European Heritage Days in Loir-et-Cher

43rd Edition of the European Heritage Days in Loir-et-Cher

The European Heritage Days 2026 will take place on the weekend of Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026 (Friday, September 18 is traditionally reserved for schoolchildren). This is the 43rd edition of this national and European event created in 1984 by the Ministry of Culture.

The 2026 Themes

The Ministry of Culture has selected two themes for this edition:

• "Heritage of Photography", on the occasion of the bicentenary of the invention of photography;
• "Heritage in Danger: Revive, Resist, Reimagine", a European theme highlighting the preservation of threatened sites.

Loir-et-Cher Mobilized

As every year, hundreds of heritage sites in Loir-et-Cher exceptionally open their doors: Loire castles (royal Château de Blois, Chambord, Cheverny, Chaumont-sur-Loire, Beauregard, Fougères-sur-Bièvre, Talcy…), religious buildings, historic residences, departmental archives, remarkable gardens, and places usually closed to the public. Blois, with its royal castle, its Maison de la Magie Robert-Houdin, and its Renaissance private mansions, remains the heart of these days in the department.

Detailed Program

The complete program of openings and events in Loir-et-Cher (guided tours, workshops, exhibitions, concerts) is published each year in early September on the official website journeesdupatrimoine.culture.gouv.fr as well as at the department's tourist offices.