As is customary at the start of the school year, Heritage Days is the most exciting cultural event of the year in Paris. During this special weekend, a wide variety of institutions open their doors to the public, offering special—and often free—tours. For the 2026 edition, many venues in the Île-de-France region have joined in. Here’s the program!
Visit the place where Louis Braille invented the alphabet that revolutionized access to reading for the blind. Among the must-see attractions during European Heritage Days, head to the National Institute for Young Blind People (INJA). Founded in 1785, it was at this institution that Louis Braille developed his tactile alphabet. For European Heritage Days 2026, the INJA will open its doors to the public for a special event on the weekend of September 19–20.
Discover thousands of photos of a Paris long gone during free guided tours on September 18, 2026. For a more off-the-beaten-path experience during Heritage Days 2026, head to the archives of the Commission du Vieux Paris, which will exceptionally open its photographic collections to the public during guided tours on Friday, September 18, 2026. Two two-hour time slots (10 a.m. and 2 p.m.) are available; these tours are free but limited to 15 people and require reservations.
Free guided tours led by École Polytechnique students during the 2026 European Heritage Days. Among the exceptional sites to explore during the 2026 European Heritage Days, the École Polytechnique campus in Palaiseau will be open to the public on Saturday, September 19, 2026, offering several free tours led by students. Tours take place from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. by reservation only; participants must be at least 13 years old and present a valid ID.
Free admission on September 19 and 20 to the world’s oldest rose garden, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.! For European Heritage Days, the historic rose garden in L’Haÿ-les-Roses is opening its paths to the public free of charge on September 19 and 20: a chance to admire more than 11,000 rose bushes and approximately 3,000 varieties, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
A Special Event: The Sorbonne’s Secret Library Opens Free to the Public for a Weekend! For Heritage Days, theSorbonne’sinteruniversity library—a heritage gem dating back more than 200 years—is opening its doors for a special event. Guided tours are free on September 19 and 20, 2026, at 47 rue des Écoles.
Get free behind-the-scenes access to the Accor Arena on September 20, 2026. For European Heritage Days, the Accor Arena will open its doors to the public for a special behind-the-scenes experience on Sunday, September 20, 2026, with free guided tours (reservation required). The program includes a 45- to 60-minute tour in groups of 15 to 20 people, with tours departing between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The Labrouste Room at the INHA will be open to the public free of charge on September 19 and 20, 2026. Among the exceptional sites to visit during European Heritage Days, the library of the National Institute of Art History (Labrouste Room) will open its doors to the public free of chargeonSeptember 19, 2026, featuring guided tours, lectures, and workshops.
The Loto studios are opening their doors exceptionally for the 2026 European Heritage Days. Looking for a truly unique experience during the 2026 EuropeanHeritageDays? The FDJ is opening its FDJ United studios on Rue d’Aguesseau in Boulogne-Billancourt on September 19 and 20. The tours, lasting about 1 hour and 30 minutes, will be conducted in groups of 25 and include a behind-the-scenes tour and interactive activities. Registration opens on September 1, 2026, at noon.
Admission is completely free on September 19 and 20, 2026! Among the must-see attractions during European Heritage Days in Paris, the Sainte-Chapelle will open its doors free of charge on September 19 and 20, 2026, with no reservation required (admission is normally €22). This 13th-century Gothic masterpiece is famous for its 15 stained-glass windows and 1,113 stained-glass scenes.
Discover the Cistercian abbey, its romantic gardens, and a unique photo exhibition during Heritage Days. Want to get out of Paris for a bit while staying within easy reach by train? About an hour from the capital, the Royal Abbey of Royaumont opens its doors for Heritage Days with guided tours, its water gardens, and an exhibition celebrating 200 years of photography. Special offer: tickets for €12.50 (instead of €15.50).
Immerse yourself in 500,000 artifacts chronicling Parisian life during the special opening of the archives on September 20, 2026. Among the rare tours not to be missed during Heritage Days, the Historical Library of the City of Paris will open its archives to the public on Sunday, September 20, 2026, and offer six one-hour guided tours to explore nearly 500,000 ephemera documents chronicling everyday life in Paris.
A 600-year-old keep needs your help! If you’d like to take advantage of Heritage Days to get out of Paris and discover a place steeped in history, head to the medieval keep of Le Houssoy, located in Crouy-sur-Ourcq, an hour from Paris. Currently in danger, it is the subject of a fundraising campaign launched by the Fondation du Patrimoine. Good news: the monument will be open to the public free of charge for European Heritage Days on September 19, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Explore the Vieux-Pays de Goussainville for free during the European Heritage Days guided tours. To get out of Paris for a bit while still embracing the spirit of European Heritage Days, don’t miss these four one-hour guided tours: a chance to (re)discover the Vieux-Pays de Goussainville for free, with its history shaped by the airport and the Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul Church.
Discover the famous Art Nouveau dome at Galeries Lafayette during an exclusive, free tour. Among the must-see highlights of the 2026 European Heritage Days, Galeries Lafayette is offering a free, reservation-only tour beneath its Art Nouveau dome, in small groups of 15 people. The first tour departs on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.
A free, special tour of Paris’s archaeological storage facilities on September 18, 2026. For European Heritage Days, the City of Paris’s archaeological reserves (18th arrondissement) will open their doors to the public on Friday, September 18, 2026. Four one-hour guided tours are scheduled for 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m.; admission is free, but reservations are required.
Discover the Choiseul Royal Library—a hidden gem in Versailles—for free. If you’d like to get out of Paris for a bit during Heritage Days in late September, head to the sumptuous Choiseul Municipal Library in Versailles, which opens its doors to the public free of charge, showcasing its gilded decorations, wood paneling, and flat brick vaults. Reservations can be made on-site the same day at the gallery’s reception desk.
Discover the splendid 8th arrondissement town hall, a little-known Second Empire gem open to the public free of charge. Among the delightful surprises of Heritage Days, the 8th arrondissementtown hall—a sumptuous private mansion with SecondEmpiredecor—is opening its salonstothe public on an exceptional basis. Free tours on September 19 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (free admission).
Discover the magnificent Eiffel Hall at Lycée Carnot, a little-known work by Gustave Eiffel, during Heritage Days. For Heritage Days, the Lycée Carnot will open its doors exceptionally on September 19 and 20: a chance to explore the spectacular Eiffel Hall—a glass-roofed structure designed by Gustave Eiffel’s workshops—for free. Tours are led by students, who share the history of the site.