The Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days ) take place every year on the third weekend in September. This cultural highlight attracts enthusiasts and the curious looking for new experiences. And with good reason: during this cultural event, many of our heritage treasures reveal their secrets through special programming.
In Paris and throughout the Île-de-France region, museums, monuments, châteaux and even places that are usually closed to the public are getting in on the act! In turn, they offer us their programs, often free of charge, of self-guided or guided tours, surprising events and workshops for young and old alike.
While Paris is often the center of attention, the Journées du Patrimoine is also an opportunity to learn more about the treasures to be found in the rest of theÎle-de-France region. And the least we can say is that the Ile-de-France region is brimming with masterpieces and surprising monuments!
In the Val-de-Marne region, the town of Saint-Maur-des-Fossés is a prime example. Accessible by RER (regional express train), Saint-Maur-des-Fossés is a charming town with picturesque houses and lush greenery. The town also boasts a fine heritage, enabling it to offer an extensive program of visits during the Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days). Find out what's in store for the weekend of September 20 and 21, 2025!
Heritage Days 2025: the art of stained glass at Atelier Baudouin (94)
For the Journées du Patrimoine 2025 in Île-de-France, the Atelier Baudouin is opening its doors in the Val-de-Marne to reveal its expertise in stained glass. Join us in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés on September 20 and 21, 2025, to discover how stained glass is restored in the company of our craftsmen! [Read more]
Heritage Days 2025 at the former Abbey of Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
Exploring the historical roots of Saint-Maur-des-Fossés (Self-guided tour)
Let the story of Saint-Maur-des-Fossés’ oldest neighborhood guide you. There you’ll discover the 12th- and 13th-century church dedicated to Saint Nicholas, beautifully restored, alongside a handful of 17th-century residences, remnants of the castle, and the courtyard of the Condé princes. A few echoes of the village’s past life survive as well—from its picturesque farm to its modest shops, not to mention the town hall, its workshop, and its boarding school. You can also follow the route of the grand annual Saint Maur procession.
(Pick up a guided tour at the city stands at the Town Hall or at Villa Médicis (10:00–17:00) or at the Vieux-Saint-Maur stand at the Abbey (14:00–18:00).)
Participation requirements: Meet at the History and Archaeology Society stand in Abbey Square - Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM
The thousand-year history of Saint-Maur Abbey “On the Pilgrim's Way” (Self-guided visit)
With roots in the Merovingian era, the Abbey of Saint-Maur-des-Fossés left a lasting mark on Île-de-France. Renowned for its pilgrimage site, it peaked in the Middle Ages before fading away in the wake of its 17th-century secularization. After a history of twists, turns, and shifts in ownership, the site was transformed into the largest municipal park, developed in the 1930s and again in the 1980s. The European Heritage Days offer a window into the abbey’s past, a chance to tour the interior of the Rabelais Tower, and access areas normally closed to visitors. You can also dive into the medieval abbey through an augmented-reality experience!
Participation terms: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Living local history with "Le Vieux Saint-Maur"
For more than a century, the Société d’histoire et d’archéologie “Le Vieux Saint-Maur” has been dedicated to studying and preserving local heritage. Come share your memories, discover the association’s projects and publications. Don’t miss its latest book, tracing the history of Saint-Maur’s neighborhoods and streets through side-by-side views of yesterday and today.
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 6:00 PM
Exploring the historical roots of Saint-Maur-des-Fossés (guided tour)
Let yourself be guided by the story of Saint-Maur-des-Fossés’ oldest neighborhood. There you’ll discover the church dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, dedicated to Saint Nicolas and beautifully restored, along with a handful of 17th‑century houses, remnants of the castle and the courtyard of the Condé princes. A few echoes of the village’s past life also endure—its picturesque farm, modest workshops, as well as the town hall, its manufactory and its boarding school. You can also follow the route of the grand annual Saint Maur procession.
Participation guidelines: Meet at the History and Archaeology Society stand in Abbey Square — Free | No reservation required
Timings : Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
The millennial history of the Abbey of Saint-Maur “On the Pilgrims’ Path” (Guided Tour)
Founded in the Merovingian era, the Abbey of Saint-Maur-des-Fossés left a lasting imprint on Île-de-France. Renowned for its pilgrimage, it reached its peak in the Middle Ages, before fading away following its secularization in the 17th century. After a series of vicissitudes and changes of ownership, the site evolved into the largest municipal park, developed in the 1930s and again in the 1980s. European Heritage Days offer a rare chance to uncover the history of these ruins, to step inside the Rabelais Tower, and to access areas normally closed to the public. You can also dive into the heart of the medieval abbey with an augmented-reality experience!
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, 19 September 2026 — 16:00–17:30 | Sunday, 20 September 2026 — 14:30–16:00
Heritage Days 2025 at the Saint-Maur-des-Fossés Municipal Archives
Endangered heritage: archivists come to the rescue!
Take a look behind the scenes of the municipal archives: the pre-archiving room, preservation storage, and documents both degraded and restored... Come discover the full spectrum of an archivist’s craft and a few carefully guarded treasures.
https://data.saint-maur.com/pages/archives_municipales/
https://www.saint-maur.com/ma-ville/culture/archives-municipales
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 to 12:00
Heritage Days 2025 at the Saint-Maur-des-Fossés educational garden
The Garden in Celebration
Open house at the educational garden. The garden was imagined by the Municipal Children's Council. Six hundred square meters have been laid out to welcome aromatic herbs, vegetables, ornamental plants and fruit trees... A touch of nature in the city! The practices here are virtuous, agro-ecological and experimental.
Come discover the educational garden and enjoy a guided tour of this green haven. A range of activities will be on offer.
Participation terms: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00–12:00, 13:30–16:00
Heritage Days 2025 at Saint-Maur-des-Fossés Town Hall
Explore the Town Hall district!
Explore the Hôtel-de-Ville district, where you can discover beautiful houses and a wealth of anecdotes. To get started, download the geo-gaming app and enter the code FXDG.
Have fun!
Participation terms: Free | No booking required
Hours : Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 00:00 to 23:59 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 00:00 to 23:59
Treasure hunt in North Adamville
Explore with your kids the northern part of the Adamville neighborhood. Sharpen your curiosity, boost your powers of observation, and put your brains to work as you solve ten riddles while learning a wealth of facts about the area, the town’s notable locals, and the city at large.
Download the Geogaming app.
Enter the code FXDG
Let’s get started!
Participation terms: Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 00:00 to 23:59 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 00:00 to 23:59
Guided tour of the City Hall
Until 1876, Saint-Maur’s town hall sat in several buildings near the Saint-Nicolas church in the Old Saint-Maur district. A somewhat peripheral position that fed La Varenne’s appetite for autonomy. As the Marne loop urbanized, a more central, larger town hall became essential. Debates were fierce.
The construction of the Saint-Maur Town Hall began on August 18, 1876, on land donated by Louis-Désiré Mahieu, a former mayor. By the 20th century it had become too small for the growing population, and it was expanded between 1937 and 1941 under the direction of Lucien Graf, the city’s chief architect. Of the original building, only the central façade and the wedding hall survive, the latter adorned by Paul-Albert Baudoüin, which you’ll see on the tour. The visit culminates on the top floor, where the new skylight offers a sweeping view of a building that remains alive, evolving, and ever changing.
Participation terms: Free | Reservation required - 01 45 11 43 31
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 9:00–10:00, 10:15–11:15
Scavenger hunt in the Adamville neighborhood
Discover with your kids the northern edge of the Adamville neighborhood. With the leaflet available at the information stands, set off to explore the town and share a joyful family moment. Sharpen your curiosity, boost your powers of observation, exercise your brain, and solve the ten puzzles while learning a trove of facts about the district, the notable Saint-Mauriens, and, more broadly, the city.
From the Town Hall to the Lido, via the media library and the conservatory, a short stroll through the municipality’s largest district!
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Heritage Days 2025 at the Abbaye public garden in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
Aucun événement annoncé à ce jour, le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles.
Heritage Days 2025 at Saint-Maur Park Station
Aucun événement annoncé à ce jour, le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles.
Journées du Patrimoine 2025 at the Varenne RER station
Aucun événement annoncé à ce jour, le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles.
Heritage Days 2025 at Saint-François-de-Sales church in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
Aucun événement annoncé à ce jour, le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles.
Heritage Days 2025 at Notre-Dame du Rosaire church in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
Aucun événement annoncé à ce jour, le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles.
Heritage Days 2025 at Saint-Nicolas church in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
Saint-Nicolas Church: a little renovated gem! (Self-guided tour)
The oldest intact edifice in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, this church is dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron saint not only of pupils but also of mariners who often arrived here at the abbey’s port on the Marne. The building bears the marks of multiple renovations, which explains its mixed architectural styles. While the tower is Romanesque, dating to the 12th century, the choir from the 13th century is Gothic, featuring a striking stained-glass window nearly 8 meters high. The church has been listed as a historic monument since 1947.
Major renovation work funded by the city in partnership with the Heritage Foundation and the Île-de-France Region concluded in late 2022: replacing the choir and tower roofs, restoring the carpentry, cleaning the exterior, replacing numerous badly damaged stones (including columns and capitals), and cleaning several stained glasses… On this occasion, the Romanesque wooden vault was reconstructed after the plaster vault from the Interwar period was removed. Admire the magnificent rooster that now watches over the building.
How to participate: Meet at the stand of the Society of History and Archaeology, Abbey Park to pick up the tour flyer - Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 to 17:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 13:00 to 17:00
Heritage Days 2025 at Sainte-Marie aux Fleurs church in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
Aucun événement annoncé à ce jour, le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles.
Heritage Days 2025 at the Saint-Maur-des-Fossés art studios
Rediscover the Bains Douches!
Before becoming Saint-Maur’s emblematic hub for learning music and the visual arts, whose grand hall hosts exhibitions and cultural events year-round, 5 ter avenue du Bac first began as a public-interest building dedicated to hygiene.
Indeed, the building, conceived in 1930 by mayor Auguste Marin, was from 1937 to 1968 one of the city’s largest bathhouses. Architect Julien Heulot designed a practical three-level structure open to the Saint-Mauriens who wished to use its facilities for a modest fee. The 24 shower stalls and 12 bathrooms were laid out on the ground floor, on either side of the main hall. On the upper level, an arched bay window, now gone, provided light and ventilation. The skylight already existed.
Participation conditions: Free of charge | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 – 10:00–18:00
Art Studios at the Bains-douches!
Long before becoming Saint-Maur’s emblematic venue for inclusive music and visual arts education, where the main hall hosts exhibitions and cultural events throughout the year, 5 ter avenue du Bac was originally a public-interest building dedicated to hygiene.
Since the early 1980s, it has housed the association Les Ateliers d'Art, which opens up graphic arts and music to as many people as possible.
Join us on Saturdays to discover the former Bains-douches and also participate in an arts workshop offered by the association’s instructors: drawing, painting, sculpture, modeling, stone carving, lithography, printmaking, photography...
The detailed program is available online at
Participation requirements: Free | No booking required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Heritage Days 2025 at the Lido de Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
Aucun événement annoncé à ce jour, le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles.
Heritage Days 2025 at the Maison de la Nature in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
Citizen Sunday
Join the litter pickup along the banks of the Marne, in partnership with the Cleanliness and Sustainable Development, and Environment and Nature departments. Gloves, bags and grabbers are provided, and participants should wear clothing suitable for walking and the day’s weather. Five sectors are on offer (to be confirmed at registration): from the Halage footbridge to the Pie footbridge, from the Pie footbridge to Avenue de Bonneuil, from Avenue de Bonneuil to the Chennevières bridge, from the Chennevières bridge to the Champigny bridge, and from the Champigny bridge to the Petit Parc bridge.
Participation requirements: Free | Booking required — developpement.durable@mairie-saint-maur.com, 01 45 11 16 80
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Saint-Maur, a garden city committed to biodiversity
Open house at the House of Nature. Opened in 2021, the House of Nature hosts the Department of Sustainable Development, Environment and Nature. A permanent exhibit titled “Saint-Maur, a Sustainable City” will be on view, along with a seed library that lets visitors swap seeds.
Come explore the House of Nature’s garden, tour the exhibit, use the seed library, and discover the community gardens. A range of activities will be offered.
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 AM–12:00 PM, 1:30 PM–4:00 PM
Journées du Patrimoine 2025 at the Villa Medicis, Maison des Arts et de la Culture in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, France
Aucun événement annoncé à ce jour, le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles.
Heritage Days 2025 at the Germaine Tillion multimedia library in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
Saint-Maur Castle
On these days dedicated to the theme of endangered heritage, come and (re)discover the story of the Château de Saint-Maur, now vanished, whose domain stretched from Old Saint-Maur to the Parc district.
From the Renaissance to the Revolution, the exhibition guides visitors through key chapters of French history. Along the route, the castle takes shape and changes under the influence of pivotal figures such as Jean du Bellay, Catherine de Medici, the Condé princes, and Jean Hérault de Gourville, its steward.
A episcopal residence with humanist overtones, a royal dwelling, then a princely estate, Saint-Maur evolves with its times. Its architecture, continually reshaped, mirrors the ambitions, customs, and upheavals of each era.
Through texts, plans, and reconstructions, the exhibition redraws the map of this major site and invites a fresh gaze upon a landscape that is all too familiar.
Participation terms: Free | No reservation required
Opening hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 09:00 to 18:00
What happened on September 16, 1982?
Come comb through the media library's archives to uncover the newspaper from the day you were born!
Conditions de participation : Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 11:30–12:30, 16:30–17:30
Heritage Days 2025 at La Pépinière, arromanches business center in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, France
Aucun événement annoncé à ce jour, le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles.
Heritage Days 2025 at the Place d'Armes in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
Aucun événement annoncé à ce jour, le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles.
Journées du Patrimoine 2025 in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés: tour itineraries
Exploring the Schaken district, Saint-Maur’s former Little Venice
The Schaken Quarter, also known as the “Bandits’ Quarter,” owes its first growth to the Créteil lock and the towpath crossing. Indeed, the boats ascending the river were pulled by oxen or horses, which crossed the Marne here to reach the right bank, shorter and free of islands. Seven houses, inhabited by fishermen and farmers, form the hamlet of Port-Créteil, already mentioned on a Merovingian coin. They cluster around a village square that still exists today. For centuries, the area consisted of numerous islets, all attached to the mainland between the 18th century and 1940.
The district takes its name from one of Saint-Maur’s most important landowners for a time: Pierre Schaken. After his death, the estate was subdivided into 130 lots by his daughter in 1882. Seven streets were laid out, including Rue des Îles, Rue de Joinville, Jules Joffrin, and Pinet (now Politzer). That marked the end of the rural character of the place. The proposed walk invites visitors to grasp the neighborhood’s history by recalling the former Marne channels that surrounded its islands and by observing the architecture of its houses, from the “remarkable building” protected by the PLU to the modest “worker’s house” or the rental building. The booklet also includes a kids’ scavenger hunt.
Download the visitor booklet at or pick one up in the town hall lobby on Fridays, or at Villa Médicis or at the Saint-Maur City Culture Service stand (Gardens of the Town Hall, Avenue de la République) on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Entry requirements: Free | No booking required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 08:00–23:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026, 08:00–23:00
Exploring the southern side of Champignol: “the meulière for everyone!”
The Champignol district is bounded to the south by Avenue du Bac, to the west by Boulevard de Champigny, to the east by Avenue Didier, and to the north by the Marne. While the northern part of the neighborhood was quickly parceled out—already in 1881 for the area between the railway station and Verdun Avenue—the southern section was developed later. In 1864 that area was set aside for factories, but attracted no buyers. It was only after 1870 that parcels were sold, first in the triangle formed by Centennial Avenue, Verdun Avenue, and the RER line, then in the other sectors between 1885 and 1925. This is the portion we invite you to explore. It remained largely rural in 1921, yet it welcomed many residents in the interwar years.
The proposed route lets you grasp the neighborhood’s history by studying the architecture of its houses, from the “remarkable building” protected by the local PLU, to the modest “economic house” or the income-building. The booklet also includes an orienteering game for children.
Download the visitor booklet at or pick it up in the Town Hall lobby on Fridays, or at Villa Médicis, or at the Culture Service stand of the City of Saint-Maur (Gardens of the Town Hall, Avenue de la République) on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Participation terms: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 08:00 to 22:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 08:00 to 22:00
The Southeast of Mûriers: between rural life and leisure
The mulberry grove was planted in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés in the mid-19th century to farm silkworms, in a bid to reduce imports of this precious fabric. The cultivation collapsed very quickly. A second attempt began in the early 1860s… with the same failure. The district’s urbanization, started by Caffin in 1859, was nevertheless slow, and there were only about twenty “country houses” before the 1870 war. Subdivision continued at a leisurely pace, and by 1921 many woods and cultivated fields still remained. We had to wait until the 1950s–1960s for progressive urbanization of the fields and woods, followed by parcel divisions. Let’s stroll within a rectangle bounded by the Marne to the south, the railway to the east, Avenue de Bonneuil to the west, and Avenue Denfert-Rochereau to the north.
The proposed route helps readers grasp the neighborhood’s history by observing the architecture of its houses, from the “remarkable building” protected by the PLU to the modest “economic house.” The booklet also includes a treasure hunt for children.
Download the visit booklet at saint-maur.com or pick it up in the Town Hall lobby on Fridays, at Villa Médicis, or at the Culture Service stand of the city of Saint-Maur (Gardens of the Town Hall, Avenue de la République) on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The walk lasts about 2 hours.
All audiences
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Heritage Days 2025 at the Saint-Maur-des-Fossés water plant
Aucun événement annoncé à ce jour, le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles.
Dates and Opening Time
From September 20, 2025 to September 21, 2025
Location
Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
94100 Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
94100 Saint Maur des Fosses
Route planner
Accessibility info
Official website
www.saint-maur.com
