European Heritage Days 2026 : our selection

In the 1930s, numerous villas, studio residences, and apartment buildings were built in Boulogne-Billancourt. Designed by some of the leading modern architects of the first half of the 20th century, including Le Corbusier, André Lurçat, Robert Mallet-Stevens, and Auguste Perret, these buildings drew inspiration in particular from the industrial aesthetics of ocean liners and made use of new techniques and materials. The Princes district, located in the north of the city and bordering Paris, thus became a showcase for intense architectural creativity.

The Boulogne-Billancourt Tourist Office offers a walking tour starting at 7 Place Denfert-Rochereau, showcasing these various architectural works alongside Neoclassical and Regionalist buildings.

In the 6th arrondissement, at 1 Rue Jacques Callot, stands the annex building of the École nationale supérieure d’architecture Paris-Malaquais – PSL, known as the “Callot Building.” Designed by architect Roger-Henri Expert, who was also renowned for his work on ocean liners, including the famous Normandie, the building was completed in 1931.

Throughout the academic year, the building’s five floors are dedicated to studio-based architectural design teaching, while the ground floor houses the school’s architecture gallery.

The self-guided tour of the building is accompanied by a series of lectures on the fifth floor, presented by the Paris Art Deco Society.

Norman Foster’s first project in France, the Carré d’Art has been home to the Musée d’Art Contemporain de Nîmes since 1993. Its modern materials, glass, raw concrete and steel, and its interior spaces, organized around an atrium and a monumental glass staircase, make it a true “box of light.”

As part of the European Heritage Days 2026, the institution will present, on September 19, a selection of artists’ books related to its collections, the library network and ESBAN, exploring the theme of “Heritage in Danger.” The conference will be followed on September 20 by a guided tour of this iconic venue and its site-specific works, including pieces by Richard Long and Ellsworth Kelly.

Like the buildings lining Marseille’s Vieux-Port, Fernand Pouillon made extensive use of stone, giving the building the appearance of a peripteral temple, with the large glazed surfaces of the reading room set back behind rows of columns.

A guided tour of this building, which was awarded the “20th-Century Heritage” label in 2000, will take place on September 19, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the building and revealing its heritage documents and archival materials.

Once a Brutalist church, the CURIOX Art and Encounters Centre in Ugine is now dedicated to contemporary art. Its exhibitions and residencies, developed in partnership with renowned institutions and local associations, foster a dialogue between architectural heritage and contemporary artistic creation.

Redesigned to accommodate its new functions, the building nevertheless retains its original spirit, offering visitors a successful example of adaptive reuse and the transformation of existing architecture.

An iconic work of post-war Reconstruction, listed as a Historic Monument in 2011, the Palais des Congrès opens its doors this Friday, September 18, for an immersive tour tracing its eventful history.

This building, whose purpose and identity were still taking shape when it was conceived in the 1950s, was envisioned by its architects as a “vast loggia opening onto the sea.” Claude Ferret, Jacques Bruneau, Adrien Courtois, and Pierre Marmouget brought their modernist aspirations to life, combining pilotis, a flat rooftop terrace, free-standing non-load-bearing façades, and vibrant colors.

An iconic Art Deco landmark in the city of Bègles, inaugurated in 1932, Les Bains swimming pool is celebrating the 20th anniversary this year of its renovation, carried out in 2006 by architect Patrick Bouchain. To mark the occasion, the town south of Bordeaux is organizing a festive and cultural event in partnership with the Slowfest association and the Sports Department.

A true testament to the 1930s in the region, Les Bains swimming pool has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1991.

The Concorde cinema presents a “film lecture” exploring photography and architectural aesthetics in the James Bond films. Through an analysis of film excerpts and comparisons with architectural references, the lecture will examine themes including the negative architecture embodied by the villains, destruction as a narrative device, and the role of creativity and design as expressions of a society. The discussion will be led by Alexandra Pignol and Stéphane Mroczkowski, respectively a lecturer in architectural theory at the Strasbourg School of Architecture and a lecturer in visual arts.

Located in La Roche-sur-Yon, the Concorde is an independent arthouse cinema that offers year-round programming focused on auteur films, screenings, and discussions.

The 2026 edition of the European Heritage Days once again demonstrates the commitment and dedication of local organizations and communities to preserving and passing on our heritage, while making culture accessible to as many people as possible. Tours, lectures, film screenings and other events all contribute to promoting and preserving these heritage sites and historic monuments, whether well-known or lesser-known.