European Heritage Days 2022

For the 39th European Heritage Days (Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 September 2022), we have joined forces with Rennes, Vitré and Fougères to offer a joint program of visits and activities. A weekend rich in discoveries awaits you throughout the department.

European Heritage Days 2022 Program – Rennes -Vitré – Fougères

Editorial by the Minister

This year, the European Heritage Days, one of the most popular cultural events for the French, is honoring “Sustainable Heritage.” Sustainable, heritage seems to be by nature, since it has come down to us, resilient, maintained, restored, preserved. However, if the obligation of its conservation, of its protection against the affronts of man, the assaults of time, the bruises of the elements, appeared as early as the time of Victor Hugo, the contemporary challenge of sustainability has accelerated with climate change. From now on, the conciliation of the preservation of heritage and the construction of a sustainable environment constitutes a major objective, to which this 39th edition of the European Heritage Days will respond concretely, because, not only the valorization of our past and the preparation of a responsible future are compatible, but they are intimately linked: heritage has its role to play for a more sober and ecological future. By reexamining practices, lessons learned from traditions, and the continuity of know-how, heritage actors (public and private historical monuments, archaeological sites, museums, archives, holders of practices recognized as intangible cultural heritage, etc.) are acting today to strengthen the transmission of heritage. For example, they favor restorations using reuse and natural materials (stone, wood, earth, etc.), as close as possible to environmental requirements. These are all techniques from the past, such as the use of local resources with recognized qualities, raw earth or dry stone, which inspire new, more sustainable construction methods, to create the habitat of tomorrow. As the first links in the chain of cultural awareness, heritage, whether modest or grandiose, is rich in lessons for building a sustainable future.I would like to thank the public and private owners of historical monuments in France and in the overseas territories, the associations for the protection and enhancement of heritage, the restorers and curators of heritage properties, tour guides and architects who are mobilized to welcome the public and make them aware of the thousands of sustainable heritage initiatives.Rima Abdul Malak