Mark your calendars ... The Heritage Days are back this autumn to celebrate culture with a whole lineup of events, each more exciting than the last! And as every year, Paris and the Île-de-France top the cultural itinerary. In Yvelines, from Versailles to Saint-Germain-en-Laye, via Rambouillet and Le Vésinet, a fantastic journey through time awaits. Over this exceptional weekend, September 19–20, 2026, majestic châteaux, centuries-old churches, fascinating museums and exceptional historic sites will open their doors to the public free of charge, revealing hidden treasures. Don’t miss the chance to encounter the history, art and heritage that enrich the region!
To glimpse life in green during the Heritage Days 2026, head to Le Vésinet, a stunning Yvelines town with a vivid history. Born in the 19th century, this charming garden city was crafted by engineer James Edmund Tarbé to shelter a well-to-do population in search of serenity. Its opulent mansions, set within expansive parks, drew Paris’s elite. The Vésinet soon became a haven for artists, writers, and intellectuals. The beauty of its landscapes, punctuated by lakes and rivers, keeps evolving as a source of inspiration. Even today, Le Vésinet shines with its historical legacy and welcoming atmosphere, captivating everyone who discovers it!
Heritage Days 2026 at Villa Beau-Chêne, known as Joséphine Baker’s Villa, in Le Vésinet (78)
On the occasion of Heritage Days 2026, head to Le Vésinet (78) to discover the sumptuous Villa Beau-Chêne, or Joséphine Baker’s Villa, on Saturday, September 19. A rare opportunity to dive into the intimate world of the music-hall icon, close to her memories. [Read more]
Heritage Days 2026: explore Wood Cottage, a house with witch-like charm, in Le Vésinet.
On the occasion of the 2026 Heritage Days, marvel at a true architectural gem in the town of Le Vésinet: Wood Cottage, a curious house that looks like it’s stepped straight out of a fantasy film. Here’s the program! [Read more]
Jean Marais Cinema
Film Screening — "Peter Pan"
Screening of a heritage cinema classic / The Art et Essai team’s pick for families: Peter Pan (1953)
Participation terms: Price: €5–€8, from age 5 - preferential rate | Booking required - http://www.theatreduvesinet.fr
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Introduction to Cinema Workshop
Family-friendly cinema discovery workshop — explore the program at www.theatreduvesinet.fr
Terms of participation: Free | Reservations required - http://www.theatreduvesinet.fr
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Movie screening: The Name of the Rose
Screening of a classic in cinema heritage / Audience’s pick: The Name of the Rose, in its original-language version by Jean-Jacques Annaud (1986)
Participation requirements: Reservations required | Free - http://www.theatreduvesinet.fr
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 5:30 PM to 7:45 PM
The Vésinet Library
Aucun événement annoncé à ce jour, le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles.
Saint Margaret's Church
Self-guided tour of Sainte Marguerite Church
Open to the public: free visit to Sainte-Marguerite Church, designated a historic monument in 2016
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 10:00–17:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026, 13:00–18:00
Theatrical Show – The Birth of the Town of Le Vésinet from Its Sainte-Marguerite Church
Theatrical show - The birth of a town and its church
Travel back in time and relive the creation of the city center and the Sainte-Marguerite Church. Through lively scenes, young and old alike will journey into the past!
with the companies Amaranthus and Hotus / Artistic direction and staging by Sébastien Kuntzmann
Runtime: 20 minutes
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 – 3:00 PM–3:20 PM, 3:45 PM–4:05 PM, 4:30 PM–4:50 PM
Guided tour of Saint Margaret's Church
A parish volunteer guides visitors through Sainte-Marguerite Church, designated a historic monument in 2016.
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Church of Saint Pauline
Self-guided tour of Saint Pauline Church
Self-guided tour of Sainte-Pauline Church
Participation conditions: Free of charge | No booking required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 - 10:00 ⤏ 14:30, 15:30 ⤏ 18:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 - 13:00 ⤏ 15:00
Vésinet Forum
Discovering the Hidden Treasures of Le Vésinet
With your investigation booklet in hand (available at the Forum), take a stroll through the city's diverse neighborhoods to uncover little-known anecdotes and secrets.
How to participate: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 to 19:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 to 19:00
Exhibition "The Evolution of Our Neighborhoods"
As you stroll through Le Vésinet, come and discover our exhibition panels spread across the different neighborhoods.
You’ll glimpse how places, buildings, and neighborhoods have evolved through the ages.
From Place du Marché to Parc Princesse, via McNair Gymnasium, discover the old face of these places that are part of your daily life.
Map available at the Forum
Participation terms: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Habitat Fresco
Drawing on the La Fresque du Climat concept, the Habitat fresco is a workshop designed to raise public awareness of how housing impacts the environment, biodiversity, health, thermal comfort, and the preservation of built heritage.
Here you will explore the climate, health, and comfort issues linked to the housing sector by connecting causes and effects through a collaborative card game.
Through this workshop you will be able to:
- Understand the environmental footprint of the housing sector and start reflecting on our living habits related to housing
- Make smarter decisions about your home in terms of health, comfort, durability and resource use (energy, water, …) and thus contribute to the ecological transition of housing
- Make renovation choices that are more relevant
Participation details: Maximum of 24 people - Free | Reservation required - http://www.levesinet.fr
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00–14:00
Princess Quarter Exhibition
Exhibition on the Princesse neighborhood by the Vésinet History Society
Exhibitions staged in the hospital's auditorium
Participation terms: Free | No booking required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 14:00 to 17:30 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 15:00 to 16:00
Exhibition "1859: The Inauguration of the Imperial Asylum at Le Vésinet"
Exhibition "1859: The Inauguration of the Imperial Asylum at Le Vésinet" by the Society for the History of Le Vésinet and the Croissy Memory Association.
Exhibitions mounted in the hospital's performance hall
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:00 PM ⤏ 5:30 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 3:00 PM ⤏ 4:00 PM
Guided tour of the Hôpital du Vésinet
Guided tours by Jean-Paul Debeaupuis, Society for the Initiative and Defense of the Vesinet Site.
Both exhibitions are included in the visit.
The Imperial Asylum, built by architect Laval at the request of Napoleon III and inaugurated in 1859, remains little known.
Spanning 31 hectares, with its chapel, workshops, kitchen garden and dairy farm, the establishment was self-sufficient and offered its residents a chance to rest fully in a preserved setting.
It was inaugurated in 1859 by the Duke of Padua and housed recovering workers.
In 1949 it became a National Convalescence Establishment and was renamed Vesinet Hospital in 1993.
Participation requirements: Maximum 20 people; registration required; meeting point in front of the entrance gates — Free | Booking required — http://www.levesinet.fr
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM, 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Concert "Passion Fruits"
Concert "Fruits de la passion. From baroque fervor to the loves of the composers of Le Vésinet..." – performed by Lazare Lubek on piano and countertenor Mathis Mitsopoulos
Organized by the L'Esprit musical association
Participation terms: Free | No booking required
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 - 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Ibis Island
Visit to the Ibis Arboretum
Guided walk led by Mr. Bercovici, a member of the Society for the Initiative and Defense of the Vésinet Site, and Mr. Ashanti, head of the city’s arboricultural heritage.
Come and discover around a hundred different species of trees that grace the Île des Ibis and its surroundings.
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Vesinet Town Hall
Aucun événement annoncé à ce jour, le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles.
Alain House
Introducing the house and the philosopher Alain
An introduction to the philosopher Alain, his body of work, and the house where he spent the last 34 years of his life.
Participation requirements: 25 participants per conference - registration recommended at www.levesinet.fr - Free | Reservation required - http://www.levesinet.fr
Schedule : Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:15–11:00, 11:15–12:00, 12:15–13:00, 13:15–14:00
Philo Café — Montaigne on Wisdom
Philosophy cafe on the theme “Wisdom According to Montaigne,” led by Frédéric Baumer, secretary of the Alain Institute.
Participation terms: 25 attendees - Free | Reservations required - http://www.levesinet.fr
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 – 2:00 PM to 3:15 PM
Conference "Proudhon Under Alain's Gaze"
Conference "Proudhon Through Alain's Eyes" led by Emmanuel Blondel, literary director of the Alain Institute
Participation conditions: 25 attendees - Free | Booking required - http://www.levesinet.fr
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 - 3:30 PM ⤏ 5:00 PM
Marcel Gotlib Media Library
Art Workshop - Micro-Folie
Artistic and educational workshop on Pablo Picasso's body of work, introducing participants to the artist's world and oeuvre before guiding them to create a cubist piece using collage techniques.
Participation requirements: Children aged 8 to 12 (CE1 to 6th grade); 12 participants per workshop — Free | Booking required - http://www.villeduvesinet.fr
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 3:00 PM–4:15 PM, 5:00 PM–6:15 PM
Pink Palace
Conference on the Pink Palace
A talk on the Pink Palace, listed in the Inventory of Historic Monuments since 2000.
Hosted by Alain-Marie Foy, former mayor of Le Vésinet and president of the Vésinet Historical Society.
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 to 12:00
Temple du Vésinet
The provided text contains no French content to translate. The HTML remains unchanged:Guided tour of the Le Vésinet Temple
Guided tour of the Temple of Le Vésinet
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 3:00 PM–6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026, 3:00 PM–6:00 PM
The Alain Jonemann Vésinet Theatre
Heritage Concert - Carmen, a Dream of Spain
Carmen, Dream of Spain
Explore the genesis of Georges Bizet's masterpiece, where the finest opera arias blend with Spanish folk songs, flamenco and guitar. A brand-new production to celebrate twenty years of friendship between Le Vésinet and Villanueva de la Canada.
With the support of Bentin and the Les Cercles agency
Participation information: flat rate €5, free for under 18s; unreserved seating — preferential rate | Reservations required - http://www.theatreduvesinet.fr
Timings: Friday, September 18, 2026 — 8:30 PM to 10:00 PM
For the Journées du Patrimoine, treat yourself to a bucolic getaway just a stone's throw from Paris!
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Dates and Opening Time
From September 19, 2026 to September 20, 2026
Location
Le Vésinet
le vésinet
78110 Vesinet (Le)
Route planner
Accessibility info
Prices
Free
