Every year, during the Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days), tens of thousands of curious visitors gather at local monuments, public buildings, museums and places of interest. If crowds aren't your thing, don't worry: you can make the most of the JEP, without finding yourself drowned in a mass of visitors. In Essonne, there's no better place to take in the sights while strolling in the fresh air.
This September 19 and 20, 2026, during the Heritage Days weekend, head out to discover the Château de Courances and its park with 14 springs and 17 water features. Located just 50 kilometers from Paris, Courances is among France’s most beautiful gardens. The grounds and its Louis XIII château are truly worth a visit. And for this cultural event, the château is offering a special discount for visitors!
Listed as a Historic Monument, the Château de Courances and its grounds offer a beauty that truly captivates. For the Heritage Days 2026, visitors can enjoy guided tours of the park and the château, as well as the kitchen garden. You can even buy locally grown vegetables at the garden shop, and marvel at vintage cars parked on the grounds. A tip: bring a picnic and spend the day there!
Visit to Courances Park
Just outside Paris, Courances stands as one of France’s finest gardens, tucked within a Louis XIII château that is itself a listed historical monument. The park and the château mirror the successive eras and owners that shaped them. In harmonious coexistence, you’ll find a Renaissance water garden, a traditional “French” classical park, and a Japanese garden. The ensemble is nourished by 14 springs and punctuated by 17 water features.
This park, striking in its beauty—classical yet romantic, historic yet contemporary—offers an atmosphere that is both intimate and grand. The constant presence of running water, lush vegetation, and stone within this 86-hectare landscape, whose creation traces back to the 16th century, creates a singular spectacle. A play of nature and water, of perspective and scale, of shimmering reflections and secret springs, of greens and colors, Courances reconciles rigor with freedom.
Self-guided visit duration: about 1h30 to 2h
https://www.billetweb.fr/visite-libre-du-parc-de-courances
Participation conditions: Discounted rate for everyone: €9 for the park alone / €12 for park + castle. Guided tour of the park included at no extra charge. Free for under 18s. - Special rate | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Guided tour of Courances Park
Close to Paris, Courances ranks among France’s finest gardens and sits beside a Louis XIII château listed as a historic monument. The park and the château reflect the diverse eras and owners that shaped them. Here, a Renaissance water garden, a classical “French” park, and a Japanese garden nestle together in harmony. The ensemble is fed by 14 springs and punctuated by 17 water features.
This park, astonishing in its beauty, is at once classical and romantic, historic and contemporary, conveying an atmosphere that is both intimate and grand. The persistent presence of running water, greenery, and stone in this 86-hectare landscape—whose origins go back to the 16th century—creates a singular spectacle. The play of nature and water, of perspectives and scales, of striking reflections and secret springs, of greens and color tones, Courances fuses rigour with freedom.
A guided tour of the park invites you to discover the wealth and beauty of this garden, its atmosphere both majestic and intimate, between lines and perspectives, reflections and colors.
Duration: 1h30 to 2h
Participation conditions: Reduced price for everyone: €9 for park access only / €12 for park + castle. Park guided tour included at no extra cost. Free for under 18. - Special rate | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Guided tour of the Château de Courances
Constructed between 1622 and 1630 by Claude I Gallard, Courances Castle has undergone numerous transformations over the centuries.
Listed as a historic monument since 1983, we invite you to explore its interiors on a guided tour and to learn more about its history dating back to the 17th century.
Duration of the tour: 1 hour
Participation terms: Reduced price for everyone: €7 for the park alone / €10 for park + castle. Guided park tour at no extra charge. Free for those under 18. - Preferred rate | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 11:00 AM ⤏ 6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 11:00 AM ⤏ 6:00 PM
Now that's château life!
Dates and Opening Time
From September 19, 2026 to September 20, 2026
Location
Château de Courances
Château de Courances
91490 Courances
Route planner
Official website
www.domainedecourances.com
