European Heritage Days in Perpignan
Exceptional discovery of Perpignan's heritage
2026
About Heritage Days
On the third weekend of September, the European Heritage Days in Perpignan offer free access to around thirty of the city's sites and monuments. The program features guided tours, neighborhood walks, workshops, exhibitions, and concerts, showcasing religious, civil, military, and archaeological heritage. Highlights include the Palace of the Kings of Majorca, the Castillet, Casa Xanxo, Hôtel Pams, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral, the Théâtre de l'Archipel, and the ancient site of Ruscino.
Heritage Days — edition 2026
The European Heritage Days return to Perpignan on Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th, 2026, for the 43rd national edition, themed around "Heritage of Photography" and "Heritage in Peril: Revive, Resist, Reimagine." Around thirty sites and monuments will open their doors for free, from the Palace of the Kings of Majorca to the Castillet, from Casa Xanxo to Hôtel Pams, and from the Ruscino archaeological site to the Banque de France and the Palais Consulaire. Guided tours, neighborhood walks, workshops, exhibitions, concerts, and two cinema evenings make up the program, published by the City of Art and History department.
2026 Edition — September 19th and 20th
For the 43rd edition of the European Heritage Days, Perpignan is opening around thirty sites free of charge on Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th, 2026. The Ministry of Culture has chosen two themes this year: "Heritage of Photography," marking the bicentenary of photography, and the European theme, "Heritage in Peril: Revive, Resist, Reimagine."
Places usually closed to the public
Several openings are exceptional: the Saint-Jean-le-Vieux church, closed to the public since the late 19th century; Casa Julia with its eight Gothic building sections; the Carmes church; the Palais Consulaire of the CCI; and the Banque de France, where the tour includes the vault room and the director's apartment.
Photography in the spotlight
The national theme is reflected in cyanotype workshops at the Departmental Archives, the "Photographing Time" workshop at the Palace of the Kings of Majorca, the "Flowers of Silence" exhibition on the Sanch processions at the former Bishop's Palace, 35mm screenings by the Institut Jean Vigo, and flash tours at the Musée Rigaud comparing photographs with paintings by Étienne Terrus.
Reservations
Most visits are self-guided. Others require booking via the relevant site or at boutique.perpignantourisme.com for Casa Xanxo, Casa Julia, the Clarisses Convent workshops, and the cathedral concert. The Heritage Animation department can be reached at 04 68 62 38 84 ([email protected]), and the tourist office at 04 68 66 30 30.
Highlights Heritage Days 2026
- Palace of the Kings of Majorca — free entry both days from 10:00 AM to 5:15 PM, flash tours at 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM, and 5:00 PM, guided tours "The Renaissance of the Royal Castle" at 11:15 AM, 2:15 PM, and 4:30 PM
- Saint-Jean-le-Vieux Church — exceptional opening, closed to the public since the late 19th century, guided tour on Sunday at 3:30 PM
- Banque de France — tour from the vault room to the director's apartment, Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM by reservation
- Musical stroll at Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral — Saturday at 4:00 PM, with the great organ, Catalan oboes, and the Llibre Vermell
- Concert by the Pickles Trio in the Lazerme courtyard of the Musée Rigaud — Sunday from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
- Cinema evenings "Perpignan of Yesterday" at Casa Xanxo — amateur films from the 1920s, Saturday and Sunday at 6:00 PM
- Experimental archaeology workshops at Ruscino — from grain to bread, epigraphy, scriptorium, stone carving, continuous both days
Programme Heritage Days 2026
Official program by the City of Perpignan, City of Art and History department. Unless otherwise stated, all tours, workshops, and activities are free.
Saturday, September 19th, 2026
- 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM — Banque de France, 3 place Jean Payra · self-guided tours and participatory workshops · outdoor courtyard, open space, vault room, director's private apartment, meeting room, and Lebanon cedar · exceptional opening · by reservation (my.weezevent.com/journees-europeennes-du-patrimoine-2026-5), 30 spots
- 10:00 AM — Hôtel Pams, 18 rue Émile Zola · guided tour "Inside Art Nouveau," including the first-floor hanging garden · no reservation required
- 10:00 AM — Villa Les Tilleuls, Joseph Puig Coin and Medal Museum, 42 avenue de Grande-Bretagne · guided tour of the Belle Époque mansion and museum · no reservation required
- 10:00 AM — Guided walk "Saint-Jacques, from Art Deco to the Kings of Majorca," by Philippe Latger · meeting point: place Cassanyes · no reservation required
- 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 3:00 PM, 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM — Heritage Conservation and Restoration Center, 150 avenue de Milan · guided tours of the restoration workshops · by reservation at 04 68 85 89 40 or [email protected]
- 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM — Departmental Archives of P-O, 74 avenue Paul Alduy · cyanotype workshops, printing a negative from a private collection, everyone takes home their print · ages 6+ accompanied · by reservation at 04 68 85 84 00 or [email protected], 5 people per group
- 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM — Departmental Archives of P-O · "Super Herald" workshops, creating coats of arms with a mediator · ages 6+ accompanied · no reservation required
- 10:15 AM — Palace of the Kings of Majorca, rue des Archers · "Photographing Time" workshop, discovering the monument through a lens, using a smartphone or camera · ages 6+ · by reservation at 04 68 34 64 93 or [email protected]
- 10:30 AM — Palais Consulaire (CCI), quai Jean de Lattre de Tassigny · guided tour "The Elegance of Art Deco" · exceptional opening · no reservation required
- 10:30 AM — Théâtre de l'Archipel, avenue du Maréchal Leclerc · technical tour · ages 12+, 8 people · by reservation at 04 68 62 62 00 or [email protected]
- 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM — Clarisses Convent, 1 rue Général Derroja · "Create Your Own Coat of Arms" workshop · ages 6+ · by reservation at boutique.perpignantourisme.com
- 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM — Le Castillet, Casa Pairal Museum, place de Verdun · guided tours, departures every 45 minutes · monument open only to visitors with a reservation · by reservation at 04 68 66 30 75
- 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM — Natural History Museum, Hôtel Çagarriga, 12 rue Fontaine-Neuve · guided tours, departures every 45 minutes · no reservation required
- 11:00 AM — Casa Julia, 2 rue des Fabriques d'en Nabot · guided tour "Secrets of a Medieval House": eight building sections, ancient well, secret patio, sculpted corbels · exceptional opening · by reservation at boutique.perpignantourisme.com
- 11:00 AM — Théâtre de l'Archipel · family tour
- 11:00 AM — Ruscino Archaeological Site, chemin de Château-Roussillon · poetry reading by Alain Pottier, author of "Poésie(s) de mémoires de la nuit" · meeting point under the large pine tree · no reservation required
- 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM — Palace of the Kings of Majorca · flash tours "Discovering an Exceptional Historic Monument" · no reservation required
- 11:15 AM, 2:15 PM and 4:30 PM — Palace of the Kings of Majorca · guided tours "The Renaissance of the Royal Castle of Perpignan," focusing on the restoration led by Sylvain Stym-Popper from 1947 to 1969, based on vintage photographs · ages 12+ · no reservation required, please arrive 15 minutes early at the first-level fortification ticket office
- 11:30 AM — Théâtre de l'Archipel · tour of the El Mediator concert hall
- 11:45 AM and 3:00 PM — City Hall, place de la Loge · guided tour "Crossing the Centuries": Loge du Consulat, wedding hall, patio, and "Méditerranée" by Aristide Maillol · the Arago room is only visible during the 11:45 AM tour · no reservation required
- 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM — Le Castillet, place de Verdun · Le Castillet in virtual reality, 3D film every 5 minutes on the evolution of the fortifications from 1368 to the demolition of the ramparts in 1904-1906 · no reservation required
- 2:00 PM — Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral, place Gambetta · guided tour "Between History and Architecture," by Théo Diogo · no reservation required
- 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM — Palace of the Kings of Majorca · sensory workshop "My Secret Garden" · ages 3+ · by reservation at 04 68 34 64 93 or [email protected]
- 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM — Hyacinthe Rigaud Art Museum, cour Lazerme, access 16 rue de l'Ange · roaming mediation around the "Étienne Terrus, a Free Painter" exhibition, participatory landscape composition workshop using paper cutouts, children's corner with activity booklet, and La Cafetière Catalane snack break · no reservation required
- 2:15 PM — Musée Rigaud · guided tour "Étienne Terrus, a Free Painter," approx. 40 minutes · by reservation at 04 68 66 19 83, 20 people
- 2:30 PM — Ruscino Archaeological Site · guided tour "The Ancient Soul of Perpignan," capital of the Sordons then administrative capital of Roussillon in the 1st century · no reservation required
- 2:30 PM — Saint-Matthieu Church and Saintes-Épines Chapel, 12 rue Grande-la-Monnaie · guided tour by Josiane Cabanas and Olivier Bru · no reservation required
- 2:30 PM — Institut Jean Vigo, Arsenal, 1 rue Jean Vielledent · guided tour of the collections: posters from 1900 to today, Bolex and Pathé Baby cameras and projectors, editing tables, reels, filming photos · no reservation required
- 2:30 PM and 4:00 PM — Théâtre de l'Archipel · technical tours · ages 12+, 8 people · by reservation
- 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM — Musée Rigaud · landscape initiation workshop based on the work of Étienne Terrus · no reservation required, 20 spots
- 3:00 PM — Casa Xanxo, 8 rue de la Main de Fer · guided tour "Masterpiece at the Crossroads of Styles," mansion built between 1506 and 1508 · by reservation at boutique.perpignantourisme.com
- 3:00 PM — Villa Les Tilleuls, Puig Museum · guided tour · no reservation required
- 3:00 PM — Théâtre de l'Archipel · discovery tour of a theater
- 3:00 PM — CAUE of the Pyrénées-Orientales, 11 rue du Bastion-Saint-François · architectural walk "Modern Construction and Regional Spirit," with Laurent Fonquernie and Régis Péricot, architects from the Archipulse association · by registration at 04 68 34 12 37
- 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM — Clarisses Convent · workshop "Prisoner Graffiti: When Walls Speak," about the former prison located in the Sainte-Claire convent · ages 10+ · by reservation at boutique.perpignantourisme.com
- 3:30 PM — Institut Jean Vigo · screening "Film Stock, from Photo to Film, a Heritage in Peril?," unreleased 35mm films from the film library's collections · no reservation required
- 3:30 PM — Musée Rigaud · flash tour "Secrets of the Lazerme Mansion," approx. 20 minutes · no reservation required, 20 people
- 3:30 PM — Palais Consulaire (CCI) · guided tour · no reservation required
- 3:30 PM — Saint-Jacques Church, rue de la Miranda · guided tour "Place of Faith and Devotion," by Théo Diogo · no reservation required
- 4:00 PM — Guided walk "Private Mansions Across Three Neighborhoods": Delpas, Çagarriga, and Copons mansions · meeting point in front of the Musée Rigaud, 21 rue Mailly · no reservation required
- 4:00 PM — Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral · musical stroll, concert explained by Fanette Estrade (flutes, shawm, vocals), Vincent Vidalou (Catalan oboes, vocals), and Jean-Pierre Baston, titular organist · excerpts from the Llibre Vermell, virelais, goigs to the Virgin, "Lamentations" by Joan Pau Pujol, works by Boismortier, Guinart, and Molina i Membrives · by reservation at boutique.perpignantourisme.com
- 4:00 PM — Ruscino Archaeological Site · lecture by Myriam Tessariol on toichographology and work on the painted decorations of Ruscino · belvedere room · no reservation required
- 4:30 PM — Musée Rigaud · flash tour "Étienne Terrus, a Free Painter," approx. 20 minutes · no reservation required
- 5:00 PM — Carmes Church, 1 rue Vieilledent · guided tour "Poetic Silhouette Under the Open Sky" · exceptional opening · no reservation required
- 5:00 PM — Notre-Dame La Réal Church, 49 rue Grande-La Réal · guided tour "A Jewel Linked to the Royal Castle," by Jean-Luc Antoniazzi · no reservation required
- 6:00 PM — Casa Xanxo · cinema evening "Perpignan of Yesterday, a Magical Journey" in the patio: montage of amateur films from the 1920s from the Institut Jean Vigo archives · no reservation required, subject to availability
Sunday, September 20th, 2026
- 9:30 AM — Miranda Garden, rue de la Miranda · guided tour of the Saint-Jacques bastion, built by Calvi then remodeled by Vauban · no reservation required
- 10:00 AM — Hôtel Pams · guided tour "Inside Art Nouveau" · no reservation required
- 10:00 AM — Guided walk "Private Mansions of the Saint-Jean Neighborhood": Camprodon, Llupià-Oms, Ros de Saint-Feliu · meeting point: place Gambetta · no reservation required
- 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 2:45 PM, 3:30 PM and 4:00 PM — Departmental Archives of P-O, 74 avenue Paul Alduy · guided tours of conservation areas usually closed to the public · ages 7+ accompanied, 20 people · by reservation at 04 68 85 84 00 or [email protected]
- 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 3:00 PM, 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM — Heritage Conservation and Restoration Center, 150 avenue de Milan · guided tours of the restoration workshops · by reservation at 04 68 85 89 40 or [email protected]
- 10:15 AM — Palace of the Kings of Majorca · "Photographing Time" workshop · ages 6+ · by reservation
- 10:30 AM — Palais Consulaire (CCI) · guided tour · no reservation required
- 10:30 AM — Théâtre de l'Archipel · discovery tour of a theater, bilingual French / LSF · by reservation, 20 people
- 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM — Clarisses Convent · "Create Your Own Coat of Arms" workshop · ages 6+ · by reservation at boutique.perpignantourisme.com
- 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM — Le Castillet, Casa Pairal Museum · guided tours, departures every 45 minutes · by reservation at 04 68 66 30 75
- 11:00 AM — Théâtre de l'Archipel · technical tour · ages 12+, 8 people · by reservation
- 11:00 AM — Casa Julia · guided tour "Secrets of a Medieval House" · by reservation at boutique.perpignantourisme.com
- 11:00 AM — Institut Jean Vigo · screening of award-winning short films from the Courts Circuit 66 festival · no reservation required
- 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM — Ruscino Archaeological Site · flash tours of the mural painting study room, presented by Myriam Tessariol · no reservation required
- 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM — Palace of the Kings of Majorca · flash tours "Discovering an Exceptional Historic Monument" · no reservation required
- 11:15 AM, 2:15 PM and 4:30 PM — Palace of the Kings of Majorca · guided tours "The Renaissance of the Royal Castle of Perpignan" · ages 12+ · no reservation required, please arrive 15 minutes early at the ticket office
- 11:45 AM and 3:00 PM — City Hall, place de la Loge · guided tour "Crossing the Centuries" · the Arago room is only visible during the 11:45 AM tour · no reservation required
- 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM — Le Castillet · virtual reality, 3D film every 5 minutes · no reservation required
- 12:30 PM — Institut Jean Vigo · "Pica Pica" picnic · no reservation required
- 2:00 PM — Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral, place Gambetta · guided tour by Théo Diogo · no reservation required
- 2:00 PM — Notre-Dame La Réal Church · guided tour by Jean-Luc Antoniazzi · no reservation required
- 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM — Palace of the Kings of Majorca · "My Secret Garden" workshop · ages 3+ · by reservation
- 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM — Natural History Museum, 12 rue Fontaine-Neuve · guided tours, departures every 45 minutes · no reservation required
- 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM — Musée Rigaud, cour Lazerme · roaming mediation, participatory photography and landscape workshop, children's corner, and La Cafetière Catalane · no reservation required
- 2:15 PM — Musée Rigaud · guided tour "Étienne Terrus, a Free Painter" · by reservation at 04 68 66 19 83
- 2:30 PM — Ruscino Archaeological Site · guided tour "The Ancient Soul of Perpignan" · no reservation required
- 2:30 PM — Saint-Matthieu Church and Saintes-Épines Chapel · guided tour · no reservation required
- 2:30 PM and 4:00 PM — Théâtre de l'Archipel · technical tours · ages 12+, 8 people · by reservation
- 3:00 PM — Casa Xanxo · guided tour "Masterpiece at the Crossroads of Styles" · by reservation at boutique.perpignantourisme.com
- 3:00 PM — Théâtre de l'Archipel · family tour
- 3:00 PM — Guided walk "Station Neighborhood: from Dames de France to Centre del Món," by Philippe Latger for the Perpignan La Gare association · meeting point: place Catalogne · by reservation via SMS at 06 22 39 45 18 or [email protected]
- 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM — Clarisses Convent · workshop "Prisoner Graffiti: When Walls Speak" · ages 10+ · by reservation
- 3:30 PM — Musée Rigaud · flash tour "Secrets of the Lazerme Mansion" · no reservation required
- 3:30 PM — Palais Consulaire (CCI) · guided tour · no reservation required
- 3:30 PM — Saint-Jacques Church, rue de la Miranda · guided tour · no reservation required
- 3:30 PM — Saint-Jean-le-Vieux Church, rue Cité Bartissol · guided tour "A Romanesque Treasure," by Jean-Luc Antoniazzi · church closed to the public since the late 19th century, exceptional opening · by reservation at [email protected]
- 3:30 PM — Théâtre de l'Archipel · tour of El Mediator
- 4:00 PM — Guided walk "Photography at the Heart of Heritage" · meeting point: place de la Loge · no reservation required
- 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM — Musée Rigaud, cour Lazerme · concert by the Pickles Trio, acoustic pop covers · no reservation required
- 4:30 PM — Musée Rigaud · flash tour "The Catalan Landscape, from Photo to Painting," approx. 20 minutes · no reservation required
- 5:00 PM — City Hall, place de la Loge · "Listening to the Sac de Gemecs" by the Els Salanc'aires association: presentation of the Catalan bagpipes followed by a musical performance in front of City Hall · no reservation required
- 5:00 PM — Carmes Church · guided tour · no reservation required
- 6:00 PM — Casa Xanxo · cinema evening "Perpignan of Yesterday, a Magical Journey" · no reservation required
Continuous activities both days
Activities at Ruscino, chemin de Château-Roussillon, Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM and 2:00 PM to 6:30 PM, no reservation required:
- The reenactment group Les Tignuarii reproduces a stone press element from the Ruscino collections on-site, with demonstrations of carving techniques and tools, and reproduction on an easel of a painted decoration from a 1st-century domus
- Experimental archaeology workshops by the C.I.R.C.É. association: underground grain storage from the protohistoric period and a 1:1 scale silo model; from grain to bread, with hand-mill grinding, kneading, wood-fired oven baking, and tasting (baking ends at 6:00 PM); epigraphy, introduction to ancient writing; scriptorium, introduction to medieval writing
Sites with free entry Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM:
- Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral, place Gambetta
- Saint-Matthieu Church, rue Grande-la-Monnaie
- Notre-Dame La Réal Church, 49 rue Grande-La Réal
- Saint-Jacques Church, rue de la Miranda
- Tiers-Ordre Chapel, place de la Révolution française, neoclassical architecture completed in 1774
- Campo Santo, rue Amiral Ribeil, the oldest preserved cloister-cemetery in France, with the Funerària funeral chapel and its stained glass by Shirley Jaffe
- Casa Xanxo-CIAP, 8 rue de la Main de Fer
- Hôtel Pams, 18 rue Émile Zola
- City Hall, place de la Loge
- Clarisses Convent, 1 rue Général Derroja
- La Poudrière, rue François Rabelais
- Ruscino Archaeological Site, chemin de Château-Roussillon
Other opening hours:
- Palace of the Kings of Majorca, rue des Archers · Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:15 PM
- Hyacinthe Rigaud Art Museum, access 16 rue de l'Ange · Saturday and Sunday from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
- Natural History Museum, 12 rue Fontaine-Neuve · Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM
- Théâtre de l'Archipel, Grenat and Carré halls · Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM
- Villa Les Tilleuls and Puig Museum, 42 avenue de Grande-Bretagne · Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Departmental Archives of P-O, 74 avenue Paul Alduy · Saturday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- Institut Jean Vigo, 1 rue Jean Vielledent · Saturday from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM
- Palace of the Kings of Majorca · self-guided treasure hunt "SOS Palace — Rescue Mission!," Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, ages 5+, no reservation required
Exhibitions
- Private Mansions of the Ancien Régime — Casa Xanxo-CIAP, 8 rue de la Main de Fer · free entry Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM
- History and Evolution of Perpignan — Casa Xanxo-CIAP · permanent exhibition of the Center for Interpretation of Architecture and Heritage, 30 displays (panels, maps, models, games, interactive screens, projections), from the first 9th-century nucleus to 21st-century projects · free entry from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM
- Flowers of Silence — Former Bishop's Palace, 8 rue de l'Académie · photographs of the Sanch processions up close with the penitents · free entry Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM
- Photography: Two Centuries of Experimentation and Practice — Departmental Archives of P-O, 74 avenue Paul Alduy · free entry Saturday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- Via Aurelia, Via Augusta, Via Domitia: The Roads Leading to Rome — Ruscino site · black and white photographs by Jean-Claude Martinez on three Roman roads between Andalusia and Italy · until September 20th, 2026, free entry from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM
- Military History of Perpignan — La Poudrière, rue François Rabelais · replica of the relief map made in 1686 by Vauban for Louis XIV · free entry from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM
- Myths and Legends — Joseph Puig Coin and Medal Museum, 42 avenue de Grande-Bretagne · free entry Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- 400% Flower Fields — L'Archipel, Carré hall · installation of 400 drawings by Manu Clabecq for the 26/27 season of the national stage · from September 18th to 26th, free entry Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM
- Insects, a People Not So Tiny — Natural History Museum · free entry Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Self-guided discoveries
- Perpignan 3D App — 42 geolocated points with audio commentary in French, English, Spanish, and Catalan, slideshows, games, panoramic views, and augmented reality reconstructions · three "Gothic Perpignan" itineraries and one "Military Perpignan" route, from the Roman site of Ruscino to the demolition of the ramparts, complementing the La Poudrière exhibition · children's version available · free download on iOS and Play Store
- Architectural Heritage of the Station Neighborhood — interactive treasure hunt: scan QR codes on facades to unlock anecdotes and audio content in several languages
- Furniture and Decor of Parish Churches — explanatory panels in the side chapels of Saint-Jacques, Notre-Dame-la-Réal, and Saint-Matthieu churches · the cycle of 11 restored paintings in the Sanch chapel, by P.-J. Rieudemont, is visible in the Saint-Jacques church
Prices Heritage Days 2026
Some tours require reservations: Casa Xanxo, Casa Julia, Clarisses Convent workshops, and the cathedral concert at boutique.perpignantourisme.com; Castillet at 04 68 66 30 75; Musée Rigaud at 04 68 66 19 83; Théâtre de l'Archipel at 04 68 62 62 00; Departmental Archives at 04 68 85 84 00; Heritage Conservation and Restoration Center at 04 68 85 89 40; Palace of the Kings of Majorca at 04 68 34 64 93; Banque de France at my.weezevent.com/journees-europeennes-du-patrimoine-2026-5.
Le Castillet is only accessible to visitors who have booked a guided tour.
Practical information — Heritage Days
Practical Information
Dates: Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026, for the 43rd national edition, focusing on the themes of "Photography Heritage" and "Heritage in Danger: Reviving, Resisting, Reimagining."
Opening Hours: Vary by site. Most monuments and churches are open for free from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM on both days. The Palace of the Kings of Majorca is open from 10:00 AM to 5:15 PM, the Hyacinthe Rigaud Art Museum from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the Natural History Museum from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM, and the Théâtre de l'Archipel from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM. The Puig Museum, the Institut Jean Vigo, and the Departmental Archives are only open on Saturday.
Admission: Free for all sites, tours, workshops, exhibitions, and concerts.
Reservations: Most visits are open-access. Others require booking via boutique.perpignantourisme.com (Casa Xanxo, Casa Julia, Clarisses Convent workshops, cathedral concert) or directly with the site: Castillet 04 68 66 30 75, Rigaud Museum 04 68 66 19 83, Théâtre de l'Archipel 04 68 62 62 00, Departmental Archives 04 68 85 84 00, Heritage Conservation and Restoration Center 04 68 85 89 40, Palace of the Kings of Majorca 04 68 34 64 93.
Inquiries: Heritage Animation Department, Ville d'art et d'histoire, Casa Xanxo-CIAP, 8 rue de la Main de Fer, 04 68 62 38 84, [email protected]. Perpignan Centre du Monde Tourist Office, Place Arago-Palmarium, open Saturday from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, 04 68 66 30 30.
Access:
- By car: City center parking lots, including Arago and République.
- By bus: Sankéo network, stops at Arago and Place Péri for the historic center.
- By train: Perpignan SNCF station, about a 15-minute walk from the historic heart.
- By plane: Perpignan-Rivesaltes Airport, 6.5 km away, accessible via bus line 7.
The Ruscino archaeological site and the Heritage Conservation and Restoration Center are located outside the city center, in Château-Roussillon and at 150 avenue de Milan, respectively.
European Heritage Days in Perpignan
Every year on the third weekend of September, Perpignan takes part in the European Heritage Days. Around thirty sites and monuments open their doors for free, offering guided tours, walks, workshops, exhibitions, and various activities. The program is curated by the city's 'Ville d'art et d'histoire' department, which publishes a detailed brochure each year.
A Capital's Heritage
As the former capital of the Kings of Majorca, Perpignan is home to seven centuries of architecture. During the weekend, visitors can explore places usually closed to the public and rediscover the city's most iconic monuments:
- The Palace of the Kings of Majorca, a 13th-century palace-fortress
- The Castillet, a fortified gate from the medieval walls, a listed historic monument since 1889, which houses the Casa Pairal museum
- Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral, a Southern Gothic structure built between 1324 and 1509
- Casa Xanxo, a 1506-1508 residence that now serves as the Interpretation Center for Architecture and Heritage
- Hôtel Pams, an Art Nouveau mansion built by Pierre Bardou, heir to the JOB paper fortune
- The Théâtre de l'Archipel, a national stage designed by Jean Nouvel and Brigitte Métra
- The Hyacinthe Rigaud Art Museum, housed in the former Lazerme and Mailly mansions
- The Ruscino archaeological site, a pre-Roman hub for the Sordones and later the administrative capital of Roussillon
Tours and Activities
The program blends thematic guided tours, walks through the Gare and Saint-Jacques districts, lectures, exhibitions, children's workshops, concerts, and evening film screenings in heritage settings. Self-guided tours are also available, including the Perpignan 3D app with its 42 geolocated points of interest.
A Free Event
All visits and activities are free of charge. Some sites have limited capacity and require prior booking, either by phone or through the tourist office's online ticketing system.
Where does it take place — Heritage Days
Heritage Days in brief
History of Heritage Days
Edition 2025 Sep 2025Other festivals near Perpignan
Festival-goer reviews
No review yet. Be the first!
No rating yet — be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community
Have you spotted an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every suggestion is reviewed by our team before publication.
Festival-goer photos
No photo yet. Share yours!
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)