Back in 1984, the French minister for Culture created the “Historic Monuments Open Door Days” in France. The idea was picked up by the Council of Europe, which is not an institution of the European Union but an international organization that predates the European Union and has currently almost 50 member states.

European Heritage Days (the name varies from one country to another) take place in September, and open doors to monuments that are usually closed to the public, or if open, grant free entry, or offer special events and activities, including for children and youth, such as workshops, guided tours, that are not available on a regular basis.

In France, Heritage Days are called Les Journées Européennes du Patrimoine (JEP) and take place on the third weekend of September.

In this new series, Opening Doors in Paris, I’ll share some of the open doors I’ve entered over the last fifteen years.