken and sung reading by the Cirque du Dr Paradi
A musical listening session on prison songs
A series of lectures, in partnership with the History Committee of the City of Paris
A symposium organized by the Center for 19th Century History
Our take on this event
Organized by the association Histoire et vies du 10e with support from the 10e arrondissement City Hall, the exhibition Prisonnières explores the final years of the Saint-Lazare prison. Once a site for both punishment and medical treatment, the institution played a controversial role in Paris until its demolition in 1932. Visitors can explore the history through a dual-site exhibition: large-format photographs are displayed outdoors in square Alban Satragne, while the main historical narrative continues inside the Françoise Sagan media library.
The collection examines the complex reality of the women held there, ranging from legal detainees to those treated for syphilis. Through books, archives, and objects, the exhibit highlights the personal traces left behind by these women, including their own writings and graffiti. Admission is free during the media library's standard operating hours.
To complement the exhibition, a diverse schedule of events is planned, including guided tours during the European Heritage Days, the performance Maison noire by the Cirque du Dr Paradi, musical sessions featuring prison-themed songs, and a series of academic lectures and a colloquium organized in partnership with the Comité d'Histoire de la Ville de Paris and the Centre d'Histoire du XIXe siècle.
