Every year, a sense of curiosity and wonder runs through France thanks to the Heritage Days... These days invite us to revisit our roots, to open doors that are often closed, and to embrace the rich heritage that surrounds us. And for this 2026 edition, taking place on the weekend of September 19 and 20, it's time to rediscover our national treasures.
Nestled in the heart of the Val-d'Oise, Pontoise is a city of art and history. Its picturesque alleyways, half-timbered houses and ramparts bear witness to its rich medieval past. But that's not all: Pontoise is also a city of painters! Renowned artists such as Camille Pissarro were captivated by its beauty, leaving a priceless artistic legacy to the city.
In addition to its architectural and artistic heritage, Pontoise comes alive with a host of activities for the whole family: workshops, guided tours, exhibitions... A real cultural immersion awaits you, all in a festive and friendly atmosphere. Pontoise opens its arms to you, ready to reveal its thousand and one secrets for the Journées du Patrimoine!
Heritage Days 2026 at the Hermitage Bakery in Pontoise (95): artisan crafts in the spotlight
The Hermitage Oven in Pontoise invites you to tours and crispy tastings for Heritage Days 2026, on September 19 and 20. [Read more]
Scavenger hunt and tours at the Camille Pissarro Museum in Pontoise for Heritage Days 2026
The Pissarro Museum takes part in the 2026 Heritage Days. Built on the site of a former medieval castle, this museum pays tribute to painter Camille Pissarro, who lived in Pontoise for 17 years. On Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026, explore the museum and its gardens, while enjoying a stunning view over the Val-d'Oise. [Read more]
Hidden beneath an old convent, this Pontoise crypt will be exceptionally open to visitors for the 2026 Heritage Days.
In Pontoise, the crypt of the English Benedictine Convent will unusually open its doors on September 19 and 20, 2026. Discover this little-known landmark of Val-d'Oise heritage and its history. [Read more]
Guillaume Apollinaire Library
Comics exhibition "Bulles de mémoire" at the Guillaume Apollinaire Media Library
Exhibition of the works produced by the defense class at Chabanne College, sponsored by the Navy. As part of the “Bubbles of Memory” contest, the students created a comic book dedicated to Jean Gabin, the actor who lived in Mériel and joined the Navy in 1940.
Hours: Saturday only, 10:00–13:00 and 14:00–18:00.
Address: 14 Rue Alexandre Prachay, 95300 Pontoise
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00–13:00, 14:00–18:00
Storytime During a Siesta Around a Work of Art
Let families dive into the world of a work of art, where shapes and colors spark an imaginary tale inspired by the Pont des Arts collection from L'Élan vert.
Only on Saturdays at 4:00 PM.
Recommended for ages 6 and up.
Limited seats available.
Registration at 01 34 25 04 25
Location: 14 Rue Alexandre Prachay, 95300 Pontoise
Participation requirements: Free of charge | Reservation required - 01 34 25 04 25
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Val-d'Oise Departmental Archives
Exhibition tour
"Facing the Lens: A Portrait History in Photography"
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### Exhibition, activity booklets and photo studio
On the occasion of European Heritage Days, come and discover an exhibition labeled Bicentennial of Photography by the Ministry of Culture.
Designed by the Val d'Oise Departmental Archives, the exhibition "Facing the Lens..." offers an unprecedented trove of photographs, objects and written documents, enriched by works by Ada Soczewinska, an artist specializing in early photographic techniques. From the first known photograph by Nicéphore Niépce to the smartphone, relive the extraordinary journey of a technique that has found its place in daily life over 200 years of evolution.
Take the opportunity to pose in our 19th‑century photo studio setting, in period costume if you wish!
And challenge your kids with the puzzles in our activity booklets (for ages 6 and up, and for ages 11 and up).
Participation requirements: Open visit. For children aged 6 to 11, a game booklet is also available - Free | No booking required
Hours : Saturday, September 19, 2026, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Behind-the-scenes tour
Behind-the-scenes guided tour of the archives
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Led by an archivist, visitors are unusually allowed to venture beyond public areas to glimpse the inner workings. As you listen to explanations and explore the building, you’ll learn more about the missions of the archives services and the documents they safeguard!
Participation requirements: Free | Booking required - https://archives.valdoise.fr/n/septembre-journees-europeennes-du-patrimoine/n:708
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:30–11:30, 2:30–3:30 PM, 4:30–5:30 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:30–11:30, 2:30–3:30 PM, 4:30–5:30 PM
Junior workshops
Two family photography workshops
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As part of the exhibition "Face to the Camera. A History of Portraiture in Photography," labeled Bicentenaire de la Photographie by the Ministry of Culture, two activities are being offered to children over the weekend:
* Saturday, September 19 at 3:30 p.m. A costume-photo session and the creation of a photo-card: kids will make their own business-card-style portrait, just like in the 19th century. For ages 7 and up with parental assistance.
* Sunday, September 20 at 3:30 p.m. Costume-photo session and decorating a photo frame (stickers, stencils, scrapbooking elements...). For ages 5 and up.
Participation conditions: Adult supervision required. - Free | Booking required - https://archives.valdoise.fr/n/septembre-journees-europeennes-du-patrimoine/n:708
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 - 3:30 PM ⤏ 4:30 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 - 3:30 PM ⤏ 4:30 PM
Saint Joseph's Carmel
Exhibition of antique maps and sale of handcrafted goods at the Carmel of Pontoise
Exhibition of antique maps of Pontoise and the Carmel titled “Pontoise in 1690.” On this occasion, the Carmelite sisters will have books and maps for sale. They will also showcase the fruits of their artisanal labor, including jams, cookies, as well as embroidery and sewing items.
In the Carmelite courtyard.
Participation terms: Free admission - No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:00 PM ⤏ 6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 AM ⤏ 6:00 PM
Exhibition of photographs and archives from the Carmel of Pontoise
An exhibition featuring photos, paintings, booklets and maps of the Carmel garden and a scale model of Mrs. Acarie’s chamber at La Porterie.
Participation conditions: Free admission | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 – 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 – 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Self-guided tour of the Carmel
Free and guided tours of the historical frieze, panels dating from the 13th through the 17th centuries, and an overview of the history of the Order and the Carmel from devotional and cultural perspectives.
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 - 2:00 PM ⤏ 6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 - 10:00 AM ⤏ 6:00 PM
Guided Tour of Carmel
Two-voice guided tours, led by a tourism office guide and Carmel volunteers. These two-voice tours will let you discover the cultural history of the Carmel in Pontoise, the oldest one still active in France.
Duration of the visit: about 1 hour
Participation requirements: Free guided tours — No booking required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM, 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Conference on Carmel's history and heritage
In the Bethany building’s hall, there will be talks on the history and heritage of the Carmel. Educational materials have been prepared through 3D animations of the site and side-by-side projections of old and current views of the enclosure. The Carmel also invites you to a presentation of the restoration work on the refectory, funded by a fundraising appeal launched during the European Heritage Days 2025.
Saturday — 2:30–3:30 p.m.
Sunday — 10:30–11:30 a.m. and 2:30–3:30 p.m.
Bethany Hall — Free admission — subject to availability.
Participation conditions: Free entry - No charge | No reservation
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 2:30 PM–3:30 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026, 10:30–11:30 AM, 2:30–3:30 PM
Welcoming and discussions with Carmelite sisters
Founded in 1605 by Madame Acarie, it remains the oldest active Carmelite monastery.
Meet and talk with Carmelite sisters, who will welcome you in the grand upper parlor and introduce you to daily life at the Carmel.
Saturday — 3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sunday — 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Participation requirements: Free admission - No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Sunday, September 20, 2026, 3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., 3:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Pontoise Vocal Ensemble Concert
Duration: around 45 minutes.
In the chapel.
Participation requirements: Free admission - No reservation required
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Heritage Square CIAP
Visit to Heritage Square
Come explore the thousand-year history of Pontoise with your family on a playful, interactive trail. The educational tools and touchpoints—featuring 3D modeling, animated imagery, and audio guides—are proving popular with kids, and with parents too!
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Hours : Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Saint-Maclou Cathedral
Sacristan conducts a tour of the sacristy
A tour of the sacristy led by the sacristan.
Discover the treasures of the cathedral, founded in the middle of the 12th century, a major jewel of the city’s heritage. Kevin Dupuy, the cathedral’s sacristan, will reveal a selection of hidden gems from this site that are normally off-limits to the public.
Participation conditions: Free admission. Note: on Sunday morning, the building will be unavailable for visits due to the religious service scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. - Free | No reservations
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 - 2:00 PM ⤏ 6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 - 2:00 PM ⤏ 5:00 PM
Saint-Maclou Cathedral Guided Tour
A guide from the tourist information office will take you through the cathedral, helping you discover it anew. You can ask him or her any questions about the monument’s history.
From 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.: continuous guided tours
Participation conditions: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Circus Show: "Circassian Stroll"
The Freikopf Company brings a creative promenade to Pontoise’s city center, inviting audiences to meet its heritage sites along a lively route. Acrobatics, balance acts, juggling and visual poetry punctuate a family-friendly itinerary with several stops, offering a fresh, emotionally resonant way to rediscover the monuments through a gentle, festive narrative.
itinerant, family-friendly show, no reservations required. Meet at the cathedral’s doorstep, duration 1h30
Conditions de participation : Family-friendly touring show, no reservation required. Meet at the cathedral’s apse, duration 1h30 — Free | No reservation
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Philippe Bardon's Organ Concert
The 'Musical Hours' concert featuring organist Philippe Bardon.
Participation requirements: Free admission - No booking required
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Bretonnerie Cellar
Exhibition “Art Goes Deeper: The Photo Team Makes Itself at Home in a Medieval Cave”
In a stunning vaulted cellar, ten photographers from the association “La Team Photo de Pontoise” have decided to unveil their work to you.
The artists: Fabien Campanatto, William Guelle, Felix Huerta, Jean-Paul Aramis, Loic Dubuche, Lucia Lops, Pascal Goussu, Patrice Heraud, Didier Loisel and Franck Dejardin
Participation terms: Free | No reservations required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 to 18:30 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 to 18:30
Sparrow Cave
Guided tours of the Sparrows' Cellar
The Sparrows’ Cellar is vaulted with ogival arches. An ancient network of quarries carved between the 12th and 15th centuries, its Gothic hall and vaulted staircases now serve as locations for film shoots.
Site open for guided tours from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Tours every 30 minutes.
Participation terms: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 2:00 PM–6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026, 2:00 PM–6:00 PM
Self-guided tour of Cave des Moineaux
This former quarry, spanning two levels, ranks among the largest in the historic center, crowned by its famous Gothic hall with ribbed vaults.
Guided tours without prior reservation every 30 minutes on Saturdays and Sundays from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Self-guided visits on Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Participation conditions : Free entry - No charge | No reservation required
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 - 10:00 ⤏ 13:00
A circuit through the heart of Pontoise
Guided Tour: By the Living
“Par les Vivants” offers an exceptional guided tour through the heart of Pontoise to explore the history and heritage of four Pontoise Jewish families persecuted during World War II.
This project was carried out in collaboration with students from Notre-Dame de la Compassion High School in Pontoise. The route will take you from Thiers Street to La Roche Street.
Participation conditions: Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 3:30 PM–4:30 PM
Courthouse complex
Guided tour of the Judicial Complex
Guided by a lawyer from the Pontoise Bar, discover the behind-the-scenes of one of the department’s major courts.
Bring a form of ID.
Limited seating; reservations are required.
Participation terms: Free | Booking required - musee@ville-pontoise.fr, 0130739077
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 2:00 PM–3:30 PM, 3:30 PM–5:00 PM
Notre-Dame Church
Self-guided visit to Notre-Dame de Pontoise Church
This Renaissance church houses, among its treasures, the famed 13th‑century statue of the Miraculous Virgin and the reliquary tomb of Saint Gautier of Pontoise, dating from the 17th century. A centerpiece of Pontoise’s heritage.
Hours subject to the Sunday religious service at 6 p.m.
Participation requirements: Free admission | No reservations
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Boathouse
Tour of the boat hangar
Restored in 2024, set sail to discover this structure designated as regional heritage of interest, a voyage that will transport you back to the heyday of leisure boating on the Oise. The volunteers from the Pontoise Patrimoine association will share their passion for this heritage with you.
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, 19 September 2026 — 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM | Sunday, 20 September 2026 — 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
The presbytery's basement chapel
Tour of the parish’s subterranean chapel
The parish house hides an old circular quarry, its chamber transformed into an underground chapel.
On Saturdays and Sundays from 3 to 5 p.m., your visit will be accompanied by the gentle guitar of Fabien Vilpoix.
Self-guided tours
Participation conditions: Free entry - No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, 19 September 2026 – 14:00 to 18:00 | Sunday, 20 September 2026 – 10:00 to 18:00
Concerts in the Presbytery's underground chapel
Saturday and Sunday, from 3 to 5 p.m., your tour of the underground chapel will be accompanied by the gentle guitar of Fabien Vilpoix.
Participation conditions: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 3:00 PM–5:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026, 3:00 PM–5:00 PM
Box: The Friends of the People
Guided Tours of the Masonic Temple
The Amis du Peuple Masonic Lodge, at the Orients of Pontoise under the GODF, was founded on May 15, 1848 by a lawyer. It naturally settled on Rue des Tables Rondes in 1905, near the courthouse. The basement houses the temple hall where the meetings take place. Come meet the lodge members who will recount the site's history.
Guided tours run continuously on Saturday from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
City Hall Council Chamber
Meeting with the Mayor at City Hall
On the first floor of the Town Hall, Mayor Stéphanie Von Euw will welcome you to peek into her office and learn about her duties.
Participation conditions: Free entry — No reservation required
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 – 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Pontoise Historical and Archaeological Society
Exhibition: “Curious Stones: Megaliths Unveil Their Secrets” from the Pontoise Historical and Archaeological Society
Exhibition: “Funny Stones: Megaliths Unveil Their Mysteries!”, organized by the SDAVO (Departmental Archaeology Service of Val d’Oise) in collaboration with the Digital Professions degree program at the University of Cergy-Pontoise.
Participation requirements: Free admission - No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 – 2:00 PM ⤏ 7:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 – 10:00 AM ⤏ 7:00 PM
Underground passage beneath General Leclerc's stairwell
Self-guided tour of the underground cavity of General Leclerc's staircase
An old cave carved into the cliff face.
Participation requirements: Free admission | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Saint‑Martin's Free Commune Vineyard
Exploring the Saint-Martin vineyard, with a tasting of Ginglet 2025
A vineyard tour followed by a tasting of Ginglet's 2025 cuvée.
Participation conditions: Free admission. Note: wine tastings are for adults only. - Free | No reservation required
Hours: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00–18:00
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Dates and Opening Time
From September 19, 2026 to September 20, 2026
Location
Pontoise
Pontoise
95000 Pontoise
Route planner
Accessibility info
Prices
Free
Official website
www.ville-pontoise.fr
