Heritage Days 2026 in Paris: an offbeat behind-the-scenes tour of Saint-Lazare railway station

For Heritage Days, Saint-Lazare Station pulls back the curtain on its behind‑the‑scenes spaces on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026, during guided and narrated tours (registration required). More details to come!

The Journées du Patrimoine are back again in Paris and the Île-de-France region. This Europe-wide event is one of the highlights of the new cultural season. The concept? Over the course of a weekend, the most beautiful treasures of our heritage reveal their secrets through a program of visits, often free of charge, andoriginal events. Every year, a number of spots take part in this not-to-be-missed highlight. Museums, monuments, castles and even places off-limits to the public open their doors to us for exceptional discoveries.

For this new edition of the Heritage Days, the Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris invites you to go behind the scenes on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026. As Paris’s first railway station, opened in 1937, and the third-busiest in the capital by rail traffic, Gare Saint-Lazare serves nearly 110 million passengers a year, who pass through its corridors to reach the metro lines and Transilien trains. From the footfall hall to the boarding concourse, and including the facades and roofs, this Parisian station stands out for its striking architecture and has been listed as a historic monument since 1984.

The 2026 Heritage Days program at Saint-Lazare Station in Paris:

An offbeat tour of Saint-Lazare Station, by SNCF Gares & Connexions
Discover Saint-Lazare Station from a new, unexpected angle! Join our French-language guided tours led by a Grand Palais RMN lecturer.

Uncover the station’s secrets, its architecture and its history.

Event organized by SNCF Gares & Connexions
Participation conditions: Free with reservation, 20 spots per tour, closed-toe shoes required. Children aged 13 and up. Registration on https://affluences.com/ opens on September 3, 2026. See the full SNCF Heritage Days program at https://patrimoine.sncf.com - Free | Registration required - https://patrimoine.sncf.com/
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 11:00 to 12:45, 15:00 to 16:45 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 11:00 to 12:45, 15:00 to 16:45

Fascinated by the world of railways? Discover our special Heritage Days selection.

Heritage Days 2026: Stations and trains to discover for rail enthusiasts
Big or small, trains and stations captivate a wide audience. If that describes you, rejoice: many railway spaces will be open for visits this weekend of September 19–20, 2026, for the 43rd Heritage Days. [Read more]