European Heritage Days 2026 in French Guiana: Programme, Dates and Must-See Visits

The 2026 European Heritage Days return to French Guiana from Friday, September 18 to Sunday, September 20, 2026. Over these three days, historic sites, museums, cultural venues and places usually closed to the public invite visitors to discover French Guiana's heritage from a different perspective.

This 43rd edition highlights two themes: “Photography Heritage” and “Heritage at Risk: Revive, Resist, Reimagine.”

What to do during European Heritage Days 2026 in French Guiana?

European Heritage Days are an opportunity to discover French Guiana's rich historical, cultural and natural heritage. From Cayenne to other towns across the territory, guided tours, exceptional openings, exhibitions and encounters offer a chance to explore places and stories that are sometimes little known.

Our selection for European Heritage Days 2026 in French Guiana

Among the many events taking place this year, Europcar Guyane has selected the must-see visits and experiences to discover French Guiana's heritage. These events are also a great opportunity to explore French Guiana in September 2026. For more events, explore the full programme and practical information on the official European Heritage Days website.

🏛️ Historical and architectural heritage of French Guiana

During the European Heritage Days, discover French Guiana’s history through its architectural heritage. From the Creole architecture of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni to Cayenne’s historic buildings, these visits offer an insight into the evolution of local architecture, its adaptation to the territory and the challenges involved in preserving it.

Creole architecture in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni

Tour of the Creole and post-penitentiary architecture of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni

Discover the wooden buildings and distinctive features of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni’s Creole and post-penitentiary architecture. This tour explores how builders once adapted homes to the local climate and how the principles of this bioclimatic architecture can still inspire us today.

📍 Location: Transportation Camp – Centre for Art and Heritage Interpretation and Library, 4 rue Colonel Chandon, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni

📅 Date: Friday, September 18, 2026

🕐 Time: 8:00 am – 9:30 am

💶 Price: free

🎟️ Reservation: required

Guided tour of the former Customs House in Cayenne

Discover Cayenne’s former Customs House and the history of this building, from its construction to its restoration. Accompanied by representatives of the French Ministry of Culture, visitors can also meet professionals involved in heritage conservation and protection.

📍 Location: Former Customs House, 4 rue du Vieux-Port, Cayenne

📅 Dates: Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026

💶 Price: free

🎟️ Reservation: registration required, groups limited to 15 participants

🕐 Time: not specified in the information provided.

⛓️ History of the penal colony and the Transportation Camp

In Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, the Transportation Camp bears witness to French Guiana’s penal history. During the European Heritage Days, discover this iconic site from a different perspective through two original experiences: an investigation through the camp and a tour involving all five senses.

Investigation at the Transportation Camp

Step into the role of an investigator and follow in the footsteps of Marius, a former convict who is said to have hidden a mysterious treasure. Solve riddles and uncover clues while learning about daily life, occupations and the history of the Transportation Camp in a fun and interactive way.

📍 Location: Transportation Camp, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni

📅 Date: Friday, September 18, 2026

🕐 Time: 8:00 am – 9:00 am

💶 Price: free

🎟️ Reservation: required

Sensory tour of the Transportation Camp

Explore the Transportation Camp through all five senses. Touch, smell, hearing, taste and sight guide this original tour, offering a different way to experience the spaces and history of this iconic Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni site.

📍 Location: Transportation Camp, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni

📅 Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026

🕐 Times: 9:30 am – 10:50 am and 3:00 pm – 4:20 pm

💶 Price: free

🎟️ Reservation: maximum 15 participants per tour

🧺 Cultures and traditional skills of French Guiana

The European Heritage Days are also an opportunity to discover the traditional skills and living heritage of French Guiana’s Indigenous peoples. Malaka making and an introduction to basketry highlight techniques, objects and knowledge passed down from generation to generation.

Malaka-making workshop – Yukulim Association

Discover how a malaka, a rattle used in certain Indigenous traditional practices, is made during a workshop led by Ruben Makosi. This activity offers an opportunity to learn more about the object and the traditional skills involved in making it.

📍 Location: Transportation Camp, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni

📅 Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026

🕐 Time: 8:30 am – 10:30 am

💶 Price: free

🎟️ Reservation: maximum 15 participants, ages 10 and over

Traditional Indigenous art workshop – Basketry

Discover Palikur basketry and traditional arouman weaving techniques. Guided through the different stages of the process, you will make your own basket while learning about a traditional skill that plays an important role in Indigenous everyday life.

📍 Location: Kalawachi Association, Kourou

📅 Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026

🕐 Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

💶 Price: free

🎟️ Reservation: registration required, 15 places available and maximum 2 participants per family

🌿 Natural heritage and plant knowledge in French Guiana

French Guiana’s biodiversity is accompanied by a wealth of knowledge about plants and their traditional uses. An ethnobotanical walk and a medicinal garden tour invite you to explore the connections between natural heritage, food and traditional pharmacopoeia.

Ethnobotanical walk in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni

Ethnobotanical walk – Discovering useful plants

Explore the historic centre of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni with ethnobotanist Marc-Alexandre Tareau and discover medicinal and edible plants. Along the way, identify different species while learning about their uses and the knowledge associated with them.

📍 Location: Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni

📅 Date: Sunday, September 20, 2026

🕐 Time: 8:00 am – 10:00 am

💶 Price: free

🎟️ Reservation: maximum 15 participants

Medicinal garden and traditional pharmacopoeia in French Guiana

Medicinal garden tour – Discovering traditional pharmacopoeia

Discover a medicinal garden and plants used in traditional pharmacopoeia during a visit organised in collaboration with the Yukulim association. The experience ends with a convivial tasting of a herbal infusion.

📍 Location: Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni

📅 Date: Sunday, September 20, 2026

🕐 Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

💶 Price: free

🎟️ Reservation: required, maximum 10 participants

📸 Photography and visual memory of French Guiana

A key theme of this 43rd edition, photography is also a way to preserve, transmit and explore memories and cultures. In Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni and Cayenne, discover the work of two artists who place photography at the heart of their creative approach.

Guided tours of Weki din Sabi – Awakening dormant knowledge by artist Antoine Dingui

Discover Antoine Dingui’s work highlighting and protecting the territory’s cultural heritage, particularly that of Businenge communities. The artist presents his photographic exhibition and the messages he seeks to convey through his images.

📍 Location: Transportation Camp, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni

📅 Date: Friday, September 18, 2026

🕐 Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

💶 Price: free

🎟️ Reservation: limited to two school classes

Meet Ojoz at the MAZ (Maison de la photographie)

As part of his Amor Fati exhibition, meet photographer Ojoz and discover his career and photographic practice. The artist looks back on several years of travelling in Senegal and explores how encounters, journeys and unexpected situations have shaped his perspective.

📍 Location: Musée-bibliothèque Franconie, Cayenne

📅 Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026

🕐 Time: 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

💶 Price: free

🎟️ Reservation: maximum 40 participants

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