• Comment: Please remove all inline external links from body text, convert to citations where relevant. There should be no links pointing to external resources until the footnotes in the 'References' section. DoubleGrazing (talk) 08:56, 14 February 2025 (UTC)

• Comment: Please ensure that this draft is strictly about the subject in the title. There is no need to cover at length other, related issues such as scientology in general, controversies etc. in France that are not directly related to this precise subject, etc. DoubleGrazing (talk) 08:56, 14 February 2025 (UTC)

• Comment: The topic on its own (as a new organization and building) is not notable for a standalone article. Put some of this content into Scientology in France.   ▶ I am Grorp ◀ 00:25, 15 February 2025 (UTC)

Background

The Church of Scientology has been classified as a cult by the French Government. However, it has active chapters throughout France. The Church of Scientology centers its practices around L. Ron Hubbard’s book, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, in which he presents a series of therapy ideas he calls Dianetics. According to the Paris Scientology website, the term “Dianetics” is defined as dealing with “what the soul does to the body” and comes from the Greek root words “Dia,” meaning through, and “Noûs,” meaning soul. The Parisian chapter of the Church of Scientology defines itself as “The study of the mind in its relationship with itself, universes and other forms of life. The intricacies of their practices are strictly privatized and screened, and therefore, there is little information on what their practices actually entail.^[1].

History of Scientology in France

Spread of Scientology (focus on France)

In 1959, L. Ron Hubbard Saint Hill Manor in Sussex, U.K., where he established the World Headquarters for the Church of Scientology and his personal residence. The Church of Scientology has existed in France since 1959 and was classified as a cult by the French Government in 1995. Over the course of the Church of Scientology’s existence in France, seven high-ranking members have been convicted of Fraud and/or incitement of suicide.^[2]

Origins in the US

The Church of Scientology emerged after World War II in the United States when founder L. Ron Hubbard published his book, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, in 1950. In his work, Hubbard proposed the various types of therapy practices called “Dianetics” Hubbard eventually founded the first Church of Scientology in February 1954, located in Los Angeles, California. The Church of Scientology, which now has various locations across the United States, has been regularly investigated and in legal battles with the American IRS.^[3] Followers of the Church of Scientology have spread Hubbard’s teachings to various other locations outside the U.S., setting up locations in the U.K., Australia, France, New Zealand, and South Africa.

New Building

Opening in Paris

On April 6, 2024, the Church of Scientology unveiled the Ideal Organization and Celebrity Centre in Saint-Denis, a district in the greater Paris region just north of the city. The building’s opening coincided with preparations for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics and is strategically located along the route to the [de France], visible to those walking from the RER/Metro station La Plaine Stade de France.

Building Acquisition and Transformation

Previously a Samsung office building, the property was purchased by the Church of Scientology in 2017 for 33 million EUR (approximately $36 million USD), according to Scientology Business. The six-story, 95,000-square-foot facility has been transformed into a central hub for Scientology activities in the Greater Paris area, catering to all 20 arrondissements and the broader Île-de-France region.

Architectural Design and Visibility

The newly opened building features a glass exterior and an atrium with a central spiral staircase design inspired by a redwood tree trunk, a recurring theme throughout the structure. The building is strategically positioned along the Autoroute A1, one of France’s busiest highways.

Expansion of Ideal Orgs Worldwide

The Paris Celebrity Centre’s inauguration was part of a larger expansion effort by the Church of Scientology. It was one of four Ideal Orgs opened within a six-week span, alongside locations in Austin, Texas; Mexico City, Mexico; and Chicago, Illinois. The global network of Ideal Orgs now includes locations in cities worldwide such as London, Dublin, Brussels, Rome, Madrid, Berlin, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Basel, Budapest, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Sydney, Johannesburg, and Bogotá.

Types of Scientology Facilities and Their Functions

To progress through the levels of Scientology, from initial auditing to the state of Clear and Operating Thetan, members must visit Scientology churches or organizations that offer auditing and auditor training in a structured sequence. Depending on their location, this may require traveling significant distances. From local field auditing to Class V Organizations, then to the state of Clear, followed by Advanced Organizations and Solo Auditor Training, and continuing through OT V. Higher levels, such as those available at the Flag Service Organization in Clearwater Florida are accessible only at specific locations. As outlined by Donald A. Westbrook in Walking in Ron’s Footsteps: “Pilgrimage” Sites of the Church of Scientology, Scientology has expanded internationally, and some members have relocated to be closer to these centers for easier access to services and community engagement. While these locations do not hold intrinsic religious significance in terms of salvation, they are considered important for educating members and for spiritual development within the church. Beyond being destinations for training, these sites are intended to deepen historical and theological understanding, potentially reinforcing a member’s commitment. More recently established Ideal Organizations, such as the Celebrity Centre Paris, include information centers with video displays on L. Ron Hubbard’s life, further supporting this historical and theological engagement.^[4]

Facilities and Features

The Church of Scientology and Celebrity Centre Grand Paris offers a range of facilities for its members and visitors:

• Public Information Center: Features approximately 500 short films available in 17 languages, covering aspects of Dianetics, Scientology beliefs and practices, the life of L. Ron Hubbard, and the Church’s humanitarian efforts.
• Bookstore: Stocks books and recordings by L. Ron Hubbard.
• Hubbard Guidance Center: Dedicated space for auditing sessions.
• Purification Center: Equipped with a gym and sauna.
• Auditing Training: Includes individual auditing rooms and "The Academy" for auditing instruction.
• Sequoia Café: A café offering refreshments and a space for socializing.
• Terraces and Conference Rooms: Spaces for meetings and gatherings.
• Chapel and Auditorium: Used for services, ceremonies, workshops, receptions, and events.
• L. Ron Hubbard Office: Like all Scientology churches worldwide, the Paris Center includes an office dedicated to the founder.

An American, John M. “Jack” Campbell, promoted Dianetics in Paris in the early 1950s. Mario Feninger opened the “first Parisian Scientology association” (the predecessor to the Celebrity Centre of Greater Paris), out of an apartment, in France when he formed the “Friends of Scientology” on the 26th of October, 1959. Éric Roux, now leads the Celebrity Centre of Scientology in Paris.^[5]

The Church of Scientology and Celebrity Centre of Greater Paris does not disclose how many members it has on their website.

In 2008, the French newspaper, Le Figaro, claimed there were approximately 5,000 practicing Scientologists in France.^[6]

Main article: Scientology beliefs and practices

The Church of Scientology and Celebrity Centre of Greater Paris strictly follows the traditional practices and procedures of the Church of Scientology.

Main article: Scientology in France

Further information: Scientology controversies

Since the Church of Scientology’s introduction in France, the Church has been the subject of a myriad of legal controversies.

Both the Paris-based Celebrity Centre and the national French governing body of the Church of Scientology have been accused and tried by the French government for various crimes including but not limited to: religious abuse through financial extortion ^[7], kidnapping and gross negligence ^[8], and organised fraud ^[9]. In 1995, the French parliament classified Scientology as a « secte », the French word for “cult”^[10]. In 2021, MIVILUDES, the French government agency created to combat the rise of cults in France, published a graphic novel « Dans la Secte ». In the graphic novel, “a young woman [is] recruited into Scientology”, highlighting the French government’s classification of the Church of Scientology as “the quintessential example” of a cult in France.^[11]

The national governing body of the Church of Scientology and the Paris-based Celebrity Centre have maintained, since the 1995 classification, that the French government is “persecuting it for its beliefs as a ‘new religion.’” ^[12]