This high-school was built at the end of the 19th century by members of the French colony living in Tunis. It was called "Lycée Saint Charles" in reference to Cardinal Charles Lavigerie. In an effort to appropriate the habous (trust property) of the Collège Sadiki, the colonial authorities renamed it in 1308 H/1890 AD "sadiki secondery School". This manoeuvre having failed, the institution took the name of "Lycée Carnot" in tribute to the French President Sadi Carnot assassinated in Lyon (France) in 1311 H/1893 AD. In the 1980's it became a secondary school for the best students in the country and was renamed "Lycée Habib Bourguiba". This educational institution, originally reserved for French students, was later opened to Tunisian students as well and many generations of the country's elite were trained there and remained faithful to their alma mater, thus contributing to a strengthening of friendship between Tunisia and France.