During the Journées du Patrimoine, museums and monuments are open to the public free of charge, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the history of the city of Paris. The capital has been home to many of the world's greatest writers and authors.
You can notably visit the Maison de Balzac, but also Victor Hugo's house, which on 19 and 20 September 2026 offers self-guided tours exploring the life of the famed writer, his children, the history of his home, and many other themes.
In this house on Place des Vosges, in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, visitors can discover Victor Hugo's study, bedroom and Chinese salon, transformed into a monographic museum. Temporary exhibitions on Hugo's novels, poems, love affairs and friendships are also on show all year round on the second floor of the house... With the chance to observe prints, paintings and sculptures paying tribute to him, as well as period furniture! In the house's leafy courtyard, you can also discover France's culinary heritage at Café Mulot!
Heritage Days 2026 in artists' houses in Paris and Île-de-France
Les Journées du Patrimoine are back in Paris and Île-de-France this weekend of September 19-20, 2026. How about exploring the standout tours and activities awaiting you at artists’ houses across the greater Paris area? We’re unveiling the program for the 43rd edition. [Read more]
During the 2026 Heritage Days, numerous museums and art foundations open their doors for free in Paris and the Île-de-France region. Mark your calendars for Saturday, 19 September and Sunday, 20 September 2026 to enjoy a program rich with exciting discoveries. [Read more]
Self-guided tour of the Hugo and Architecture exhibition
The exhibition presents a program that blends literature, drawings and heritage advocacy, with its 1831 novel Notre-Dame de Paris remaining the best-known work on the subject. It is also through the many sketches of churches, castles and cathedrals that Victor Hugo elevates the Middle Ages and ancient monuments, gradually moving away from reality toward the imagined.
Participation terms: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 to 18:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 to 18:00
Self-guided tour of Victor Hugo's apartment
Today, at Place des Vosges, the apartment Victor Hugo occupied from 1832 to 1848, when the square was known as the Place Royale, traces the writer’s life through the three great periods he himself defined in Actes et Paroles: before exile, during exile, since exile. Founded by Paul Meurice in 1902, who donated his collections to the City of Paris, the Maison de Victor Hugo houses a substantial collection of drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures.
Conditions de participation : Free of charge — No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM
Library visit
A behind-the-scenes tour of the heritage library collections at the Victor Hugo House.
Victor Hugo would devote his life to questions of heritage—for its preservation when Gothic art was at risk, but also for its evolution and the diversity of its expressions over time.
Thus, for the release of Les Misérables, Hugo posed for Nadar's lens while he was already a staunch advocate of written heritage—the first to bequeath his manuscripts to the National Library—and of photography, still in its infancy.
Participation conditions: Limited to 25 people - Free | Booking required - florence.rouzieres@paris.fr
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 11:00–12:00, 14:00–15:00, 15:30–16:30 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 11:00–12:00, 14:00–15:00, 15:30–16:30
Dates and Opening Time
From September 19, 2026 to September 20, 2026
Location
Victor Hugo's house
6, place des Vosges
75004 Paris 4
Prices
Free
Heritage Days 2026 in artists' houses in Paris and Île-de-France
Heritage Days 2026: Paris museums and art foundations across Île-de-France
