Every year, the European Heritage Days are a unique opportunity to push open the doors of places usually closed to the public. Castles, behind-the-scenes monuments, unusual sites… We’ve selected the most exceptional activities and visits to experience this year.
The Sorbonne Library
The Sorbonne hides one of its least-known gems: the inter-university library. Usually reserved for professors, researchers and students, it will exceptionally open its doors to the general public in September on the occasion of the European Heritage Days. A rare opportunity to discover one of the capital’s most splendid and secret libraries.
📍 Location: 47 rue des Écoles 75005 Paris
Musée du Jouet de Poissy
Housed in the former Saint-Louis royal priory, this unique museum has been welcoming visitors since 1976. Enlarged in 1996 and modernized in 2019, it offers a truly timeless journey. Its collection of 14,000 items, including around 600 on permanent display, is a unique blend of heritage, know-how and nostalgia, appealing to children and adults alike. It will also be open for the Journées du Patrimoine.
📍 Location: 1, enclos de l’Abbaye, 78300 Poissy
The Orient Express in the Gare d’Austerlitz
As part of the European Heritage Days 2025, an exceptional experience awaits visitors: the discovery of the Orient Express. On September 20 and 21, you’ll be able to climb aboard the legendary train and explore its seven carriages, real jewels in a refined Art Deco décor.
📍Location: Gare d’Austerlitz
Le Parc Boussard
Just 40 minutes by train from Paris-Austerlitz, the commune of Lardy is home to one of the finest Art Deco gardens in the Paris region. Designed in 1927, this unique park harmoniously blends vegetation and architecture. On the occasion of the Journées du Patrimoine 2025, it will be revealed in a new light thanks to original light projections.
📍Location: Parc Boussard – 43, rue de Verdun, 91510
The Comédie-Française
Founded in 1680 by Louis XIV, the Comédie-Française is the oldest surviving national theater in the world. A veritable shrine to Molière and a mecca for French dramatic creation, it has seen the work of Corneille, Racine, Hugo and many others. Behind its red curtains, the Salle Richelieu (1786) reveals gilding, historic dressing rooms, hidden staircases and libraries full of treasures. Usually reserved for the initiated, this Parisian institution is exceptionally unveiled during the Heritage Days, offering visitors the chance to delve into more than three centuries of history and theatrical secrets. The free tours, scheduled for September 20 and 21, 2025, are available on registration only from September 4 at 8 a.m. – don’t delay, places will be snapped up within minutes.
đź“Ť Location: 1 Place Colette, 75001 Paris, France
The offices of Le Monde newspaper
In the heart of the 13ᵉ arrondissement, the headquarters of Le Monde newspaper attracts the curious during the European Heritage Days. This futuristic 23,000 m² building , suspended above the rails of the Gare d’Austerlitz and made of 20,000 sheets of glass, houses 1,600 journalists at work. During the Festival du Monde, the public can discover the editorial backstage area, the panoramic terrace and the historic office of Hubert Beuve-Méry, the newspaper’s founder. Access is by reservation only, offering a unique and rare experience into the world of France’s most influential daily newspaper.
📍Location: 67 avenue Pierre-Mendès-France, 75013 Paris
The machinery of the Eiffel Tower
On September 20 and 21, 2025, on the occasion of the Journées du Patrimoine, small groups will be able to enter the East pillar of the Eiffel Tower for an exceptional visit. Accompanied by a technician, they’ll go behind the scenes of the elevator’s machinery, a century-old hydraulic system still in operation.
đź“ŤLocation: Eiffel Tower
Lycée Carnot
We’re off to an unexpected place: the Lycée Carnot. The school is home to a structure designed by Gustave Eiffel that is still little-known to the general public. The good news is that it will be accessible free of charge during the Journées du Patrimoine weekend.
📍Location: Lycée Carnot – 145, boulevard Malesherbes, 75017
Château de Brissac
Known as the “Giant of the Loire Valley”, this castle impresses with its unusual dimensions: 7 floors, 204 rooms and an imposing silhouette that has watched over Brissac for almost a thousand years. Erected in the 11th century as a fortress before becoming the residence of the Dukes of Brissac, it bears witness to the power of the great lineages of French nobility. Surrounded by a vast landscaped park, the site today offers a unique visit, combining architectural prestige with a timeless atmosphere.
đź“ŤLocation: 1, rue Jeanne Say, 49320, Brissac
The Menier housing estate
In Noisiel, just 30 minutes from Paris, lies a precious reminder of our industrial past: the Cité ouvrière Menier. Much more than just a neighborhood, this housing complex illustrates the innovative vision of the Menier family, who profoundly influenced the lives of their workers by creating a veritable village designed for their comfort. Orderly streets, vegetable gardens behind each house, communal shower-baths… everything was designed to improve the daily lives of residents and provide an exemplary living environment.
📍Location: Place Emile Menier – 77186, Menier
Château de Villandry
Located in the heart of the Loire Valley, some fifteen kilometers from Tours, the Château de Villandry is the last major Renaissance building in the region. While its refined architecture will appeal to history buffs, it is above all its gardens, reputed to be among the most remarkable in Europe and even the world, that have earned it its international renown.
đź“ŤLocation: 3 rue Principale, 37510 Villandry
Château de Neuville
Just forty minutes from Paris, Château de Neuville offers a timeless interlude in the heart of the Yvelines region. Listed as a historic monument, it has retained its original allure and prestige of yesteryear. Restored and preserved, today it remains a precious witness to French history.
📍Location: Château de Neuville, 78890 Gambais, Yvelines
Château de Castel Novel
Easily one of France’s most romantic châteaux, Castel Novel is also taking part in the Journées du Patrimoine. For this 2025 edition, the building and its gardens will be enlivened by guided tours orchestrated around Colette, whose story is closely linked with the site.
📍Location: Château de Castel Novel – Route de Roland Garros – Varetz 19240
The Japanese Gardens of Favières
Less than an hour from Paris, a vast, ever-changing green setting offers a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of the city. Covering more than 9,000 m2, this park dedicated to Japanese art and culture offers a unique immersion experience, enriched by a diversified cultural program throughout the year.
📍Location: Jardins japonais de Favières – 10, chemin de la Belle-Épine, Favières 77220
Château de Falaise
Just over two hours by train from Paris Saint-Lazare, stands an imposing medieval château, almost a thousand years old. The Château Guillaume le Conquérant in Falaise, a listed historic monument, was the birthplace of the man who became King of England. Now fully restored and open to the public all year round, it’s the ideal place to combine historical discovery with a change of scenery.
📍Location: Château de Falaise – Place Guillaume le Conquérant, 14700 Falaise
Les Médiévales du Houssoy
For history lovers and immersive entertainment, don’t miss this genuine medieval festival, free of charge and open to the whole family. Around the Houssoy keep, a 14th-century vestige listed as a Historic Monument, the Médiévales is one of the highlights of the European Heritage Days. After Provins, another charming village immerses visitors in the atmosphere of the Middle Ages!
đź“ŤLocation: Crouy-sur-Ourcq
Parc Fauvel
For the European Heritage Days, head for the charming village of Villennes-sur-Seine. Here you’ll discover one of the most beautiful corners of the Yvelines: the Parc du Docteur Fauvel. A verdant setting full of charm, with many surprises in store for walkers.
đź“ŤLocation: Parc du Dr Fauvel 78670 Villennes-sur-Seine
The National Archives of Paris
One of the highlights of the European Heritage Days program is a visit to the National Archives Museum. This institution, which preserves tens of thousands of historical documents, will exceptionally be revealing its backstage areas. These include major documents from French history, such as the Edict of Nantes, the Constitution of 1791 and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen!
📍Location: Archives Nationales de Paris – 60, rue des Francs-Bourgeois, 75003
Hôtel du Châtelet
It’s hard to imagine such a treasure being hidden in the heart of Paris. On the Place du Châtelet, this 3,000 m2 Haussmann palace has been home to the Paris Chamber of Notaries since 1856. A true masterpiece of the XIXᵉ century, it has seen crowned heads, figures of the Revolution and high dignitaries of the clergy all pass through its hall.
📍Location: Hôtel du Châtelet – 12, avenue Victoria, 75001
Paris 8th arrondissement town hall
This visit is certainly one of the least well-known, yet we assure you it’s well worth it! The Hôtel de Ville in the 8ᵉ arrondissement is a splendid townhouse, with well-preserved Second Empire decor. Its secret gilded salons, and its architecture will amaze you!
đź“Ť Location: 3 rue de Lisbonne, 75008 Paris
đź•‘ Opening hours: 2 pm to 6 pm
đź’¸ Price : free
The Versailles library
Everyone knows about the Château de Versailles, but did you know that the city hid a magnificent library? During Heritage Days, you can visit it for free. This 700-year-old jewel is not to be missed!
📍Location: 5, rue de l’Indépendance américaine 78000 Versailles
đź•‘ Opening hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, September 20 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, September 21.
đź’¸ Price: free
The Italian Embassy in Paris
This magnificent embassy, little known to the general public,is one of the capital’s secret jewels… Housed in an 18th-century Louis XV-style mansion, you’ll discover a breathtaking place, transformed by its many owners and tenants. During your visit, you’ll admire a splendid Sicilian theater and majestic salons…
đź“Ť Location: 51 Rue de Varenne, 75007 Paris
đź“… Date: only on September 20, on registration
đź’¶ Price: free of charge
Ecole des Mines Paris – PSL library
Yes, one of France’s most prestigious schools is home to a magnificent library. Its three floors house rare and precious works. Don’t miss this visit, open only on Saturday September 20. In addition to the majestic reading room, you’ll stroll through the school’s garden and visit the mineralogy museum, one of the richest in the world!
đź“Ť Location: 60 Bd Saint-Michel, 75272 Paris
🗓️ Date: September 20
💶 Price: free – registration strongly recommended