Schedule of tours for the 2026 Heritage Days at Maubuisson Abbey

The Abbaye de Maubuisson, located in Saint-Ouen-L'Aumône in the Val-D'Oise (95), opens its doors for a day of discovery and walks on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026. Take part in the Journées du Patrimoine to visit this former royal Cistercian abbey founded in 1234.

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A former Cistercian women's abbey (Notre-Dame-La Royale) founded by Blanche de Castille in the 13th century, today we find the barn and part of the carré claustral, i.e. the chapter house, parlour, nuns' room and latrines. The abbey's vaulted rooms are adorned with magnificent stained-glass windows and green and yellow glazed terracotta.

Next to the abbey, the 10-hectare park offers visitors archaeological remains and ancient hydraulic structures. Since 2001, this building has been dedicated to the plastic and visual arts, offering installations in keeping with the architecture of the site and its heritage. A beautiful place to discover, or rediscover, on the occasion of this 42nd edition of the Journées du Patrimoine. Let's make a note of it in our diaries, folks?

The full schedule for the 2026 Heritage Days at Maubuisson Abbey, Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône (Val d'Oise):

Historical guided tour of Maubuisson Abbey
Maubuisson Abbey is an exceptional heritage site, balancing the sobriety of Cistercian architecture with the splendor of a royal necropolis. As this tour unfolds through the grounds—from the chapter house to the shimmering flow of water from the drainage canal, and past the remnants of the old church and the 13th‑century granary—the visitor gets a glimpse into the daily life of medieval nuns. Eight centuries of history, with riches beyond what one might expect, unfold at every corner of the estate.
Participation requirements: Free | Booking required - https://billetterie-valdoise.oxygeno.fr/produit_157.html
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 – 11:00–12:00, 15:00–16:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 – 11:00–12:00, 15:00–16:00
Repoussé metal workshop “The Impaled Abbey”
Curves, reliefs, swirls and hollows take center stage for Heritage Days. By using the repoussé technique—this ancient method of shaping metal—you too can craft your own stunning sculpted brooch.
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
The Barn in the Spotlight
For Europe’s Heritage Days, artist Hugo Béhérégaray takes over the barn at Maubuisson Abbey, which is unusually open to the public. Over two days, he sets up a space for creation and exchange, inviting visitors to contribute to assembling montages that will be progressively revealed as the event unfolds. Hugo Béhérégaray is a visual artist who likes to craft environments that encourage encounters. The whimsical shapes and shimmering colors of his cardboard works are often inspired by the world of design. Far from the productive fate of everyday objects, his sculptures invite play, conversation, and leisure. Part lamp, part display, part hut or costume, his creations are meant to be used, augmented, and sometimes dismantled by visitors.
Participation requirements: Free
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 2:00 PM–6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026, 2:00 PM–6:00 PM
Unconventional guided tour of Maubuisson’s cave, “Twenty Thousand Places Under the Abbey”
Stroll through the Maubuisson estate’s subterranean cellars and see the abbey’s story from a fresh perspective. This cellar tour invites you to dive into the daily life and riches of the medieval abbey. (Not wheelchair accessible)
Participation requirements: Free | Booking essential - https://billetterie-valdoise.oxygeno.fr/produit_158.html
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM, 5:00 PM to 5:30 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM, 5:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Opening of the photo exhibition “Regards sur Maubuisson”
An exhibition that plunges you into the heart of the abbey’s history through a selection of 15 emblematic images: photographs, postcards, watercolors, engravings, and glass photographic plates. Designed by Marie Ménestrier and Marie-Hélène Peltier, respectively directors of the Abbaye de Maubuisson and the Val d’Oise Departmental Archives, this presentation highlights the site's memory and its evolution across the centuries, in partnership with the Établissement de Communication et de Production Audiovisuelle de la Défense (ECPAD). A special tribute is paid to François Reissi for his generous donation of the glass photographic plates.
Participation requirements: Free
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Amore Toscano Concert – Tuscany, the cradle of opera, with the ensemble Il Graviglio – Marco Angioloni
As part of Val d’Oise Baroque: in Florence around 1600, poets, scholars and musicians gathered around the Camerata of Bardi dreamed of reviving ancient tragedy. From this quest arose a sung theatre where the music exalts the spoken word. Peri, Caccini and their contemporaries invented a new language: opera, the fruit of a unique artistic ferment in Medici-era Europe. The ensemble Il Groviglio (“entanglement” in Italian) brings together musicians trained in Paris, Florence, Basel or Versailles. Based in Pontoise and led by Marco Angioloni, it specializes in the Italian repertoire of the 17th and 18th centuries, highlighting rarely performed composers and performing at numerous festivals and in recordings.
Participation conditions: Free of charge
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM