[1] Montucla's deep interest in history of mathematics became apparent with his publication of Histoire des Mathématiques, the first part appearing in 1758.

According to George Sarton, the Histoire is He was appointed intendant-secretary of Grenoble in 1758, secretary to the expedition for colonizing Cayenne in 1764, and chief architect and censor-royal for mathematical books in 1765.

In 1778 he re-edited Jacques Ozanam's Recreations mathématiques, afterwards published in English by Charles Hutton (4 vols, London, 1803).

The offer in 1795 of a mathematical chair in one of the schools of Paris was declined on account of his infirm health.

After his death, his Histoire was completed by Jérôme Lalande, and published at Paris in 1799–1802 (4 vols).