Maison Descartes/Descartes' House

The one-time abode of French philosopher René Descartes, Maison Descartes has become a popular attraction for French tourists, housing the French consulate and the French institute, who organize a number of cultural events in the city.

Descartes lived in the house at 6 Westermarkt, in the same block as the famous Anne Frank House, in 1635 and it remains dedicated to his memory. It was here that he wrote his final published work ‘Treatise on the Passions of the Soul’ - one of his most poignant works, allegedly inspired by his affair with maid Helena Jans Van der Strom, with whom he had a daughter, Francine.