the places to visit absolutely near you for free in Provence-Alpes

The 41st edition of the European Heritage Days will be held on the weekend of Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September. This event celebrates history and culture through a vast programme of activities and free visits, opening emblematic and often little-known monuments. Here is the list of places to visit in Bouches-du-Rhône, Vaucluse and the Southern Alps.

The new edition of the European Heritage Days is back this weekend, Saturday 21 September and Sunday 22 September. Enjoy free heritage tours. There are unusual or incredible places that we have never taken the time to discover. Make your program. Also find our interactive maps by department.

In the Bouches-du-Rhône

Marseille offers a variety of activities that will highlight the city’s rich maritime heritage through guided tours and events that link local history and the maritime world. As an illustration, all weekend, from 10 a.m., aboard a boat on the Old Port, a guided discovery of the history of the port of Marseille with a stopover on the Digue du Large. It is exceptionally made accessible thanks to the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille, for a free stroll, with an unusual view. Reservation required (limited places).

Then, this time on the island of Frioul… From 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the exceptional opening of the site, closed to the public: the site of theCaroline Hospital. During a guided tour, discover the health history of Marseille and this 19th century architecture.

Other cultural activities are also offered on Sundays. Let yourself be tempted by the visit of the exhibition of costumes made by the sewing workshop of the Municipal Opera or a visit to the Opera itself, by registration from 9 a.m.

Participatory singing workshops with the participation of artists and pianists from 11 a.m. At 4 p.m., a musical moment with the Marseille Philharmonic Orchestra.

Martigues celebrates Italian cinema with the event “Cinecittà in Martigues“, pays tribute to the maestro Federico Fellini through a series of open-air screenings on the Place Mirabeau. An unmissable cinematographic program:

• Friday September 20: screening of the film Fellini Roma (2h08) after a meal shared with the locals, recreating the atmosphere of Roman evenings.
• Saturday September 21: Beautiful (1h56) by Luchino Visconti, presented by cinema consultant Emmanuelle Ferrari.
• Sunday September 22: The Dolce Vita (2h07) will close this weekend dedicated to Italian cinema, with a new presentation by Emmanuelle Ferrari.

Other activities are offered in the town of Martigues:

Salins Theater: Escape Game

For the youngest, the Théâtre des Salins will offer an Escape Game “Submersion Alert“, where children aged 7 to 12 will have to solve puzzles to save the theatre. Guided tours of the theatre will reveal its backstage and artistic secrets.

Fort de Bouc and Château de La Barben: guided tours

Fort de Bouc will also host guided tours that will retrace the maritime history of Martigues.

Similarly, the oldest castle in Provence, the Château de La Barben, will open its doors with guided tours in period costume. On Saturday, two theatrical performances inspired by Letters from my Mill by Alphonse Daudet will take place at 11:15 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Ziem Museum: art and botany in the spotlight

The Ziem Museum in Martigues will offer an immersive exhibition, Alive! Fauna and Florawhich will combine art and botany through rare works by Félix Ziem, Émile Loubon, and André Derain. On Saturday, September 21, a guided tour with two voices by a botanical expert and an art historian. And, artistic workshops for children inspired by floral art and a discovery of the 1626 land registry, throughout the weekend.

Chapel of the Annunciation: a dive into Baroque art

The Chapelle de l’Annonciade in Martigues will offer guided tours to discover this jewel of Provençal Baroque art, with its high altar and frescoes. The concert Tales of Eternityperformed by the Café Zimmermann ensemble, will take place on Sunday at 5 p.m., with a program inspired by the painter Jean Daret.

History Gallery: a journey through the maritime evolution of Martigues

The History Gallery in Martigues will host themed tours tracing the maritime evolution of the city. Children’s workshops will allow the youngest to immerse themselves in the maritime world with creative activities such as “My boat on the waves” and “Draw your maritime itinerary”.

The Camp des Milles memorial site, the only large intact internment and deportation camp in France, will be freely accessible with thematic guided tours to discover the little-known history of the camp. Three tours are offered: special tours for families: a fun and educational course for children (8-14 years old).

The classic visit, a discovery of the site with its historical, memorial and civic aspects. And the temporary exhibitions on the deportation, the rescue of Jewish children and works created by interned artists.

The commune of La Couronne will celebrate the 360th anniversary of the Saint Jean-Baptiste church with guided tours, an outdoor picnic, and family activities such as crown making. At 4 p.m., an introduction to Provençal song will close this festive day.

>>> Discover below the map of places and activities of these 41st European Heritage Days in Bouches-du-Rhône:

Find all the great ideas in our interactive map above, you can look by municipality.

In Vaucluse

A first since 2012, the‘prefectural hotel’ will be exceptionally open to the public on Saturday, September 21. A rare opportunity to discover this historic place, with a visit to the reception rooms, the prefect’s office and the “minister” rooms. Presentations on the role of the State and the missions of the prefect will guide visitors behind the scenes of the prefecture. Visits are scheduled from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., in 30-minute slots (limited to 15 people). Registration is mandatory: [email protected].

The Departmental Council is organizing tours all weekend, from 1:30 p.m. on the theme of “Heritage of routes, networks and connections”. On the program, a tour of the hemicycle so that each visitor can learn more about the history of the Hôtel Desmarets de Montdevergues, built at the beginning of the 18th century, the Departmental Institution and the missions it carries out.

If you have not yet visited the exhibition “Children of advertising! A Brief History of Children’s Advertising at the Departmental Museum of Cardboard and Printing in Valréas? It might be time to take the plunge. Guided tours are scheduled all weekend from 10:30 a.m. Some will feel nostalgic at the sight of students greedy for LU biscuits. But this exhibition also invites you to decipher the tricks of advertising from another time and to question the fashions of different representations. Some stagings would no longer be acceptable today, such as advertisements for alcohol or cigarettes.

A true place of literary memory, the François-Pétrarque museum-library brings to life a written and artistic heritage around this 14th century humanist and the poet René Char.
The museum is open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

>>>> Discover below the map of places and activities of these 41st European Heritage Days in Vaucluse:

Find all the great ideas in our interactive map above, you can look by municipality.

In the Hautes-Alpes

The Departmental Archives of Hautes-Alpes are offering the exhibition “The Archives tell their story“. At the same time, for a discovery in the archives, adapted to children, from the age of 6, “Illumination and writing Récré’Archives” workshops will take place all weekend.

To go further, conferences are organized.

• “Research on the archives website”, Saturday September 21 at 2 p.m. and Sunday 22 at 10:30 a.m.
• “The Archives Library”, Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
• “Languages ​​and writings in the archives”, Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

All accompanied by a Jazz concert by the Diglife Quartet, at the Parvis des Archives, on Saturday September 22 at 12 p.m., and Sunday 23 at 5 p.m.

Mother Church in Saint-Disdier-en-Dévoluy

• Saturday, September 21 at 10 a.m., It is possible to go and discover this 11th century Romanesque building, listed as a historic monument. Meet at 9:30 a.m. at the Saint-Disdier Media Library or directly on site at 10 a.m.
• Sunday, September 22 at 4:30 p.m. for a walk up or directly to Mère Église at 5 p.m.

Pellafol Canal: Souloise parade

• On Saturday, September 21 at 2 p.m., you must explore this historic irrigation canal with Martinho Rodriguez. An adventure in the heart of the parade. Free supervised outing from 10 years old. Registration required.

Conference: “In Dévoluy, engravings of shepherds” in Gap

• On Friday, September 20 at 6 p.m., at the Cinémathèque de Montagne in Gap, the discovery of shepherd engravings recently discovered in Dévoluy will be organized during a conference organized by the Société d’Études des Hautes-Alpes.

>>> Discover below the map of places and activities of these 41st European Heritage Days in the Hautes-Alpes:

Find all the great ideas in our interactive map above, you can look by municipality.

In the Alpes-de-Haute Provence

The exhibition on the reception in the village of Ongles of 25 families of harkis in 1962.

An exhibition entitled “They are arriving tomorrow” about the reception of harkis in the commune of Ongles will be proposed. Texts, objects, images and video testimonies, retrace the history of 25 families of harkis at the House of History and Memory of Ongles.

Heritage Days in Allos

• Guided tour of the building and works of the Notre-Dame de Valvert church.

Heritage Days in Barcelonnette

• At the Musée de la Vallée, an exhibition on the networks of Ubayan peddlers and entrepreneurs (15th-21st centuries).
• A conference at Seolane University entitled “History of the Barcelonnettes, emigrant builders in Mexico and France”.

Heritage Days in Digne-les-Bains

• A free and guided tour to discover this site of the Notre-Dame du Bourg Archaeological Crypt.

Heritage Days in Entrevaux

• Discovery of the communal oven and sale of traditional bread, Chemin de Ronde and Citadel.

Heritage Days in Sisteron

• Notre-Dame and Saint-Thyrse Cathedral, free and guided tours.
• Historic center, unique visits to centuries-old cellars and thematic exhibitions.

>>> Discover below the map of places and activities of these 41st European Heritage Days in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence:

Find all the great ideas in our interactive map above, you can look by municipality.