French House Renovation

The first of three funding prioirties of the Honors College is renovating its home - the French House.  The French House—la maison française—is a Renaissance-style Normandy château built in 1935 as a center for intense study of French language, culture, and literature. On April 15, 1935, French Ambassador André de Laboulaye traveled to Louisiana to celebrate LSU’s Diamond Jubilee. He laid the structure’s cornerstone, which included a piece of wood from the original Fort de la Boulaye, the first French settlement in Louisiana. Ambassador François de Laboulaye, André de Laboulaye’s son, rededicated the building on April 3, 1981. The French House remains the only non-Quadrangle LSU structure on the National Register of Historic Places.

 In its prime, the facility was host to formal entertainment and distinguished visitors to campus. Since 1999, it has housed the daily administrative, teaching, and student life functions of the LSU Honors College. While Honors College annual applications number nearly 5,000 for 500 spaces, and enrollment increased 33 percent in 2007, the highest of any senior college, its facility is in deplorable condition.

The $7 million French House renovation will provide the state-of-the-art educational facility that our University’s most outstanding students deserve. Renovation will nearly double the amount of classroom space, allow for student gatherings and incorporate state of the art technology.  Additionally, non compliant infrastructure will be updated.  Asbestos will be abated; the exterior envelope and roof will be replaced; rotting interior trims and deteriorating interior finishes will be restored; and telecommunications, mechanical equipment, and electrical systems will be replaced while solving accessibility issues and ensure code compliance.

Gifts can be made on line through the LSU Foundation by simply selecting the Honors College from the drop down list of beneficiary units.  Or gifts can be mailed to LSU Honors College, 317 French House, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 70803.