The Journées du patrimoine (heritage days) are when thousands of France's historic buildings, cultural centres and museums throw open their doors - many of them free of charge. Here's our pick of the best places to visit this year.
Journées du Patrimoine 2024
On Saturday, September 21st, and Sunday, September 22nd, more than 25,000 fascinating sites – many of which are not normally available to the public – will put on events across France for the Journées du patrimoine (heritage days). As a result, it can be a little overwhelming to decide how to make the most of the heritage days.
What do the events involve?
This year marks the 41st anniversary of the event. The themes are 'routes, networks and connection' and 'maritime heritage'. To find out what’s on near you, check out this interactive map created by France's ministry of culture. At the time of writing, more than 21,000 events and places to visit were registered on the site. Exploring transport heritage (stations, airports, ports), movable heritage (locomotives, planes, cars, boats), connections (antennas, satellite dishes, radars), highlighting intangible cultural practices such as transhumance are just a few examples. The European Heritage Days are also an opportunity to promote the roads, paths and other physical routes historically taken for spiritual or commercial reasons – highlighting, for example, the 31 cultural routes in France, such as the pilgrimage trails to Santiago de Compostela, the Route de la Libération and the Route des Vikings.
Here are some of our suggestions for this year:
Paris Hôtel de Ville
Even though every commune in France has a mairie, this one really stands out. The building itself is not particularly old by French standards, only dating back to 1882, but it is still a monument in the heart of the capital that contains plenty of history and culture. This year the building's ten heritage and specialist libraries will be on display. Even though entry is free, be sure to book tickets ahead of time. You can find them here.
The Belem in Saint-Malo
The Belem – originally used to transport cocoa from the Antilles in the 19th century and classified as a historical monument by the Ministry of Culture in 1984 – recently made history by carrying the Olympic flame to Marseille. Listed as a historical monument in 1984, this three-masted ship will open its decks to the public in Saint-Malo during the Journées du Patrimoine. Details here.
France Televisions Headquarters in Paris
Tour studios and control rooms at the headquarters of France Televisions in Paris to find out more about the 24/7 world of broadcasting. Technical staff, journalists and internal teams will be on hand to answer questions – and you’re certain to meet a famous face or two… Online registration opens in early September here.
Observatoire Historique de Marseille
Take a guided tour of the Merz-Eichens telescope, followed by a visit to Léon Foucault's large glass mirror telescope. Plus, there’s a temporary exhibition with a self-explanatory title to enjoy – "Planets and Climates". More here.
Opéra National de Bordeaux
Featuring artistic performances in the grand staircases and a hip-hop performance by Mourad Merzouki on Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Online reservations available from September 14th on the Opéra website.
Art Workshops at the Louvre
The art workshops of the Louvre in Paris open their doors to demonstrate the painstaking work that goes into the apparently simple act of hanging a work of art for display – from mounting drawings, framing gilding, decorative painting, lighting of works, museographic supports, installation of works, marble work, tapestry, carpentry cabinetmaking and metalwork. Visitor registration is set to open soon on the museum’s website.
Travel Back in Time in Alsace
The Maison de l’Archéologie des Vosges du Nord will take visitors on a guided tour of daily life in the Bronze Age in what is now the Alsace, while there is also a chance to peruse a collection of medieval artefacts, thanks to the work of volunteers who, for more than ten years, have been restoring the Schoeneck, one of many fortified castles in the Northern Vosges. Further details here.
The Criminal History of Lyon
Tricksy lawyer Maître Jeannot Sambre will take visitors on a tour of key landmarks in Lyon’s criminal underworld, explaining the secrets of Place Bellecour to the ancient Abbey of Ainay, and revealing the truth about the Gang des Lyonnais. More details here.
La Route des Villes d’Eaux in the Massif Central
The spa towns of the Massif Central have a unique history, specific architecture, and preserved living environment and their particular art of living. The Route des Villes d’Eaux has a series of events planned for this year’s Journées du Patrimoine. Find out more here.
Antarctic Exploration in Toulouse
Toulouse, in south-west France, was the birthplace of French 19th-century explorer Gaston de Roquemorel, who was one of the first humans to go to Antarctica. During the Journées du Patrimoine, the Natural History Museum in his home city will delve into his journey of discovery, and put some of his finds on display. No reservation required, but more details are available here.
Archives de la Planète d’Albert Kahn in Strasbourg
In 1908, Albert Kahn launched his Archives de la Planète, a project to capture men and women across the globe “to better attempt to mutualise their proximities, everything that unites in difference, everything that makes the world, at a time when, precisely, a certain experience of the world seems destined to disappear”. The Great Depression of 1929 put an end to his grand plan – but not before he had catalogued thousands of images. Many will be on display at University Library of Strasbourg.
The Elysée Palace in Paris
Each year, the French Presidential Palace, which is usually closed to the public, opens its doors for visitors during the Journées du Patrimoine. The 2024 programme was still not available as of late August, but it was expected to be published at the start of September. Normally, the event allows visitors to see the gardens of the Court of Honour, as well as some of the most important rooms of the palace - including the Salon Murat which hosts the French government Council of Ministers meeting each Wednesday as well as the Salle des fêtes (reception room) which hosts banquets and official state dinners. Keep an eye on the Elysée website to register for (free) tickets before they sell out, as it is a very popular event.
Christophe Simon,TheLocal