The European Heritage Days are coming up this weekend – 19 and 20 September 2026. To take advantage of some of the outings on offer, here’s a list of what’s happening in some of the towns on the French Riviera.
What are the European Heritage Days?
This is an annual event that allows the public access to monuments and sites that are sometimes never open to the public. It gives visitors a wonderful opportunity to step inside some of the region’s cultural icons and discover more about the history of the area.
The theme this year is ‘Photographic Heritage’ and ‘Heritage at Risk: Reviving, Resisting, Reimagining’.
France’s Minister of Culture says: “The European Heritage Days celebrate photographic heritage and the heritage that needs safeguarding in a changing world. A rich program, open to all audiences, awaits you!”
Antibes Juan-les-Pins
- Guided tour of the Peynet Collection
- Visit to the Picasso Collection
- Visit to Fort Carré and its peninsula. The tour is called ‘On a Mission at Fort Carré’ and will use archive photographs to allow you to immerse yourself in the daily lives of the soldiers who still occupied the site in the 20th century. You’ll also explore the area whilst taking part in gentle ‘health and fitness’ exercises, according to Côte d’Azur Tourism
- Meeting about Graham Greene (Albert Camus Media Library)
- Film screenings
- Visit to the 1932 hotel
Price: All free
Dates: 19 and 20 September
Cannes
- Take the ferry or a boat out to Île Sainte-Marguerite to visit the Musée du Masque de fer and Fort Royal. Here you will discover a little-known site of remembrance: the Muslim cemetery linked to the history of Algerian deportees in the 19th century. A guided tour offers a deeper understanding of this fragile site, which is now at the heart of a project to promote and preserve its heritage.
Cap d’Ail
- Discover the Château des Terrasses on a guided tour combining heritage and botany. Set in grounds featuring Mediterranean and exotic plant species, the walk also offers the chance to trace the history of this elegant Belle Époque villa.
Gorge du Verdon
The Museum of Prehistory invites you to discover a special programme created for the European Heritage Days. The schedule includes a film screening, themed tour of the Baume Bonne Cave, guided tours of the collections and a comic book (graphic novel) concert.
Admission to the museum and the activities on Saturday and Sunday are free. Some activities require a reservation.
MORE: https://www.museeprehistoire.com/toute-lactualite/les-journees-europeennes-du-patrimoine-2026
Dates: 18, 19 and 20 September
Gourdon
- Explore one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France on a guided tour of its heritage. Perched atop an impressive cliff, this veritable balcony overlooking the Côte d’Azur offers an exceptional panorama of the Mediterranean coastline.
Grasse
- The Grasse Courthouse is exceptionally opening its doors to the general public on Saturday (19 September) at 15:30. You will have the chance to experience a real criminal trial through a reenactment. No registration required. Open to everyone. Limited to 150 participants.
- Fragonard and the International Museum of Perfume
- Don’t miss the ‘To the top of the bell tower!’ tour – from the bell tower of Notre-Dame du Puy Cathedral, you’ll be able to admire the rooftops of the historic centre and the Grasse countryside, accompanied by a tour guide.
MORE: https://www.ville-grasse.fr/agenda/journees-europeennes-du-patrimoine/
Mandelieu-la-Napoule
- Two coral-inspired works by Guillaume Bottazzi are on display at Absolu Mandelieu. Standing 2.80 metres tall and crafted from enamel on glass, they seem to emerge from the seabed and invite visitors to take an artistic and contemplative break as they explore the exhibition.
Menton
- The Jardin Fontana Rosa opens its gates for a self-guided stroll with a Spanish flavour. Listed as a Historic Monument, this garden, designed by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, combines ceramic tiles, pergolas, ponds and a belvedere in an atmosphere inspired by Valencia and Andalusian patios.
Nice
- More than 100 events across 58 locations have been arranged, to offer a fresh perspective on Nice’s heritage. the events include tours, exhibitions, workshops, lecures and concerts.
- At the Museum of Fine Arts, take part in the ‘Museum Investigation’, an interactive game for adults where you’ll have to unravel the mystery of a strange presence that haunts the building after dark.
- At the Grotte du Lazaret, journey back to the origins of humanity during a talk led by archaeologist Emmanuel Desclaux.
- At the Jeanne and Paul Augier Hotel School, step inside the kitchens, training restaurants and teaching areas to discover careers in the hotel and catering industries, with demonstrations and tastings to round off the experience.
- At the Departmental Museum of Asian Arts, take part in a life-size Murder Mystery Party set in the world of Professor Satō’s Three Formulas, complete with puzzles and an investigation.
- At the Palais des Rois Sardes, test your knowledge with the ‘Monuments Lotto’, a fun game designed to help you learn more about the architectural heritage of the Alpes-Maritimes.
- You can reserve your place for the free events here: https://www.nice.fr/journees-europeennes-du-patrimoine/
Dates: 19 and 20 September
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin
- The spotlight is on ‘Antoine & Cléopâtre’, a musical and theatrical tour through the narrow streets of the medieval village to the castle. Combining Shakespeare, Baroque music and colourful characters, this immersive walk offers a fresh and unexpected way to rediscover the area’s heritage.
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
- Explore the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, an architectural masterpiece of the Belle Époque. Discover its refined interiors and exceptional gardens, and enjoy themed guided tours throughout the weekend. Open on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 9pm. (Last admission at 8pm.)
Saint-Laurent-du-Var
- On Saturday there will be storytelling, marching band, and local specialties – 5:00 PM
Address: Jardin du Moulin des Pugets
Registration: 04 93 31 01 35 - On Sunday the following events are being held:
– Tour of the Natura 2000 zone (Var River Estuary) – 9:00 AM
– Tour of Town Hall – 10:30 AM
– Theatrical walking tour – 2:15 PM – Meeting point: Town Hall forecourt
Registration (required): 04 92 12 42 40 or 41
Saint-Paul-de-Vence
- Saturday 10am: a one-hour artistic walk allowing you to discover the town’s iconic landmarks. At each stop along the route, you’ll be invited to sketch an architectural feature of the monument.
- Saturday 4pm: Art and Heritage Guided Tour (from the tourist office), an immersive journey through the different eras that shaped the village. Vintage photos will be used to show the recent restoration of heritage sites that were once at risk.
- The Folon Chapel is opening exceptionally for the weekend, from 10am – 12.30 and 2pm – 6pm. You’re invited to “step into the world and imagination of artist Jean-Michel Folon and discover the work created by his master craftspeople: painting, sculpture, stained glass, and mosaic.”
- The village is also hosting an open-air exhibition trail drawn from the archives of photographer Jacques Gomot.
Saint-Tropez
- Four museums are participating
- Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption
Dates: 19 and 20 September 2025
Villefranche
- Head for the Port de la Darse, the former naval port of the House of Savoy, and the former penal colony hospital; both can be explored on guided tours specially organised for the weekend.
This is just a taste of what’s on offer for the European Heritages Days weekend. To find out more details, please visit the Côte-d’Azur Tourism site here.
