What do you have planned for the month of September ? Back to work or to school? And what if we offered you a whole slew of outings, tours, discoveries and activities? The Heritage Days return for a 43rd edition in Paris and Île-de-France, on 19 and 20 September 2026.
As every year, this major event lets us explore every corner of the Île-de-France region, and admire the must-see monuments as well as hidden gems. For an entire weekend, Paris and its surroundings transform into a giant playground for all art and history enthusiasts.
You don’t need to go far to join this event! Heritage Days are happening everywhere, even in Champigny-sur-Marne... The town of Val-de-Marne invites us to explore its sites of interest and its vibrant cultural spots. Discover the full lineup of activities on the schedule for these Heritage Days.
Heads up: some venues are only accessible by reservation. Check the schedule and plan your visit as early as possible to maximize your chance of fully enjoying these Heritage Days. Which site will you start your weekend of discovery with?
The Fork in Champigny-sur-Marne
Discovering the Plant district in Champigny-sur-Marne
As part of the European Heritage Days, the City of Champigny-sur-Marne invites you to discover the Plant district. Once a market garden area frequented by horticulturists, planted with fruit trees, bordered by two woods (Bois l’Huillier and Bois du Plant) and quarries, it began to urbanize with the opening of the Grande Ceinture railway station in 1876.
We will stroll through this suburban, peaceful, bucolic enclave in the heart of the city, along its picturesque lanes, past Louis Loucheur houses with gardens, the Sainte-Marie-Libératrice du Plant Church, the Maurice Denis Art Deco School, and up to its former station. A spotlight will be cast on the now vanished Bains Douches.
This walk will also offer a chance to view the works on the future Champigny-Centre station of the Grand Paris Express, as well as the city’s new geothermal plant.
Conditions de participation : Free guided walk, 30 spots available – Free
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
House of History and Heritage
Workshops linked to the exhibition 'In the Footsteps of the Great War'
Several workshops are on offer:
* Writing a letter from a WWI infantryman (poilu) ;
Making a lucky charm doll ;
Creating a propaganda poster ;
* Recreating a World War I memorial.
For children and adults alike, replicas of World War I-era games will also be available.
Participation requirements: Free of charge
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Guided tour of the exhibition "In the Footsteps of the Great War: From Personal Memories to the Collective History in Val-de-Marne"
Letters from soldiers, photographs, trench crafts, postcards of war memorials, and Remembrance Day posters—or even official speeches—are among the traces left by the Great War across generations for more than a century in today’s Val-de-Marne.
That cultural heritage is what the exhibition asks us to reflect on in a suburban department that, while not a frontline battlefield, contributed to mobilization just like the rest of the country, all the while bearing the burden of mass casualties, the daily hardships at the home front, the welcome of refugees, troop movements, and the presence of soldiers stationed or hospitalized locally.
Participation terms: Free of charge | Booking required - archives@valdemarne.fr, 01 56 71 45 60
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
National Resistance Museum
Stand the test of time: behind the scenes of preserving the Resistance archives — spaces for ongoing exchange
RESISTERING TO TIME: BEHIND THE SCENES OF PRESERVING RESISTANCE ARCHIVES
On the occasion of European Heritage Days, whose national themes are “Heritage in Peril: Revive, Resist, Reimagine,” the National Resistance Museum is granting exceptional access to a rarely visible part of its work.
Each day, the museum faces a core question: how can it continue to display works without damaging them?
The clandestine pamphlets that urged resistance, the forged documents that saved lives, the photographs, letters, and drawings created in captivity—these are irreplaceable witnesses to our history. But they are also extraordinarily fragile. Light, climate fluctuations, or simply the passage of time can cause irreversible changes.
To safeguard these collections while keeping them accessible, the museum is today carrying out a broad preventive-conservation campaign in collaboration with the Atelier du Lys. Some original pieces are gradually being replaced in the permanent exhibit by highly faithful facsimiles, while the originals are reconditioned and stored in controlled environments.
All weekend long, visitors are invited to explore the project’s behind-the-scenes workings through a series of discussions and demonstrations with museum staff.
Saturday, September 19, 2026
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Continuous exchange space “Behind the Scenes of Conservation”
Throughout the afternoon, museum teams will welcome visitors to outline the main principles of conserving the collection. Drawing on concrete examples from the museum, discover:
* How light gradually alters the colors of documents
* Why and how the facsimiles displayed in the cases are created
* The scientific, technical, and ethical choices guiding their production
* The reconditioning operations that restore originals to optimal conservation conditions
This space helps illuminate the decisions that enable this heritage to be transmitted without putting it at risk.
Participation requirements: Free | Booking required - reservation@musee-resistance.com
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Resisting the Test of Time: go behind the scenes of preserving Resistance archives — Guided tour
RESISTERING TIME: BEHIND THE SCENES OF PRESERVING RESISTANCE ARCHIVES
On the occasion of the European Heritage Days, whose national themes are “Heritage at Risk: Revive, Resist, Reimagine” and “Heritage of Photography,” the National Resistance Museum is opening, for one weekend only, the behind-the-scenes side of a project rarely seen by the public.
Day after day, the museum faces a fundamental question: how can it continue to display works without damaging them?
Underground leaflets calling for resistance, forged papers that saved lives, photographs, letters, or drawings made in captivity—these items are irreplaceable witnesses to our history. But they are also extremely fragile. Light, shifting climate, or simply the passage of time cause irreversible changes.
Throughout the weekend, visitors are invited to explore the project’s backstage via a guided tour of the permanent collections, viewed through the lens of scenography.
Saturday, September 19, 2026
3:00–4:00 p.m.: Guided tour “Resistance and Scenography”
How does a museum tell a story while safeguarding the collections that carry it? This guided tour reveals the scenographic choices that bring the collections to life. Light, architecture, sound installations, facsimiles, and presentation formats all interact to help visitors understand and feel the history of the Resistance, while shedding light on the conservation challenges behind each display decision.
Sunday, September 20, 2026
5:00–6:00 p.m.: Guided tour “Resistance and Scenography”
How does a museum tell a story while preserving the collections that convey it? This guided tour reveals the scenographic choices that bring the collections to life. Light, architecture, sound devices, facsimiles, and presentation modes work together to help visitors understand and experience the history of the Resistance, while exposing the conservation considerations that accompany every exhibition choice.
Participation conditions: Free | Booking required - reservation@musee-resistance.com
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Withstanding the test of time: a behind-the-scenes look at preserving the Resistance archives — Conference
Defying Time: Behind the Scenes in Preserving the Resistance Archives
On the occasion of European Heritage Days, whose national themes are “Heritage at Risk: Rekindle, Resist, Reimagine” and “Heritage of Photography,” the Musée National de la Résistance is exceptionally opening the doors to a backstage project rarely visible to the public.
Every day, the museum faces a crucial question: how can it continue to display works without damaging them?
The clandestine leaflets that called for resistance, the fake papers that saved lives, the photographs, letters, or drawings made in captivity are irreplaceable witnesses to our history. But these documents are also incredibly fragile. Light, temperature fluctuations, or simply the passage of time cause irreversible alterations.
To preserve these collections while continuing to share them, the museum is currently conducting, in collaboration with Atelier du Lys, a broad preventive conservation campaign. Some original works are gradually being replaced in the permanent exhibition by highly faithful facsimiles, while the originals are reconditioned and stored in suitably adapted environments.
Throughout the weekend, visitors are invited to discover the project’s backstory through an unprecedented conference with Atelier du Lys and museum professionals who will present the practices, reflections, and decisions typically reserved for collection specialists.
Sunday, September 20, 2026
3:00 PM - 4:45 PM: Two-part conference “Preserve Together” (in partnership with Atelier du Lys)
How does a conservation project come to life? What trades are involved? How are priorities set? And how are such operations financed?
Atelier du Lys and the museum’s collections team will present the first jointly conducted conservation campaign, from the initial diagnosis to the production of facsimiles and the reconditioning of the works. The meeting will also highlight the role of patronage from the Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière Foundation and remind us that preserving heritage is a collective responsibility.
Participation terms: Free of charge | Booking required - reservation@musee-resistance.com
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 3:00 PM to 4:45 PM
Plateau Park
From the Plateau to the Marne, a hillside getaway in Champigny-sur-Marne
From the Plateau to the Marne, the city’s archivists invite you to discover it in a new light, on a hillside stroll that is as little-known as it is surprising. You’ll walk a 4.5 km loop, equipped with a tablet that unlocks access to archival documents.
Participation requirements : 20 places available. Please wear sturdy shoes and bring water. The route follows trails and stairs not accessible to strollers, bicycles, or wheelchairs... - Free | Booking required - serv.archives@mairie-champigny94.fr
Times: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:30 PM to 5:15 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 2:30 PM to 5:15 PM
A weekend full of discoveries awaits you in Val-de-Marne this September!
Dates and Opening Time
From September 19, 2026 to September 20, 2026
Location
National Resistance Museum
40 Quai Victor Hugo
94500 Champigny sur Marne
Route planner
Accessibility info
