European Heritage Days in the Loire

As of August 16th, 2026, the Ministry of Culture's portal lists 111 sites and 202 events in the Loire. The times below are those published by the organizers. Sites continue to register until the weekend: the up-to-date list is available at journeesdupatrimoine.culture.gouv.fr.

Friday, September 18th, 2026 — Twelve sites open on Friday

• 8:30 AM-12:30 PM — Exhibition on the Lyon-Montbrison railway line and the Viricelles tunnel, opened 150 years ago · Cav'café, Viricelles · free
• 9:00 AM-6:00 PM — Pouilly-les-Nonains Church, self-guided tour (Romanesque building modified in the 14th and 19th centuries, high altar by Philippe Kaeppelin)
• 10:00 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00 PM-6:00 PM — Saint-Chamond Botanical Garden, a "Remarkable Garden" with 4,500 plant varieties · 8 € per person
• 10:00 AM-2:30 PM — "Reviving the memory of Château Prodon": guided tour by students, followed by a buffet served by vocational catering students · Lycée hôtelier, 18 rue François-Gillet, Saint-Chamond · reservation required from August 25th, adults only, 50 participants
• 10:00 AM-7:00 PM — Collective exhibition around the work of David Mansot, cabin builder · Galerie XXIe, 12 rue Saint-Jean, Montbrison
• 2:00 PM-6:00 PM — Arts and Heritage Trades Meetings: gilding, stained glass, stone carving, free workshops and demonstrations · Château de Montrond-les-Bains
• 2:30 PM-5:30 PM — Self-guided tour of the Collegiate Church · Saint-Bonnet-le-Château
• 3:00 PM-7:00 PM — Sainte-Marguerite Chapel: commented tour and contemporary art exhibition · La Chapelle-Villars · 100 people maximum
• 4:00 PM-7:00 PM — "College Museum": self-guided tour of corridor exhibitions, accompanied by student ambassadors, workshops around the educational pond · Collège Marc-Seguin, 125 bd Antonio-Vivaldi, Saint-Étienne
• 4:00 PM-7:00 PM — Club open house: photo exhibition of train stations and model train circuits · Association Model'Rail, 125 rue Gabriel-Péri, Saint-Étienne
• 5:00 PM-8:00 PM — Games on the club's three circuits, including one digital (HO, HO metric, N) · Association Model'Rail, Saint-Étienne · free admission
• 8:30 PM-10:30 PM — À travers chants et Forez Festival: vocal ensembles Filombulle (Saint-Étienne) and Chœur polyphonique du Forez (Montbrison) · Saint-André Church, Sail-sous-Couzan · free guided tour at 7:00 PM · 12 €, free for under 18s, 3-concert pass 30 €

Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th — Saint-Étienne

Maison du patrimoine et des lettres — 5 place Boivin. Guided tours of Saint-Étienne City of Art and History, limited groups, registration from September 3rd; meeting point provided upon booking.

• Sat 10:00-11:30 AM · Sun 10:00-11:30 AM — The Chamoncel residence tells its story: architectural evolution from the 15th century to its recent transformation, classified as a Historic Monument (1h30)
• Sat and Sun 2:00 PM, 3:30 PM, 5:00 PM — A short history of the Chamoncel residence: up to the 1st floor and its fireplace, then self-guided exploration of exhibitions on tablets (45 min)
• Sat and Sun 11:00 AM-12:30 PM and 2:30 PM-4:00 PM — Discovering Saint-Étienne: stroll through the historic city center (1h30)
• Sat and Sun 10:00 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00 PM-4:00 PM — Self-guided treasure hunt to discover the 41 Historic Monuments of the city center: pick up booklets at the reception, for 8-12 year olds accompanied by an adult
• Sat and Sun 4:30 PM-5:15 PM — Sainté in tales: epic story about the medieval town, the history of Claude the young blacksmith, and the meeting of the Furan river, for 4-6 year olds accompanied by an adult (45 min)
• Sat 10:00 AM-12:00 PM — 1966-2026: Beaulieu, itinerary of a neighborhood in motion, with the Beaulieu media library; departure from the community center park, arrival at the construction site of the future socio-cultural facility for the south-east districts (1h30 to 2h)
• Sat 2:00 PM-3:30 PM — Urban nature: two centuries of landscaping, from the first public garden in Saint-Étienne to the latest park designed as a cool island (1h30)
• Sat 10:00 AM-11:00 AM · Sun 2:00 PM-3:00 PM — The Manufacture / Cité du design site: the former Arms Manufacture and its conversion (1h)
• Sun 10:00 AM-11:00 AM and 11:15 AM-12:15 PM — Saint-Étienne City Hall, whose first stone was laid in 1822: tour of the main rooms (1h)
• Sun 10:30 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00 PM-3:30 PM — The house without stairs: Auguste Bossu's 1930s building, whose helical ramp serves the thirty-five apartments from the hall to the roof terrace (1h30)
• Sun 10:00 AM-11:30 AM and 2:30 PM-4:00 PM — The Couriot eco-hamlet: rehabilitated former industrial buildings, multi-voice tour with the Créquy group (1h30)
• Sun 3:00 PM-4:45 PM — Crêt-de-Roc cemetery, 38 rue Tavernier: the city's first modern cemetery and its ongoing restorations (1h45)

Musée d'art et d'industrie — 2 place Louis-Comte. Twenty-one events, largely focused on the new permanent exhibition "Bicycle, Engine of Innovation".

• Sat and Sun 10:15 AM-12:15 PM — "Thread Art" activity: introduction to ribbon weaving on a small loom
• Sat 2:30 PM-5:00 PM · Sun 2:30 PM-5:00 PM — Demonstration of century-old looms by museum volunteers
• Sat 10:30 AM, 2:30 PM, 4:30 PM — Family basketry workshop for ages 12+: making a seed ball feeder with a professional
• Sat 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM — The language of badges, with Gérard Valour, former ribbon maker
• Sat 2:00 PM, 3:00 PM, 4:30 PM — Stories and company: readings for 3-6 year olds accompanied by an adult
• Sat 2:30 PM, 3:30 PM, 4:30 PM, 5:30 PM — "In the shoes of a knight" tour, for families with children aged 6+
• Sat 12:15 PM, 3:15 PM, 4:15 PM, 5:15 PM — Flash tour "Museum as a model": the museum as an aesthetic reference for 19th-century Saint-Étienne ribbons, weapons, and cycles (15 min)
• Sat 10:15 AM to 6:00 PM · Sun 10:15 AM to 5:45 PM — Flash tours of the "Bicycle, Engine of Innovation" collection, every 15 to 30 minutes
• Sat 2:00 PM and 3:30 PM — Guided tour "A Bicycle, A Photo": dual-narrative tour where a member of the scientific team and a mediator contrast the displayed bicycles with the photographs representing them
• Sat 2:45 PM, 4:00 PM, 5:15 PM · Sun 3:45 PM, 5:00 PM — Literary tour: texts born from the bicycle
• Sat 3:00 PM-4:00 PM — Mutissage: performance by Nadine Marchal where weaving becomes a musical instrument, with Philippe Barry on double bass, compositions by Stanislas Pierrel, sound engineering by Hélène Kieffer
• Sat 10:00 AM-6:00 PM · Sun 12:00 PM-6:00 PM — Meeting with the Friends of the Musée d'art et d'industrie association
• Sun 10:00 AM-6:00 PM — Gardens open to the public: "Hanging Gardens" installation resulting from workshops with patients from the hospital day center, sound trail on dye plants via QR codes
• Sun 10:15 AM-6:00 PM — "Tiny Bicycles": adapted cycles to try, for 18-36 month olds accompanied by an adult
• Sun 10:15 AM, 11:45 AM, 2:30 PM, 4:00 PM — "Cycling in Style" workshop: customizing a bag with ribbons, beads, and accessories, for families with children aged 6+
• Sun 10:15 AM-11:15 AM — Sensory tour of the collections
• Sun 11:30 AM and 2:15 PM — Theatrical tour "The Timeless Bicycle!": meeting Baron von Drais, Étienne Mimard, Vélocio, and Jeannie Longo
• Sun 2:00 PM-4:30 PM — Cie des Transformeurs: bicycle repair workshop at 2:00 PM, followed by the "Biclou" show at 3:30 PM, recommended for ages 10+
• Sun 3:45 PM and 5:00 PM — Kamishibai workshop in the ribbon collection, for families with children aged 4+
• Sun 4:00 PM, 4:45 PM, 5:30 PM — "En mus-Cycle!" activity: finding song excerpts on the theme of cycling, for ages 10+
• Sun 4:15 PM-6:00 PM — Dandy horse workshop: model to reassemble and decorate, for families with children aged 6+

Cité du design and Ésad Saint-Étienne — 3 rue Javelin-Pagnon and place de la Manufacture d'armes.

• Sat and Sun 10:30 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00 PM-5:30 PM — Free open-access workshops led by Ésad graduates: "Utoupie Expedition" by Cécile Poulat, human-powered wheel machine, La Platine, ages 13+, 6 participants; "Dream Postcard Workshop" by Club Mijo (Clémence Joseph and Laura Millaud), La Cabane, 2:00 PM-5:30 PM continuous, ages 5+, 8 children; "9x20 Module" by Emma Duplanil, collective construction using wood scraps, La Platine, ages 10+
• Sat 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 3:00 PM — Guided tour of the Ésad workshops, accompanied by students and technical staff; meet at the Platine reception/ticket office (45 min, 25 people)
• Sat and Sun 11:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 3:00 PM, 4:00 PM — Flash tours of the exhibitions "Creating a Vase," "Fertile Breaches," and "Design in Hand," Platine and National Design Gallery (30 min)
• Sat and Sun 2:30 PM-4:00 PM — "Bare Hands": guided tour in French Sign Language, accessible to deaf and hearing audiences (25 people)
• Sat and Sun 3:30 PM-4:30 PM — The future event hall told by its architects: construction site of the former Hall 243 of the National Arms Manufacture, which will open in December 2026, guided tour by a member of the SILT agency (35 people)
• Sat and Sun 2:00 PM-6:00 PM — Saint-Étienne from above: climb to the Observatory tower, 31 meters
• Sat and Sun 2:00 PM-6:00 PM — La Cabane, 5 rue Javelin-Pagnon: permanent workshops "Form and Function," "Material and Project," and "The Ampersand," free access, ages 3+
• Sat and Sun 2:00 PM-6:00 PM — "The Cité du design of tomorrow" at Le Mixeur, 5 rue Javelin-Pagnon: model of the future design district, urban furniture prototypes, 3D perspectives, and virtual reality headsets

Mémorial de la Résistance et de la Déportation de la Loire — 9 rue du Théâtre.

• Sat 2:00 PM-4:00 PM · Sun 2:00 PM-5:00 PM — Self-guided tour of the two spaces: permanent exhibition on the Resistance and Deportation, temporary exhibition "In the Algerian War, Shared Stories"
• Sat 2:00 PM · Sun 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM — Guided tour of the Memorial
• Sat 3:00 PM · Sun 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM — Guided tour of the exhibition "In the Algerian War, Shared Stories"
• Sat 4:00 PM-5:00 PM — Lecture "Is Auschwitz at risk of disappearing?" by Michel Depeyre, professor emeritus at Jean-Monnet University

Other Saint-Étienne sites

• Sat and Sun 9:00 AM-6:00 PM — Association Model'Rail, 125 rue Gabriel-Péri: open house, photo exhibition of stations, and games on circuits (HO, HO metric, N)
• Sat and Sun 10:00 AM-1:30 PM and 2:30 PM-7:00 PM — Mohammed VI Grand Mosque, 64 rue Dr-Henri-et-Bernard-Muller: free guided tour of Hispano-Moresque art, zellige, carved plaster, Middle Atlas cedar, and brassware; no reservation required, appropriate dress requested
• Sat and Sun 1:00 PM-5:00 PM — Couriot – Mining Museum, 3 bd Franchet-d'Esperey: "Stroll and screening – Slag heap trail" by Thomas Goumarre and Adriano Duarte; departure at 1:00 PM from the museum, arrival around 4:00 PM at Ésad for the screening of "Counter-visit of the fallow slag heaps in Saint-Étienne" by Arnaud Descheemacker (31 min), ends at 5:00 PM; 50 participants, reservation with the museum, possibility to attend only the screening
• Sat 11:00 AM, 2:30 PM, 4:00 PM · Sun 2:30 PM, 4:00 PM — Le Fil, 20 bd Thiers: tour of the concert hall's backstage, from rehearsal studios to dressing rooms (1h)
• Sat 12:00 PM and 1:15 PM — La Comédie de Saint-Étienne, place Jean-Dasté: tour of the national drama center, from backstage to stages, technical areas to dressing rooms; free, limited capacity, ages 8+, backpacks prohibited, reservation required at 04 77 25 14 14 from Tuesday, September 1st
• Sat 10:00 AM-7:00 PM — Saint-Étienne Opera, Jardin des Plantes: back-to-school open house, backstage, meetings with teams, and workshops; many stairs
• Sat 11:00 AM and 2:30 PM — National School of Architecture, 1 rue Buisson: tour of the former ribbon factory built between 1857 and 1864, place Jacquard, and the exhibition "18 avant-garde visions for the Beaubourg competition" (curated by Boris Hamzeian, scenography by Alexandre Paris); no registration
• Sat 9:00 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00 PM-5:00 PM — Banque de France, 2 parvis Laroque: "190 years of the Banque de France in its new setting," commented tour in four workshops; free, registration required, 25 people per session, 1h15
• Sat 10:00 AM-6:00 PM — Jardins d'Arcadie Residence, 1 rue Lieutenant-Morin: tour of the Grand'Poste rehabilitation
• Sat 2:30 PM-4:30 PM — Heritage hike along the Gier: 6 km loop from place du Creux to the Soulages dam, via the Gier aqueduct water intake; departure from place Louis-Comte
• Sun 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 3:00 PM, 4:00 PM, 5:00 PM — Municipal and Metropolitan Archives, 164 cours Fauriel: "Behind the scenes of the archives," walk through premises closed to the public before their move, meeting the archivists (1h) · 04 77 34 40 41
• Sun 3:00 PM-6:00 PM — Municipal and Metropolitan Archives: continuous sound and photographic collage workshop, with Clémence Culic and Benoît Gomez-Kaine, based on archive and film library collections and their gathering in the Beaubrun, Tarentaize, and Couriot districts
• Sun 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM — Loire Prefecture, 2 rue Charles-de-Gaulle: guided tour of the small lounges and the ballroom; free, reservation required by email to [email protected], limited places
• Sat 10:00 AM-1:00 PM — Collège Marc-Seguin, 125 bd Antonio-Vivaldi: "College Museum," self-guided tour accompanied by student ambassadors

Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th — Around Saint-Étienne

• Saint-Priest-en-Jarez, MAMC+ — ten events over both days: "Revive, Resist, Reimagine," tour of the three exhibitions around the edition's keywords, 10:30 AM, 2:00 PM, and 4:00 PM; "Frank Stella" with curator Alexandre Quoi, 11:00 AM; "Flying Colors" with curator Aurélie Voltz, 2:30 PM; the reserves with Margaux Chataigner and Anaïs Brizon, 11:30 AM and 3:00 PM, ID required; framing workshop with Christian Brun, 10:30 AM, 11:45 AM, 2:15 PM, 3:45 PM; "The MAMC+, architecture and garden" at 10:15 AM, 11:15 AM, 2:30 PM, 3:30 PM, 4:30 PM; "30 minutes / 3 works as a family" at 10:15 AM, 11:45 AM, 2:00 PM, 3:30 PM, 5:00 PM, ages 6+; "Everyone to the library!" at 11:00 AM, 2:45 PM, 4:15 PM, ages 6+; "Shattered Writings," artist books from the heritage collection, at 12:00 PM, 1:30 PM, 3:30 PM; continuous work readings 10:00 AM-6:00 PM
• Saint-Priest-en-Jarez, Villa Saint-Michel — Sun 10:00 AM-6:00 PM: 19th-century notable's house, mosaic, art deco decor, stained glass, framework, and exhibition on the history of Saint-Priest
• Firminy, Site Le Corbusier — Sat and Sun 10:00 AM-6:00 PM: Maison de la Culture, the only project completed during the architect's lifetime, furnished by Pierre Guariche; nave of the Saint-Pierre church in Firminy-Vert, commented tours, Heritage Mass Sunday 10:30 AM; exhibitions "The Saint-Pierre church of Firminy-Vert: 70 years of an exciting adventure," "Twenty times Le Corbusier in Firminy," and "Firminy, was it better before? Flashback" (10:00 AM-12:30 PM and 1:30 PM-6:00 PM); gathering of 80 lace makers from ten countries. Dual-narrative tours Maison de la Culture / Saint-Pierre church: Sat 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM, Sun 11:30 AM and 3:30 PM. Poetic reading of Festyvocal festival creations, Sat 2:00 PM. André-Wogenscky swimming pool, Sun 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM
• Firminy, Le Corbusier Housing Unit — Sat and Sun 2:00 PM-5:00 PM: guided tour by residents (nursery school, model apartment, inhabited apartment), exhibition "Le Corbusier Destinations, architectural walks," tote-bag stencil workshop (bag provided 5 €, no reservation)
• Firminy, Bruneaux Ecomuseum — Sat and Sun 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: 18th-century castle classified as a Historic Monument, historic rooms, vegetable garden, chapel, carpentry, and exhibition "The arrival of the rail in Firminy"
• Firminy, Château de la Marronnière — Sat 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: castle built in 1913 for banker André Vincent; talk with Jean Vigouroux at 2:30 PM
• Roche-la-Molière, Castle — Sat and Sun 2:30 PM-5:30 PM: self-guided or commented tour, nine centuries of history and mining past, with the exhibition "Roche, our streets of yesterday and today"
• La Talaudière, Heritage and Measurement House — Sat 3:00 PM: tour for the site's 25th anniversary · Sun 3:00 PM: introduction to paleography (10 people)
• Saint-Jean-Bonnefonds, Ribbon Maker's House — Sun 2:30 PM and 4:15 PM: guided tour with weaving demonstration · Sun 3:00 PM: meeting with photographer Étienne Boutchakdjian, "At the foot of Ararat" series · free upon reservation at 04 77 95 09 82
• Sorbiers, Wheelwright's Workshop — Sun 10:00 AM-5:00 PM: guided tours and wheelwright demonstrations, including tire fitting (15 people)

Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th — Gier Valley

• Saint-Chamond, Hôtel Dugas de la Boissonny — Sat and Sun 10:00 AM-6:00 PM: townhouse of an 18th-century silk manufacturer, registered as a Historic Monument since 2016, garden and outbuildings; tour every hour, 20 people, 1 €, free up to 15 years old, reservation at 06 25 67 45 84
• Saint-Chamond, Saint-Pierre Church — Sat 2:00 PM-4:00 PM: walking loop around the 16th-century Last Supper painting (Flemish school) and the restored ruins of the Collegiate Church, on private property usually closed · Sat 2:30 PM, Sun 2:00 PM, 3:30 PM, and 5:00 PM: "The Saint-Pierre organ, a heritage to rediscover and defend," instrument classified as a Historic Monument (12 participants, 06 88 44 16 69)
• Saint-Chamond, Municipal Archives — Sat 10:00 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: "Fragile Treasures," restoration methods for ancient documents, bindings, and reserves
• Saint-Chamond, Louise-Labé Media Library — Sat 10:00 AM-5:00 PM: photographic exhibition "The Scars of Paper" · Sat 10:00 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00 PM-4:00 PM: workshop for protective sleeves for 19th-century works (ages 14+, 8 places, 04 77 31 07 80)
• Saint-Chamond, Le CERPI — Sat and Sun 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: Usine à couleurs, museum in the former Gillet dye works, industrial palace from the late 19th century, and exhibition on the underground world
• Saint-Chamond, Protestant Temple — Sat 9:00 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: tour of the temple, above the SNCF station, and exhibition "Protestantism, what architectures?"
• Saint-Chamond, Arena Saint-Étienne Métropole — Sat and Sun 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM: backstage of the indoor sports complex, VIP lounges, terrace, locker rooms, balneo area, and SCABB training ground
• Saint-Chamond, Véo Grand-Lumière Cinema — Sat and Sun 2:00 PM, 2:30 PM, 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM, 5:30 PM: projection booths (limited places, 04 77 22 12 18)
• Saint-Chamond, Notre-Dame de l'Hermitage — Sat and Sun 9:00 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: "A new Hermitage!," after the 2010 renovation; guided tour at 3:00 PM
• Saint-Chamond, Sainte-Marie High School — Sat 9:30 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00 PM-5:30 PM: art deco chapel and stained glass, collection of everyday utensils by Mr. Zennaf, and "From the 16th century to today, lace always at the heart of modernity"
• Saint-Chamond, departure from Centre Leclerc — Sat 9:00 AM-12:00 PM: "On the tracks of the Roman aqueduct of the Gier," car ride with stops at the remains, 25 people, carpooling at departure
• Saint-Chamond, Izieux — Sat 2:30 PM-4:30 PM: guided tour of Novaciéries, departure from Véo cinema Hall in One · Sun 2:30 PM-4:00 PM: Izieux cross circuit, 1h30 starting from place Jean-Jaurès
• Rive-de-Gier, City Hall — Sat 3:00 PM-5:00 PM: "Once upon a time there was a canal in Rive-de-Gier," the history of the canal that passed under the building's porch and its traces to protect, here and in Tartaras
• Rive-de-Gier, Pré du Gourd Marin — Sat 10:30 AM-12:00 PM: presentation of the shaft by Rolland Fournel (ARRH), a mine at the cutting edge of progress in the 19th century thanks to the Warocqué machine; meet near the wooden headframe
• Sainte-Croix-en-Jarez, Charterhouse — Sat and Sun 1:30 PM-5:30 PM: self-guided tour of a charterhouse turned village; the restored hermitage and the monastery's former kitchen, usually reserved for guided tours, are open to all
• Saint-Paul-en-Jarez, former La Vapeur textile factory — Sat and Sun 10:00 AM-5:00 PM: tour commented by a doctor of architectural history of the 1855 building, its water supply, and its steam engine still on site
• Saint-Joseph, Cercle Hall — Sat 10:00 AM-12:30 PM and 2:30 PM-5:00 PM · Sun 10:00 AM-12:30 PM and 2:30 PM-6:00 PM: exhibition "Coal, its exploitation in the south-east of the Loire," extraction objects and plant fossils
• Saint-Joseph, Chagneux Chapel — Sat and Sun 9:00 AM-6:00 PM: neo-Gothic chapel from 1889, 360° panorama of the Lyonnais mountains and the Pilat
• Saint-Joseph, Château de Montbressieux — Sat and Sun 10:00 AM-6:00 PM: domestic chapel, purchased with the property by Claude Bethenod in 1730 and hidden during the Revolution
• Dargoire — Sat 5:00 PM-10:00 PM: stroll through the village, elected officials and residents embody historical figures (child labor in the mine, the Resistance, crusading lords, Isabeau d'Harcourt, notaries, the motte-and-bailey castle)

Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th — Forez and Plain

• Saint-Étienne-le-Molard, Château de la Bâtie d'Urfé — Sat and Sun 10:00 AM-1:00 PM and 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: self-guided tour of the apartments, grotto, chapel, and gardens, no reservation · 10:30 AM-12:00 PM: "The fabulous story of a castle turned heritage," Renaissance castle classified as a Historic Monument, Museum of France, and House of Illustrious People (reservation recommended, 25 people) · 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: 15-minute flash tours around the display cases of the dossier exhibition "Hands of the past, wonders of today"
• Marcoux, Château de Goutelas — Sat 10:00 AM-6:00 PM · Sun 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: photo exhibition "Goutelas under construction," archives of the reconstruction from the 1960s to today · flash tours Sat 4:00 PM, Sun 11:00 AM and 2:30 PM · Sat 6:00 PM-8:00 PM: concert in the courtyard, quartet of saxophonist Elodie Chapeland, in residence at the castle, with the duo The Velvet Touch as the opening act · Sun 4:00 PM-5:30 PM: lecture on the restoration program starting in autumn 2026, by heritage architect Charlène Azé
• Andrézieux-Bouthéon, Château de Bouthéon — Sat and Sun 1:30 PM-6:00 PM: stroll in the park, nearly 40 local domestic breeds (Auxois draft horses, Massif Central goats, Noir-du-Velay sheep, Forez naked-neck chickens, Gier pigeons, Bourbonnais donkeys), rose garden, vegetable garden, arboretum, and orchards, allow 1h30 · photographic exhibition "Wild Powers" by Thierry Chevrier under the park's hall, with commented tour and signing by the photographer Sunday 3:00 PM-6:00 PM · guided tours "40 min, eight centuries of history," departure every 20 minutes from 2:00 PM to 5:40 PM, 3 € adult, free for under 18s, ticket office on site from 1:30 PM, not suitable for under 12s
• Andrézieux-Bouthéon, L'Aventure du Train — Sat and Sun 3:00 PM and 5:15 PM: digital show-tour (55 min) then ride on a small train to the remains of the terminus of the first railway line in continental Europe, opened in 1827 between Saint-Étienne and Andrézieux (25 min); 5 €, 48 places per departure, reservation recommended · Sat 9:00 AM-11:30 AM: 10 km bike ride on the remains of the line · Sat 2:00 PM-4:30 PM: walking trip, bus to the dry canals of Saint-Just then return of 5.5 km; both with the Friends of Old Bouthéon, limited places, [email protected]
• Montrond-les-Bains, Castle — Sat and Sun 10:00 AM-6:00 PM: Arts and Heritage Trades Meetings, gilding, stained glass, stone carving, free workshops and demonstrations
• Sury-le-Comtal, Château de Sury — Sat 3:00 PM: commented historical tour, 50 people, 5 € · Sat 4:00 PM: commented tour and concert by the Écotay choir "Resonance and vibration of voices" facing the double pincer staircase, 200 people, 15 €; paid from age 9
• Saint-Bonnet-le-Château, Collegiate Church — Sat and Sun 10:00 AM-5:30 PM: self-guided tour · 10:00 AM-5:00 PM: guided tours of the two treasures, library of ancient funds and lower chapel, climbs to the bell tower, departures every 30 minutes · 10:00 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00 PM-5:00 PM: "Apprentice Illuminator" workshop · 10:00 AM-4:00 PM: treasure hunt in the medieval town created by Last Door · Sat 5:30 PM-7:00 PM: concert by the women's choir LUMINE, Renaissance music
• Chambles, Château d'Essalois — Sat and Sun 1:30 PM-6:00 PM: "Vassalieux, a castle, a story," old photos, archives, owners' coats of arms, and land registers of possessions
• Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert, Maison Passé Présent — Sat and Sun 2:00 PM-5:00 PM: three centers of the Loire Archaeological Research Group, including the permanent exhibition "The Forez, a whole story," remodeled in 2026
• Feurs, museum — Sat and Sun 2:00 PM-5:00 PM: self-guided tour and workshops led by Inrap, "Put the pieces back together" (pottery reassembly) and "Let the dead speak" (excavation); free, no reservation
• Marols — Sat 8:30 AM-6:00 PM · Sun 8:00 AM-6:00 PM: exhibition on the history of the village's mills, at the town hall · Sat 2:00 PM-4:00 PM: Saint-Roch chapel, cemetery chapel on the Compostela path · Sat 3:00 PM-4:30 PM: fortified church and village, tower, refuge, and weapons room, access to the refuge by a narrow spiral staircase (15 to 20 people, 06 62 14 73 58) · Sun 5:00 PM-7:00 PM: À travers chants et Forez festival, Alambichœur (Montbrison) and Octo'Gones (Lyon), Saint-Pierre church, free village tour at 3:30 PM, 12 €, free for under 18s
• Cervières — Sat 5:00 PM-7:00 PM: À travers chants et Forez festival, Cécile-Chaminade choir (Valprivas) and Tempus Fugit (Dardilly), church, free village tour at 4:00 PM, 12 € · L'Orée – De fils en liens: Sat 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Afghan embroidery workshop with Catherine Primot (Guldusi project, "Resonance" exhibition, materials included) · Sat 10:30 AM-12:30 PM guided tour "Legendary Stones" · Sat 5:00 PM-7:00 PM screening of "Winter and August 15th" by Jean-Baptiste Perret, followed by a meeting · Sun 2:30 PM and 5:30 PM "The Infamous," play by Simon Grangeat directed by Laurent Fréchuret
• Saint-Just-en-Bas — Sat and Sun 9:00 AM-11:00 PM: discovery circuit of the town by Patrimoine en éveil (church, former private school, Grande Place cross, Véfour house, Prébendiers house, washhouse and fresco, public school, Saint-Roch chapel) · Sat 3:00 PM-5:30 PM: Saint-Roch chapel from 1587, reopened this year with the exhibition "Festivals in the village in the past" · Sun 3:00 PM-6:00 PM: concert by the Breton group Ar Tri Men at the chapel
• Boën-sur-Lignon, Montbrison, Écotay — Sat 9:00 AM-12:00 PM: supervised tour of the SBS forge in Boën-sur-Lignon, from the forge to the end of the production line · Galerie XXIe in Montbrison, Sat 9:00 AM-7:00 PM and Sun 10:00 AM-5:00 PM, collective exhibition around David Mansot · Sat 2:00 PM-5:30 PM at Vieil Écotay: investigation game created by the municipality, the youth municipal council, the Friends of Vieil Écotay, and the MJC of Montbrisonnais, free, refreshments on site
• Vêtre-sur-Anzon — Sun 10:00 AM-12:00 PM: "In the land of blue granite," 4 km walking circuit to the Beauvoir trilith and the former Comoli quarry, departure from the cemetery (good shoes) · Sun 2:00 PM-4:30 PM: granite monuments of Saint-Julien-la-Vêtre, tombs, war memorial, 15th and 19th-century church, former Perrin cutting and polishing factory exceptionally open, presentation of the book "From granite to granite"
• Grézolles, Sainte-Barbe Chapel — Sun 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: 1505 chapel on the heights, self-guided tour with possible historical comments, period statues and stained glass
• Margerie-Chantagret, Château du Rousset — Sat and Sun 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: self-guided tour of a rarely opened site, explanatory panels, climb to the tower supervised by groups of 10 to 15 people
• Saint-Georges-Haute-Ville — Sat and Sun 3:00 PM, 4:00 PM, and 5:00 PM: Sainte-Marie-Madeleine chapel, 12th-century Romanesque chapel on a basalt hill, 18th-century frescoes in the choir (6 chemin du Pic)
• Bussières, Weaving and Silk Museum — Sat and Sun 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: "Upcycling, between dreams and realities," work by 4th-year students from Balbigny middle school conducted with the Club de Spores
• Chazelles-sur-Lyon and Viricelles — Sat 10:00 AM-12:00 PM: commented stroll on the tracks of the Lyon-Montbrison railway, Chazelles-Viricelles station and tunnel entrance, departure from the MJC parking lot, free · exhibition at the Cav'café in Viricelles, Sat 8:30 AM-6:00 PM and Sun 8:30 AM-12:00 PM, paid meal upon reservation on Saturday noon
• Fontanès, Le Foyer — Sat and Sun 10:00 AM-6:00 PM: exhibition on the 78 years of the village's theater hall, opened in 1948
• Aveizieux, Saint-Léger Church — Sun 10:00 AM-12:00 PM: commented tour, Christ on the cross above the altar and bells registered as Historic Monuments

Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th — Roannais

• Roanne, Theater — Sat and Sun 8:30 AM-12:00 PM: commented tours of the Italian-style theater, stage left and stage right, 1h, departure every 30 minutes in groups of 15, tour doubled in LSF on Saturday at 10:30 AM · Sat and Sun 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: self-guided tour of the corridors, stage, backstage, and old machinery
• Roanne, Manufacture Graphein Pallas — Sat 9:00 AM-5:45 PM · Sun 10:00 AM-5:45 PM: open house of the art binding workshop, departures every hour (45 min), manufacturing of traditional and contemporary bindings and evolution of their decorations; limited places, reservation recommended at 06 33 00 13 33 or [email protected]
• Roanne, Atelier Domi — Sat and Sun 10:00 AM-6:00 PM: rye straw marquetry, demonstration of preparation and application, discussions on the history of the technique
• Roanne, Al Mohsinine Mosque — Sat and Sun 10:45 AM-12:45 PM and 2:20 PM-4:20 PM: guided tour in groups with a traditional snack break; free, no limit on places or age
• Roanne, wastewater treatment plant — Sat 9:00 AM, 10:45 AM, 1:30 PM, and 3:15 PM: tour commented by a technician of the plant, which treats industrial effluents from the Roannais and wastewater from 13 municipalities
• Renaison, drinking water plant — Sat 9:30 AM, 10:45 AM, 1:30 PM, and 2:45 PM: Roannaise de l'Eau plant commissioned in 2014, 20,000 m³ per day for 39 municipalities and 100,000 people
• Le Coteau, Marronniers Hall — Sat 10:00 AM and 2:30 PM: from a former factory to the performance hall, history of the building and backstage; free access without registration
• Perreux — Sun 10:00 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00 PM-5:00 PM: medieval town starting from the media library, keep, feudal gate, wall walk, and half-timbered houses, old postcard recognition game for children · same hours: secret places of the retirement home, former poor hospital bequeathed by Claude Dubois, chapels and apothecary, paper fortune teller game from age 8, exhibition of old vehicles and agricultural machinery
• Villemontais — Saint-Roch chapel, Sat 10:00 AM-6:00 PM and Sun 10:00 AM-7:00 PM: commented tours and concert (30 people) · Saint-Martin church and its bell tower, Sat 10:00 AM-12:00 PM and 2:30 PM-5:30 PM, Sun 2:30 PM-5:30 PM · Saint-Jean-Baptiste chapel, same hours
• Pouilly-les-Nonains, church — Sat and Sun 9:00 AM-6:00 PM: juxtaposed constructions from the 12th, 14th, and 19th centuries, three capitals of the choir, pilasters of the apse, symbols of the four evangelists, high altar gilded with fine gold by Philippe Kaeppelin
• Pouilly-sous-Charlieu, Château du Poyet — Sun 2:00 PM-5:00 PM: residence rebuilt in 1767 by Jean-Éléonor de Sainte-Colombe, park, vegetable garden, and greenhouse
• Briennon, Saint-Irénée Church — Sat 3:30 PM and 5:00 PM: commented tours with musical interludes · Sun 10:30 AM, 3:00 PM, and 4:30 PM: commented tours, concert at 5:00 PM · free
• Saint-Germain-Lespinasse — Sat and Sun 2:00 PM-5:00 PM: village church, architecture, decor, and furniture · Athiauds chapel and cemetery, including the tomb of the Duke of Persigny, Minister of the Interior under Napoleon III
• Montagny — Sun 9:15 AM-4:00 PM: cultural stroll starting from the church, classified organ and mini-concert, Church cross (1895), Roche cross (1874), and Armont cross (1872), Armont chapel, picnic

Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th — Pilat

• Bourg-Argental, church — Sat and Sun 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: self-guided or commented tour of the church and its 12th-century portal classified as a Historic Monument, climb to the bell tower and history of the bells · Sat and Sun 3:00 PM-4:00 PM: stroll from the church to the Notre-Dame-de-Bordeaux Madonna, recently restored
• Bourg-Argental, City Hall — Sat 2:00 PM-6:00 PM · Sun 10:00 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: Cardinal Donnet salon and its history
• Bourg-Argental, Museum of the Old Farm — Sat and Sun 3:00 PM-6:00 PM: tools, equipment, and utensils of the rural world, ox team and life-size resin cow to try milking
• Bourg-Argental, retirement home — Sat 2:00 PM-6:00 PM · Sun 10:00 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00 PM-6:00 PM: apothecary, woodwork, pots, and utensils, self-guided tour with explanations on site
• La Chapelle-Villars, Château de Villars — Sat and Sun 10:00 AM-6:00 PM: new tour route in a 15th-century castle usually closed, with a presentation of the progress of the work
• La Chapelle-Villars, Sainte-Marguerite Chapel — Sat and Sun 3:00 PM-7:00 PM: Romanesque chapel whose origin dates back to the 10th century, modified in the 16th, restored in the 1990s by an association; commented tour and contemporary art exhibition (100 people)
• Pélussin, Madeleine Chapel — Sat and Sun 10:00 AM-5:00 PM: opening by the Friends of the Chapel, who renovated it
• Saint-Pierre-de-Bœuf, ETPFA Engins Passion depot — Sat and Sun 10:00 AM-6:00 PM: collection of French public works machines, excavators, bulldozers, and rare trucks, some restored, others in progress; guided tours of the depot and restoration workshop at 10:30 AM, 2:00 PM, and 4:30 PM