[1][5] As physician and natural philosopher, who received a medical degree from the University of Paris in 1642, Perrault became one of the first members of the French Academy of Sciences when it was founded in 1666.

The definitive design of the east façade is attributed to Perrault, who made the final alterations needed to accommodate a decision to double the width of the south wing.

[9] He also created projects for the joining of the Louvre with the Tuileries Palace[5][10][11][12] and may have devised the use of iron tie rods behind the entablature of the east façade in order to solve engineering problems arising from forces causing stress in the masonry.

[5][19] Aside from his participation in the design of the Louvre, he became well known for his translation into French of the ten books of Vitruvius, the only surviving Roman work on architecture.

His study "De la Musique des Anciens" in the Oeuvres diverses discussed how combinations of notes yields harmony.