Journées du Patrimoine de Pézenas
Patrimoine à Pézenas, Hérault
2026
About Journées du Patrimoine de
Every September, Pézenas throws open the doors of its historic center for the European Heritage Days. Explore the private mansions, museums, and art studios of this town once known as the home of Molière and the former political capital of Languedoc.
Journées du Patrimoine de — edition 2026
The European Heritage Days will take place in Pézenas on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026. The Hôtel de Peyrat will inaugurate the "Polin nòstre !" exhibition, celebrating the 800th anniversary of the Poulain, the Toy Museum will open its doors in the afternoon, and the city will host the Heritage Arts and Crafts Meetings from September 18 to 20.
2026 Edition
The 43rd edition of the European Heritage Days takes place on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026, focusing on two themes: "Heritage of Photography" and "Heritage in Peril: Revive, Resist, Reimagine." On the previous day, Friday, September 18, the "Look Up!" tours are reserved for school groups and their teachers.
In Pézenas, three venues have registered their programs on the Ministry of Culture's platform: the Hôtel de Peyrat (Place des États du Languedoc), the Toy Museum (2b rue Montmorency), and the Art&Sun site (8 rue Paul Guery), where the Dilettante association is organizing a demonstration. Furthermore, Ateliers d'Art de France is bringing one of its five regional editions of the Heritage Arts and Crafts Meetings to Pézenas from September 18 to 20, in partnership with the City and the Hérault-Méditerranée Agglomeration Community.
As of mid-August 2026, the tourist office has not yet announced its guided tours of the historic center for this edition; last year, these were published in early September.
Highlights Journées du Patrimoine de 2026
- Inauguration of the "Polin nòstre !" exhibition on the 800th anniversary of the Poulain de Pézenas, Saturday at 12:00 PM at the Hôtel de Peyrat
- "Aicí lo Polin !", theatrical and musical tour, Saturday at 6:00 PM and Sunday at 3:00 PM, free with reservation
- Heritage Arts and Crafts Meetings from September 18 to 20, one of five French editions
- Toy Museum open Saturday and Sunday from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, featuring two treasure hunts
Programme Journées du Patrimoine de 2026
Friday, September 18, 2026
- All day — "Look Up!": tours reserved for students and their teachers, held the day before the European Heritage Days (a national initiative)
- All day — Opening of the Heritage Arts and Crafts Meetings, throughout the city
Saturday, September 19, 2026
- 12:00 PM — Inauguration of the "Polin nòstre !" exhibition, dedicated to the 800-year legend of the Poulain · Hôtel de Peyrat, Place des États du Languedoc · free admission
- 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM — Self-guided tour of the Toy Museum · 2b rue Montmorency · collection of toys from the late 19th century to the 1970s-1980s, two treasure hunts · no reservation required, 55 people max, wheelchair accessible
- 2:30 PM - 6:00 PM — "Polin nòstre !" exhibition open · Hôtel de Peyrat
- 6:00 PM — "Aicí lo Polin !", theatrical and musical tour of the exhibition · Hôtel de Peyrat · free, reservation required at 06 84 73 99 67
Sunday, September 20, 2026
- 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM — "Art as Heritage", demonstration of fine arts techniques and skills · Dilettante association, at the Art&Sun site, 8 rue Paul Guery · free, no reservation required
- 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM — "Polin nòstre !" exhibition open · Hôtel de Peyrat
- 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM — Self-guided tour of the Toy Museum · 2b rue Montmorency
- 2:30 PM - 6:00 PM — "Polin nòstre !" exhibition open · Hôtel de Peyrat
- 3:00 PM — "Aicí lo Polin !", theatrical and musical tour · Hôtel de Peyrat · free, reservation required at 06 84 73 99 67
September 18 to 20, ongoing
- Heritage Arts and Crafts Meetings — The Butte du Château, the cinema, the Historic Theater, and the glass roof of the Vuillot Museum will host booths, craft demonstrations, screenings, lectures, professional networking, and guided tours of workshops and the city. Schools and training centers are involved. Organized by: Ateliers d'Art de France, the City of Pézenas, and the Hérault-Méditerranée Agglomeration Community.
After the weekend
- The "Polin nòstre !" exhibition remains open from Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27, from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM and 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM during the Poulinade, and then until February 6, 2027, during specific opening times.
The Pézenas tourist office has not yet published its guided tours of the historic center for the 2026 edition: the program above is what was declared as of mid-August on the Ministry of Culture's platform and by the organizers.
Prices Journées du Patrimoine de 2026
"Aicí lo Polin !" theatrical tours: free, reservation required at 06 84 73 99 67.
"Art as Heritage" demonstration (Dilettante association): free, no reservation required.
Toy Museum: special rate announced for Heritage Days, amount not specified. Standard rates: €6 adult, €5 senior, €4 reduced (children from 3 years old, students, job seekers, groups), €12 for two adults and one child under 6.
Practical information — Journées du Patrimoine de
Practical Information
Location: Historic center of Pézenas (34120), Hérault. Events are spread across various sites throughout the city: Hôtel de Peyrat, Place des États du Languedoc; the Toy Museum (musée du Jouet), 2b rue Montmorency; and the Art&Sun site, 8 rue Paul Guery.
2026 Dates: Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th. Friday, September 18th is reserved for school groups as part of the “Levez les yeux !” initiative.
Admission: Most events are free. The “Polin nòstre !” exhibition offers free entry with voluntary contributions, the “Aicí lo Polin !” theatrical tours are free but require booking at 06 84 73 99 67, and the “L'Art en héritage” demonstration is free with no booking required. The Toy Museum offers special rates for these days; their standard admission is €6 for adults, €5 for seniors, and €4 for concessions.
Contact: Tourist Office, 20 place du 14 Juillet, 34120 Pézenas, 04 67 98 36 40. View the national program and search by town at journeesdupatrimoine.culture.gouv.fr.
European Heritage Days in Pézenas
Pézenas (34120), located in the Hérault department, takes part in the European Heritage Days organized annually in September by the Ministry of Culture. As the political capital of Languedoc in the 17th century, the town retains a stunning collection of private mansions, shaped by its former governors, the Dukes of Montmorency and the Prince of Conti. Molière himself stayed here on several occasions between 1650 and 1656.
The weekend features a mix of monument openings, guided tours led by professional guides, exhibitions, and demonstrations by local artisans. The program for each edition is published site-by-site on the Ministry of Culture's platform and subsequently promoted by the local tourist office and the City.
Where does it take place — Journées du Patrimoine de
Journées du Patrimoine de in brief
History of Journées du Patrimoine de
Edition 2025 Sep 2025Other festivals near Pézenas
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)