The Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days) are being held this weekend, on 21 and 22 September. It’s an opportunity for visitors to discover places that are usually closed to the public. From must-see sites to a resolutely cinematic Château and some unusual addresses, focus on 7 French destinations for a highly cultural weekend.
Kering headquarters
Nestling in the heart of Paris’s 7th arrondissement, Kering’s head office opens its doors to the public as it does every year. This is an opportunity to discover a number of exhibitions, including ‘The subtleties of a dialogue’ led by Balenciaga. A series of six elements – collar, sleeve, ornament, black, waist and silhouette – brings together the creations of Cristóbal Balenciaga and those of Demna. It also features the Pinault Collection. The ‘In Praise of Space’ presentation brings together works by Nairy Baghramian, Pier Paolo Calzolari, Trisha Donnelly, Anne Imhof, Mario Merz and Danh Vo.
The Boucheron salon
At 26 Place Vendôme, Boucheron welcomes visitors to its private mansion. Led by the Boucheron team, visitors can take a closer look at the boutique, library and flat. Guests can admire jewellery from the brand’s private lines and meet members of the workshop.
Château de l’Engarran
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This year, the Château de l’Engarran in Lavérune, in the Occitanie region of France, has chosen the theme ‘itinerary’. Two adventurers who lived through the Engarran are in the spotlight: Edmond Dantes, hero of The Count of Monte Cristo, and Laurent Quetton St Georges, a French royalist military officer who became a merchant and landowner. Buoyed by the success of the film The Count of Monte Cristo, starring Pierre Niney, Château de l’Engarran intends to retrace the making of the film and bring together the destinies of these two characters.
The National Audiovisual Institute
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At Bry-sur-Marne, the Institut National de l’Audiovisuel (INA) is offering an insight into France’s audiovisual heritage. The programme features a wide range of archives spanning several decades. Series are also shown and the mysterious profession of documentalist is presented. Other activities include a podcast-listening stand, a hip-hop stand and a discussion on the role of artificial intelligence in restoring old content.
The Château des Deux Lions
Located in Canteleu on the Roumare plateau to the west of Rouen, the Château des Deux Lions is organising original guided tours to highlight its richly decorated estate and its terrace overlooking the Seine. Night-time candlelit tours are also planned, as well as a VIP cocktail reception.
The cinema metro station
For a heritage day off the beaten track, head to the secret cinema metro station in Paris. This location at Porte des Lilas, usually closed to the public, is dedicated to film and series shoots. Emily in Paris, Le Fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain, Lupin, La Haine and even the Givenchy advertising click… There’s no need to venture into the capital’s underground to film scenes there! A chance to go behind the scenes of the 7th art as the actors do.
The Cité radieuse – Le Corbusier in Marseille
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Cité radieuse – Le Corbusier in Marseille invites visitors to explore and (re)discover it. Designed by Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier, the Cité radieuse is a landmark of twentieth-century architecture in the capital of culture. It comprises 337 flats of 23 different types.
Read also > Discover the Villa Borghese in Rome, an ode to Italian art in a green park and museums
Featured photo: © Le Château de l’Engarran
