The 33rd edition of the Journées Européennes du Patrimoine will take place this weekend (September 17 and 18, 2016), with a number of historic sites in Paris opening their doors to the public. To help you make the most of this exceptional event here is our selection of some of the most interesting and absolutely unmissable ones in Paris.
The Duchess’ apartments, Hôtel de Sully
Hôtel de Sully, 62 rue Saint-Antoine – 75004 Paris
Headquarters of Centre des monuments nationaux since 1974, the Hotel de Sully is an architectural gem from the early 17th century. The building houses the former apartments of the Duchess of Sully. For the first time, the recently restored apartments will be accessible to the public during the Journées du patrimoine.
Daniel Burren at Fondation Louis Vuitton
Fondation Louis Vuitton, 8 Avenue du Mahatma Gandhi – 75116 Paris
Daniel Burren experiments the iconic twelve ‘sails’ of Fondation Louis Vuitton’s building (designed by architect Frank Gehry) to come up with a staggering interplay of lights, colours, reflections and contrasts. One of the unmissable sites during the JEP this year.
Palais de la Légion de l’Honneur
Grande chancellerie de la Légion d’honneur – Hôtel de Salm, 1 Rue de Solférino – 75007 Paris
Hôtel de Salm was built in the 1780s. After nationalisation by Bonaparte’s government, the building was renamed the Palais de la Légion de l’Honneur in 1804 and served as the seat of the newly created Légion de l’Honneur. After being destroyed by fire in 1871 under the Paris Commune, a replica of the palace was rebuilt under the leadership of General Vinoy. The palace will exceptionally open its doors to the public after a recent restoration. Do not miss the beautiful halls, including the office of the Grand Chancellor and the Salle du Conseil, the stunning gardens and the museum.
Period Room, Hôtel des Ventes Drouot
Hôtel des Ventes Drouot, 9, rue Drouot – 75009 Paris
Immerse yourself in late 18th-century décor at this exceptional preview of Chateau de Villepreux’s furniture and paintings, up for auction in the Period Room of Hôtel des Ventes Drouot. Explore one of the oldest public auction houses of the world in the company of commissaires-priseurs and experts. The programme also includes conferences, visits, exhibitions and round tables.
Sorbonne
La Sorbonne, 45-47 rue des Ecoles – 75005 Paris
Built during the Middle Ages, the Sorbonne building was renovated under Richelieu and then rebuilt during the Third Republic. Today, this historic building, situated in the heart of Latin Quarter, serves as the seat of the rectorat d’académie and the chancelleries des universités de Paris. The building is also home to several institutions of higher education and research.
Hôtel d’Heidelbach – Musée Guimet
19 avenue d’Iéna – 75116 Paris
Hotel d’Heidelbach, designed by architect René Sergeant in the 1920s, is a fine example of Parisian neoclassical architecture and one of the last examples of the large hôtels particuliers of Paris. The hotel formerly hosted the Buddhist Pantheon galleries of Musée Guimet consisting of around 250 idols brought by Émile Guimet during her travels to China and Japan. The building will reopen to the public late November this year after restorations and completion of works for a new textile and furniture museum project. Meanwhile, Musée Guimet invites the public for guided visits of the newly restored spaces of Hotel d’Heidelbach on the occasion of JEP 2016.
24th floor of the Zamansky-Jussieu Tower
Université Paris-6 Pierre-et-Marie-Curie, 4 Place Jussieu – 75005 Paris
The 90-metres high Zamansky tower at the Jussieu campus is characteristic of Parisian urbanism of the 1960s. Its top floor offers fantastic views over Parisian monuments and buildings. Use this weekend to explore the history of this site and for a visit to the top floor of this recently restored building. For the Journées du Patrimoine, the site proposes an interesting programme with exhibitions, games, guided visits and a preview of some of its artistic and scientific collections.[td_smart_list_end]
For a complete list of participating sites and events, please visit the official event site here. To avoid any last-minute changes in schedule, it is recommended that you verify the information at the participating venue’s websites.
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