Heritage Days in Seine-Saint-Denis

European Heritage Days in Seine-Saint-Denis

Every year, on the third weekend of September, Seine-Saint-Denis participates in the European Heritage Days, the most popular French cultural event with over 12 million visitors nationwide. In this department often presented from an economic and social perspective, the Heritage Days are an opportunity to reveal a considerable historical, architectural, and cultural richness, often unknown even to its residents.

Exceptional and Little-Known Heritage

Seine-Saint-Denis possesses a remarkable heritage spanning several millennia of history. The Royal Basilica of Saint-Denis, a masterpiece of Gothic art and the necropolis of the Kings of France, is the absolute jewel of the department. Classified as a historical monument, this 12th-century Gothic cathedral, whose architectural elements have influenced all of European Gothic art, is one of the unmissable destinations for the Heritage Days in Île-de-France.

But the heritage of the 93 is not limited to the Basilica. The department is home to exceptional industrial heritage inherited from its working-class past: converted factories, canals, historic warehouses, buildings of La Plaine Saint-Denis. The garden cities of Stains, Drancy, Dugny, Le Pré-Saint-Gervais, and Romainville, built between the two World Wars, are a unique testament to the social utopias of the 20th century. The Departmental Archives of Seine-Saint-Denis, housed in a contemporary building in Bobigny, hold collections that trace the region's history since the Middle Ages.

Thematic Guided Tours

During the Heritage Days, the towns and institutions of the department offer thematic guided tours that allow for a deeper understanding of a place or an aspect of local heritage. In 2025, visitors could discover:

• Tours of the Basilica-Cathedral of Saint-Denis with specialized guides discussing the history of the French kings buried there
• The Maison-échafaudage of Saint-Denis, a contemporary architectural project illustrating the city's urban transformations
• The Musée d'Art et d'Histoire Paul Éluard in Saint-Denis with guided tours for families
• The university library of Paris 8, a building by Pierre Riboulet (1998), open for one-hour visiting slots
• Tours of the garden cities of Stains and Romainville with architects and historians

Activities for All Audiences

The Heritage Days in Seine-Saint-Denis are not just for history enthusiasts. Specific activities for families and children are offered at most participating sites: game trails, medieval calligraphy workshops at the Basilica, heritage treasure hunts in the garden cities. Conferences, documentary screenings, and meetings with archaeologists and historians complete the program for adults.