For the 2025 edition of the European Heritage Days, the Maison de l’Europe de Paris invites visitors to discover how cultural routes and heritage labels bring our common history to life. This year’s theme, dedicated to architectural heritage, will be marked by a rich programme in partnership with the French Ministry of Culture and the Council of Europe.
An exhibition connecting Europe through its Cultural routes
Since 1 September, a travelling exhibition conceived by the Ministry of Culture has been open to the public. Through 34 kakemonos, it showcases the diversity of cultural routes certified by the Council of Europe. These routes invite travellers to journey across borders, discovering Europe’s history, heritage, and values in a spirit of sustainable and meaningful tourism.
With 48 certified itineraries across 42 countries – 33 of which pass through France – the programme has grown tremendously since the very first route, Santiago de Compostela, was certified in 1987. Today, cultural routes such as Destination Napoleon offer a new way of exploring landscapes and stories that shaped Europe.
Alongside this initiative, the European Heritage Label – awarded by the European Commission – highlights sites with a symbolic role in the continent’s history. France currently counts five labelled sites among the 67 recognised across 24 countries.
A special conference for the European Heritage Days
On Saturday 20 September, from 14:00 to 17:00, the Maison de l’Europe will open its doors for a conference titled:
« Mieux connaître notre patrimoine européen commun grâce aux Itinéraires culturels du Conseil de l’Europe et aux sites du Label du patrimoine européen. »
Speakers include Bruno Favel and Orane Proisy of the Ministry of Culture, Vincent Curie of the European Heritage Label Bureau, Pierre Bedouelle of the Impressionist Routes, and Michel Legros of the Robert Louis Stevenson Route. Together, they will illustrate how these programmes contribute to strengthening Europe’s cultural ties. Participation is free but requires prior registration.
Destination Napoleon: 10 years of recognition
This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the certification of Destination Napoleon as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe. Since 2015, the route has brought together cities and regions across the continent that share a Napoleonic heritage. From battlefields to fortresses, from museums to historic towns, Destination Napoleon has created a living network where local communities and international visitors can engage with a pivotal chapter of European history.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Destination Napoleon recently published a dedicated guide that presents this rich heritage in a way accessible to all. The guide serves not only as a travel companion but also as a cultural tool to understand how Napoleon’s era shaped Europe, its architecture, and its values.
Practical information
Exhibition: from 1 September 2025 at the Maison de l’Europe de Paris
Conference: Saturday 20 September 2025, 15:00–16:30
Location: Maison de l’Europe de Paris, 35-37 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, 75004 Paris
Registration: required, subject to availability
More information: https://paris-europe.eu/evenements/33-itineraires-culturels-du-conseil-de-leurope-et-5-sites-labelises-patrimoine-europeen/
