About twenty kilometers from Paris, the Vieux-Pays district of Goussainville presents a rather puzzling scene. Amid the old houses that are still inhabited, there are buildings that have been bricked up or left to fall into disrepair, while planes from Roissy regularly fly overhead. On Saturday, September 19, 2026, European Heritage Days will offer the chance to explore this unique neighborhood for free during four one-hour guided tours.
Long described as a “ghost town,” the Vieux-Pays is not, however, completely deserted. Its history took a dramatic turn in the early 1970s with the construction of Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle Airport. Located directly in the flight path of the runways and classified as a high-noise zone, the neighborhood gradually lost a large portion of its residents. Aéroports de Paris then bought up numerous properties, including about 80 houses, which were bricked up because they could not be demolished immediately.
Visit the Vieux-Pays neighborhood of Goussainville and its historic church
The Heritage Days tours will begin in the castle’s former stables—now restored—with a small exhibition dedicated to the history of Goussainville. The tour will then continue through the streets of the old village, past houses and buildings that still bear witness to the neighborhood’s drastic transformation in the 1970s.
The tour will also pass by the Church of Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul, one of the most important landmarks in the Vieux-Pays. Its origins date back to the Middle Ages, and its architecture was extensively remodeled during the Renaissance. Its designation as a Historic Monument has , in fact, played an unexpected role in preserving the neighborhood: the protection of the surrounding area has long prevented the demolition of several houses purchased around the building.
Location: Vieux-Pays de Goussainville, Place Hyacinthe-Drujon, 95190 Goussainville
Times: Saturday, September 19, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.; free, no reservation required.