As is the case every autumn, one of the events we all look forward to, especially in Paris and the Île-de-France region, is undoubtedly the Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days). So, in Paris or in any of the other départements in the region, discover the region's historic monuments, the most beautiful churches and cathedrals in the region, places of power, but also a lesser-known heritage, more industrial, artisanal and just as precious, which you can discover during the guided tours, workshops and other events organized for these very special Journées .
In theEssonne department, the town of Gif-sur-Yvette is best known for its Saclay campus. However, Gif-sur-Yvette is a wonderful destination to discover during the Journées du Patrimoine 2025, with a wealth of remains to be discovered for the occasion. Located in the Parc Naturel Régional de la Haute Vallée de Chevreuse, Gif is a very green town, with beautiful walks starting from the station (RER B). Don't miss out on a visit to one of Gif's many châteaux, including Château de Belleville, a historic gem that tells the story of the region, Château de l'Hermitage and Château du Val Fleury... Science enthusiasts will be delighted by the Université Paris-Saclay campus, a center of excellence that brings together top schools and universities. Between science, nature and heritage, don't miss out on discovering Gif-sur-Yvette during the 2025 European Heritage Days!
Former Abbey of Notre-Dame du Val-de-Gif Farm
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Benoît Frachon Center
Benoit Frachon Centre
Opened in 1975 to honor its former secretary-general, the Benoît Frachon training center sits on the site of the old Courcelle mill. Of that history only the manor remains, having been transformed over the years. Today, the center benefits from a green, leafy setting, enhanced by the presence of several works of art.
Participation requirements: 20 people max - Free | Booking required - opcnhvc@gmail.com
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00–11:30, 14:00–15:30 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00–11:30, 14:00–15:30
Visit to the Benoît Frachon Centre
The CGT training center, officially named the Benoît Frachon Center in 1975, sits on the site of the old Courcelle mill, today reduced to the “Manor,” a building that has seen changes over time. The estate was occupied by German forces during World War II, and the Manor was heavily damaged. In 1948, the CGT acquired it and transformed it into a center for union education, offering workshops and evening or weekend courses in a lush setting, enhanced by several works of art, and housing buildings of distinctly original architecture designed for the trainees. It is this rich blend of historical, architectural, and artistic heritage that we invite you to discover during guided tours.
Participation conditions: Limited to 20 people — Free | Registration required — 01 70 56 52 60, culturel@mairie-gif.fr, https://www.ville-gif.fr
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 11:00–12:30, 14:00–15:30 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 11:00–12:30, 14:00–15:30
Teilhard de Chardin Center
Activity "In Search of Details"
Throughout the afternoon, visitors can join a photo-detail scavenger hunt.
Ten details around the center will have been photographed in advance and shown to participants. Their task is to roam the center and locate the exact spots where the shots were taken.
Once a detail is found, participants must snap their own photo of the same element and submit it to the game master for validation.
Participation requirements: Free of charge
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 3:00 PM to 8:45 PM
Musica Spirituale Ensemble in Concert
Founded in 2014, the ensemble Musica Spirituale sprang from Dorothée Perreau and Michel Poillot’s wish, as seasoned liturgical musicians and professional performers, to restore sacred vocal works of the Baroque era to the prayerful context for which they were originally composed.
Conditions of participation: Free
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 3:15 PM to 6:30 PM
Workshop: "Photography and Artificial Intelligence — The New Revolution"
The arrival of AI is profoundly reshaping our relationship with images. Like the invention of photography in the 19th century, this new technology sparks fascination, questions, and debate. How can we tell a real photograph from an image generated by AI? What are the ethical and cultural implications of these new tools? This workshop will help us better understand the ongoing revolution and reflect on our responsibility toward the images of tomorrow.
Participation terms: Free
Schedules: Sunday, September 20, 2026 – 3:15 PM to 4:00 PM, 4:15 PM to 5:00 PM
Workshop: "Images in the Service of Faith"
The invention of photography reshaped how we portray the saints. For the first time, some could be photographed while alive, letting believers see their true faces and feel closer to them.
But pictures don’t tell the whole story: each image is crafted to emphasize a specific facet of the saint’s life, personality, or mission. Through a series of examples, this workshop will invite readers to discover how photography conveys faith and helps make holiness more tangible and accessible. Bonus moment: how photography and dance helped evangelization in Latin America!
Participation requirements: Free
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 3:15 PM to 4:00 PM, 4:15 PM to 5:00 PM
Workshop "The Memory of a Territory"
The photograph is a privileged witness to the transformations of a territory. Through old and recent shots, discover the history of the Saclay plateau and the evolution of its landscapes. How does photography help us understand the changes in our environment? What does it tell us about the lives of people yesterday and today? A journey through time to better understand the territory we live in. And also discover the animals that inhabit our plateau.
Participation terms: Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 – 3:15 PM to 4:00 PM, 4:15 PM to 5:00 PM
Belleville Castle
Storytelling stroll "Tales from Other Times Around Belleville Castle"
As you walk, a relic evokes a story, a tree another, and that’s how this stroll can whisk you back in time and through space.
A suspended moment right at your doorstep, in an exceptional heritage site, with shepherds’ huts, trades that have vanished, fragments of mysterious forests, and strange place names. So, ready to join this narrated ramble?
Participation guidelines: Limited to 30 participants - Free | Reservations required - 01 70 56 52 60, culturel@mairie-gif.fr, https://www.ville-gif.fr
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Show "Fratello", Bêstîa Company
Two bodies, two voices, two lives bound by the circus.
They push themselves, lift one another, reach for each other, argue, reconnect.
They juggle objects as they juggle their bond, teetering between tenderness and defiance, complicity and tension.
Fratello is a story of brotherhood.
A relationship both obvious and fragile. An acrobatic dance where you learn to trust, to fall together… and most of all, to rise again.
A contemporary circus show built on acrobatic lifts, juggling, unicycle and a healthy dose of humanity.
Spring 2025 premiere as part of the Spring festival.
Show produced by Compagnie Bêstia
Participation conditions: Free | No booking required
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 – 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Château de l'Hermitage
Hermitage Castle Tour
An iconic piece of Gif's history, the Château de l’Hermitage stands as a striking witness to the early 19th-century leisure culture of Île-de-France, distinguished with the Regional Heritage label.
Discover the story of this elegant bourgeois residence, built in 1831 by Baron de Méneval, Napoleon I’s chief secretary, which became municipal property in 1938.
Participation terms: Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM, 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM, 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Château du Val Fleury
Discover the historic charm of the Château du Val Fleury, a true gem hidden in the heart of the region. Join us to explore its architectural beauty and rich heritage during the Heritage Days.
Exhibition "From Shadow to Light: Reimagining Abandoned Heritage"
Spotlight on forgotten heritage—the kind you don’t notice. Hidden all around us, swallowed by dense vegetation, where nature has reclaimed its domain, in a silence only interrupted by birdsong.
Old houses, industrial buildings, scientific laboratories or farms, castles and stately homes... places often little known, rich in history, quirky and full of charm, spread across the departments of Essonne, Yvelines and Seine-et-Marne, which we invite you to discover through a photographic exhibition by a collective of heritage enthusiasts and lovers of old stones.
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Saint-Rémy Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church
Visit to the Saint-Remi Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church
Blending romantic and Gothic influences, this charming ninth‑century church—rebuilt in the nineteenth century—has regained its original appearance during its latest restoration in the 1980s. Listed on the Additional Inventory of Historic Monuments, it also houses a rich collection of sculpture and remarkable paintings.
Participation terms: Free of charge
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 2:00 PM–6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026, 2:00 PM–6:00 PM
ENS Paris Saclay
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Paris Saclay University Station
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The Gibeciaux Laundromat
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Gold of Time, Illuminated Manuscript Workshop
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MJC Cyrano
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Val Fleury Park
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Levasseur Park
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Place du Chapitre
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Dates and Opening Time
From September 19, 2026 to September 20, 2026
Location
Gif-sur-Yvette Town Hall Park
Square de la Mairie
91190 Gif sur Yvette
Route planner
Accessibility info
