We establish that
En-operads satisfy a rational intrinsic formality theorem for
n≥3. We gain our results in the category of Hopf cooperads in cochain graded dg-modules which defines a model for the rational homotopy of operads in spaces. We consider, in this context, the dual cooperad of the
n-Poisson operad
Poisnc, which represents the cohomology of the operad of little
n-discs
Dn. We assume
n≥3. We explicitly prove that a Hopf cooperad in cochain graded dg-modules
K is weakly-equivalent (quasi-isomorphic) to
Poisnc as a Hopf cooperad as soon as we have an isomorphism at the cohomology level
H∗(K)≃Poisnc when
4∤n. We just need the extra assumption that
K is equipped with an involutive isomorphism mimicking the action of a hyperplane reflection on the little
n-discs operad in order to extend this formality statement in the case
4∣n. We deduce from these results that any operad in simplicial sets
P which satisfies the relation
H∗(P,Q)≃Poisnc in rational cohomology (and an analogue of our extra involution requirement in the case
4∣n) is rationally weakly equivalent to an operad in simplicial sets
LG∙(Poisnc) which we determine from the
n-Poisson cooperad
Poisnc. We also prove that the morphisms
ι:Dm→Dn, which link the little discs operads together, are rationally formal as soon as
n−m≥2. These results enable us to retrieve the (real) formality theorems of Kontsevich by a new approach, and to sort out the question of the existence of formality quasi-isomorphisms defined over the rationals (and not only over the reals) in the case of the little discs operads of dimension
n≥3.