Montmartre Heritage Days:
your hotel at the foot of the Butte
Montmartre Heritage Days turn the Butte into a field of discovery on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2026. For this 43rd edition of the European Heritage Days, the 18th arrondissement of Paris opens its artists' studios, its churches and its museums to the public, one of the densest concentrations of cultural heritage in the capital, on free visits or guided tours, almost always with free admission.
From Hôtel Les Jardins de Montmartre, at 131 rue Ordener, you can walk to most of the unmissable venues on the programme: the Musée de Montmartre on rue Cortot, the Cité Montmartre aux Artistes, the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur. Here are the outings worth making, the opening times to note and the practical information you need to build your agenda without wasting an hour.
European Heritage Days 2026: dates, theme and programme
The event, known in France as the Journées du Patrimoine, is held across the country on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2026, with Friday 18 September reserved for school groups. In its press pack, the Ministry of Culture announced two themes for the upcoming edition of this annual event: the national theme, the heritage of photography, which celebrates the bicentenary of Nicéphore Niépce's invention, and endangered heritage, the European theme set by the Council of Europe to encourage the restoration of monuments and sites at risk and to build the support needed to preserve them.
In Paris, more than 1,500 venues take part, from the Palais-Royal and the palaces of the Republic to the artists' studios of Greater Paris. Historical sites usually closed to the public reveal their treasures for two days only. One tip from previous editions of the European Heritage Days, or EHD: the most sought-after slots are fully booked as soon as online booking opens, often several weeks before the weekend itself.
Musée de Montmartre, rue Cortot: guided tours and a talk
At 12 rue Cortot, the Montmartre Museum occupies the studios where Auguste Renoir, Raoul Dufy, Suzanne Valadon, Maurice Utrillo and André Utter worked. On Sunday 20 September 2026, from 10:30am to 11:30am, a guided tour of the permanent exhibition is led by Jean-Manuel Gabert, president of the Société d'Histoire et d'Archéologie Le Vieux Montmartre and an authoritative guide to the collection.
Twenty-five places only, free admission, but advance registration is required through the museum's online ticket office. In the afternoon, from 4pm to 5pm, a talk extends the discovery, limited to fifty people and subject to the same booking conditions. The venue holds the archives of Le Vieux Montmartre: cabaret posters, a model of the village, works and documents that tell the story of the neighbourhood far better than any street plaque.
Cité Montmartre aux Artistes: an open studio visit on rue Ordener
Follow rue Ordener for a few hundred yards from the hotel and you reach number 187-189: the Cité Montmartre aux Artistes, the largest artists' city in Europe. Three Art Deco buildings from the 1930s, 177 studios arranged around courtyards and gardens, where painters, sculptors, photographers and musicians live and work all year round.
On Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2026, from 11am to 6pm, the residents open their doors. Free visits from workshop to workshop, no booking required, with the chance to talk directly to the artists. It is a rare opportunity to discover the creative process from behind the scenes, among canvases turned to the wall and the smell of turpentine, and to see a piece of contemporary art before it reaches a gallery.
Église Saint-Jean, Sacré-Cœur and other unmissable sites
On place des Abbesses, the Église Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste-de-Montmartre is the first religious building constructed in reinforced concrete, between 1897 and 1904, by the architect Anatole de Baudot. A piece of architectural heritage listed on the national Additional Inventory of Historic Monuments since 1966, and an unusual church in Paris that most passers-by walk straight past without looking up. On Saturday 19 September 2026 from 3pm to 4:30pm, then on Sunday 20 from 3pm to 4pm, a guided tour covers its history, its architecture and its stained glass by Jac Galland, among the finest figurative windows of the early 20th century.
Free, no reservation, thirty visitors maximum. Follow it with the recital given on the church's grand Cavaillé-Coll organ, at 5pm on Saturday and 4:30pm on Sunday. Higher up the hill, the iconic Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur stays open from 6:30am to 10:30pm on both days, with free access. Do not miss the studio of the artist Endre Rozsda either, an exceptional opening for the whole weekend, or the guided walk at porte de la Chapelle around the ten gilded statues from the Paris 2024 opening ceremony.
IDEAL LOCATION
A hotel a short walk from Montmartre Heritage Days
Hôtel Les Jardins de Montmartre occupies 131 rue Ordener, in a residential pocket of the 18th arrondissement of Paris, away from the queues on place du Tertre yet a straight metro run from the Paris city centre. The Sacré-Cœur is a ten-minute walk away.
Jules Joffrin metro station, on line 12, is 3 minutes from the door, Simplon on line 4 is 8 minutes, and Lamarck-Caulaincourt drops you at the bottom of rue Cortot. For buses, lines 31 and 60 serve the Duhesme Le Ruisseau stop, and line 80 the Mairie du 18e Jules Joffrin stop. Two Vélib' stations, on rue du Mont Cenis and rue Lapeyre, let you cross the neighbourhood without waiting for a train. By car, access is via the Porte de Saint-Ouen, then the boulevards des Maréchaux and rue Vauvenargues, with a car park immediately nearby.
Rooms at Hôtel Les Jardins de Montmartre
Thirty-eight air-conditioned rooms, renovated in 2021 and soundproofed, in five categories. The Single, about 140 sq ft, suits a visitor coming alone for the weekend. The Twin, around 160 sq ft, and the Double are made for pairs. The Superior, roughly 195 sq ft, gives you more space to spread out, while the Deluxe, at about 270 sq ft, adds a bathtub.
All have comfort bedding, a flat-screen television, a safe, a telephone, a hairdryer and free wifi. The decor follows the four seasons, echoing the eclectic character of the neighbourhood. After a day spent walking the cobbles of the Butte, the quiet of rue Ordener makes a real difference.
Breakfast, concierge service and practical extras
Reception is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which counts when a tour finishes late or a slot opens up at the last minute. The buffet breakfast is served every morning from 7am to 10am, in a room whose decor recalls the lanes of Montmartre and its famous residents, from Dalí to Van Gogh by way of Renoir and Cézanne: pastries, fresh bread, pressed juice, cheeses, charcuterie, local specialities. Enough to keep you going until the 4pm talk.
Beyond that, the team works with Mon Petit Paris, an online concierge service for booking shows and skip-the-line tickets, and with Greeters, a partner association whose volunteers take five or six people at a time to explore their city. The Esprit Montmartre package adds two tickets for the little train around the Butte and a late departure until 2pm, useful at the end of a stay.
The Montmartre neighbourhood after the visits
Montmartre is a neighbourhood that does not close down when the monument doors do. A few streets from the hotel, the Cimetière de Montmartre holds the graves of writers, musicians and architects in the shade of the pont Caulaincourt. The Bateau-Lavoir, on place Émile-Goudeau, recalls the Picasso years and the energy of the early 20th-century studios. Rue de l'Abreuvoir and the Maison Rose are among the most photographed views in France, which suits an edition built around the theme of photography. Add the Espace Dalí, the Dalida house, the vines of the Clos Montmartre, and you have enough activities to fill a third day. The reception team follows the cultural news of the Butte and can point you to the sights worth exploring, from the quiet avenues behind the hill to the busiest lanes. The best moment to climb the Butte's staircases is early in the morning, before the coach parties arrive.
Book your stay at Les Jardins de Montmartre, hotel near the Moulin Rouge
An open studio visit on rue Ordener, an organ recital on place des Abbesses, a talk on rue Cortot: the Montmartre Heritage Days offer one of the finest ways into the memory of this Paris neighborhood. Sleeping on the spot changes everything, between two time slots and two flights of steps. On the hotel's official site you can check room availability, prices, guest reviews and special offers, with the web-exclusive best rate guaranteed when you book direct.
Frequently asked questions about the Montmartre Heritage Days
What are the dates of the Montmartre Heritage Days in 2026?
The European Heritage Days are held on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2026, for the 43rd edition. Friday 18 September is reserved for school groups. Each venue in the 18th arrondissement of Paris sets its own opening times, published on the official site of the Ministry of Culture.
Are visits free in Montmartre during the event?
Yes, almost every participating site applies free admission. Some guided tours do require advance registration, also free of charge, through the online ticket office of the venue concerned. Open studio days and access to the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur need no reservation at all.
Where can I find the full Heritage Days programme in Paris?
The full programme is published at journeesdupatrimoine.culture.gouv.fr, with a searchable map by arrondissement, theme and type of activity. Paris City Hall and the town hall of the 18th also list the recommended outings to make in the Montmartre neighborhood.
Should I book my hotel in advance for this September weekend?
Yes. This weekend of September is among the busiest of the year in Paris and hotels in the 18th arrondissement are often fully booked several weeks ahead. Booking early on the Hôtel Les Jardins de Montmartre website secures the best rate and your choice of room category.
How much time should I allow to visit Montmartre during the Heritage Days?
Two full days let you take in the Montmartre Museum, the Cité Montmartre aux Artistes, the Église Saint-Jean and the Sacré-Cœur without rushing. Allow around one hour for each guided tour, plus walking time between them. A third day covers the Cimetière de Montmartre and the back lanes.
How do I contact Hôtel Les Jardins de Montmartre?
The hotel is at 131 rue Ordener, in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, France. For more information, reception answers around the clock on +33 1 42 52 99 00 or by email at reception@jardinsdemontmartre.com. The contact form on the website is also there to help you plan your stay in advance.
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