Did you know that at the heart of Noisy-le-Grand lies one of Île-de-France’s most remarkable medieval burial sites? To mark the 2026 European Archaeology Days, this is the perfect invitation to step off the beaten path and get up close to the fieldwork of archaeologists. This unconventional cultural event invites the general public to better understand what archaeology reveals about our landscapes, our ancestors, and our shared history.
Over a weekend, you can explore dig sites, methods, hypotheses, fieldwork actions—essentially the entire machinery behind archaeological knowledge. For heritage enthusiasts as well as curious walkers, it’s a valuable chance to see how a bone fragment, a tomb, a layer of stratigraphy, or a single object helps reconstruct large swaths of past life.
The Mastraits Necropolis stands out for being right in the urban core, in the district bordered by Dr. Sureau, Pierre-Brossolette and Mastraits streets. Explored since 2008, this expansive funerary complex has already yielded nearly 1,000 burials dating from the 6th to the 13th century, making it an exceptional site for tracing the long-term evolution of funeral practices. In 2025, a new parcel was opened to study, with around 400 additional burials announced.
The Mastraits Necropolis Opens Its Doors
For the European Archaeology Days 2026, we’re delighted to welcome visitors all weekend to the Mastraits necropolis site in Noisy-le-Grand (93).
Across two days, people of all ages will be able to explore an ancient burial ground and discover how archaeologists study graves to better understand past societies. How do you excavate a tomb? What can the bones tell us about the lives of ancient inhabitants? What gestures and precautions accompany the study of human remains?
Guided tours, Q&A sessions with experts, and educational workshops will reveal the methods of archaeology. The public will see how the unearthed remnants tell individual and collective stories, and how they deepen our understanding of historical communities.
Join us in large numbers to share this moment of discovery and dialogue about the past.
On the occasion of European Archaeology Days, the Mastraits necropolis site will open its doors to the public for an exceptional event on the ongoing excavation site.
Discovering the Medieval Necropolis
Located in the heart of Noisy-le-Grand, this archaeological site corresponds to a vast high-medieval necropolis used by the Merovingians and the Carolingians. Excavations have uncovered hundreds of burials, providing an exceptional source of information on funeral practices, health, and the daily lives of ancient populations.
An event open to everyone
Throughout the weekend, the event offers a real encounter with living archaeology:
- Guided tours of the site to understand how a funeral dig unfolds
- Encounters with archaeologists and paleoanthropology specialists
- Educational workshops accessible to children and adults
- Moments of exchange about discoveries and scientific methods
The public is invited to discover how tombs are studied, what the bones reveal about individuals, and what ethical precautions accompany the analysis of human remains. And how these digs help reconstruct the history of past populations. The site “voices the skeletons”: it sheds light on living conditions, diseases, rites, and social transformations over several centuries.
Practical information
Location: Mastraits necropolis, 4 rue des Mastraits in Noisy-le-Grand
Dates: June 12, 13 and 14, 2026
Access: free, open to all
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8ymsBXuPKc
Dates and Opening Time
From June 12, 2026 to June 14, 2026
Location
Mastraits Necropolis
2 Rue des Mastraits
93160 Noisy le Grand
Prices
Free
