The Heritage Days invite us each year to the month of September for a fabulous weekend packed with cultural discoveries. At this iconic event, you can enjoy numerous visits to the heart of museums, monuments, castles, churches, institutions and places normally closed to the public to please the curious and the enthusiasts. A program that is often free and accompanied by activities, welcoming young and old for this exceptional weekend. Want to join in? Don’t miss the date of the 43rd edition expected on September 19–20, 2026.
It's an opportunity to go in search of the heritage of Île-de-France, notably in the Essonne area. And indeed, in the city of Saclay, several programs await to reveal the treasures of this commune in Essonne.
Southwest of Paris, it is a hub for numerous scientific research institutions and grandes écoles, and it also boasts several historic monuments. This is your chance to explore the city’s heritage at the crossroads of history and science, during the Heritage Days. Here is the program you can look forward to this year!
New Pond
Mizu — Furinkaï Company, Théâtre de l'entrouvert
Mizu
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### Compagnie Furinkaï - Théâtre de l'entrouvert
✦ Dance, puppetry and circus arts
Mizu, meaning "water" in Japanese, is a poetic and distinctive creation conceived by choreographer Satchie Noro and director Élise Vigneron. On a dew-damp stage, a dancer, a glass-like puppet and her puppeteer form a captivating trio where dance, circus disciplines and puppetry intertwine. Between emergence and vanishing, this landscape piece celebrates the fragility of life, the metamorphosis of matter and the beauty of the ephemeral. Guided by floating scenography and a striking visual universe, Mizu invites audiences into a sensitive, contemplative, immersive experience at the heart of water, life’s essential element.
Show presented by the City of Saclay, in partnership with the City of Orsay.
➞ As part of the Encore Les Beaux Jours Festival, funded by the Paris-Saclay Agglomeration Community and coordinated by Animakt.
Participation requirements: Free by reservation (ID required) - Reservations open on the City of Saclay’s website from September - Free
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 – 3:00 PM to 3:45 PM
Saint-Germain Church
Self-guided visit to Saint Germain Church in Saclay
Self-guided tour of the church and its bell tower
Participation terms: Free | No reservation required
Schedule : Saturday, September 19, 2026, 2:00 PM–5:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026, 10:30 AM–12:00 PM, 2:00 PM–5:00 PM
Ornithological Observatory
Visit to the Ornithological Observatory
Bird lovers, come discover the ornithological observatory at the Saclay ponds. From the great egret to ducks, swans, herons and great cormorants, the Saclay ponds—designated a Conventional Nature Reserve (RNC)—are home to migratory birds and breeding species.
Participation rules: Limited to 12 people per time slot - Free | Booking required - https://billetterie.festik.net/saclay/
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 9:00 to 10:30, 10:30 to 12:00
The History of the Hydraulic Network and Bird Observations at the Old Pond on the Saclay Plateau
Museum visits, stained glass, and the cloister
Historical Museum: memories of Louis XVI and the royal family, as well as Louise Adélaïde de Bourbon Condé, founder of the Monastery.
Museum of Mother Geneviève (Marcelle Gallois 1888-1962), a nun and internationally renowned artist (drawings, paintings, stained glass, books, …)
Abbey church, its stained glass and Mother Geneviève’s Way of the Cross.
Exceptional opening of the Abbey Cloister, to be discovered in silence
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 09:30 to 11:00
Dates and Opening Time
From September 19, 2026 to September 20, 2026
Location
Saclay
saclay
91400 Saclay
Route planner
Official website
www.saclay.fr
