When summer comes to an end, one of the things we most want (or need) to do is to keep pulling on our sleeve to make it last a little. So, the back-to-school bell may have rung, but not the one of discoveries to fully enjoy the Île-de-France in September.
Mark your calendars, here we go again for good ideas for outings this month!
Noisiel is a town in Seine-et-Marne that can be found on the RER A line, and which hides architectural beauties and green corners that Paris envies.
A green well four times larger than the Jardin du Luxembourg, you can come across donkeys, cows or sheep mowing the hills and take beautiful walks on the banks of the Marne, with a view of the old and elegant factories of the Menier Chocolate Factory.
Menier, for history lovers, is the name of a French chocolate manufacturer. In the 19th century, a pharmacist had the (brilliant?) idea of coating his medicines in chocolate. One thing leading to another, he gave up drugs to set up the largest chocolate factory in the world.
Around the factory, a real industrial city was built : with houses for the workers, a school for their children, shops and a farm to supply all these beautiful people. Their architecture (most of which is listed as a Historic Monument), typical of the 19th century, is resplendent.
A performance hall, arthouse cinema and contemporary art centre, the Ferme du Buisson has been rehabilitated into a joyful place of culture, life and sharing, with an open-air space. The good news? The art center's exhibitions are free of charge.
To open its 2026-2027 cultural season, La Ferme du Buisson is betting on the circus with two companies whose shows are free of charge in September and October. Go and discover them!
And that it was the most sulphurous (rich in sulphur) in the whole country? Welcome to Enghien-les-Bains, in the heart of the Val-d'Oise.
A spa resort appreciated by artists, thinkers and the beautiful European bourgeoisie of the 19th century, Enghien-les-Bains is a pretty town, with its villas, gardens and large lake, towards which everything is turned.
As you walk around, you can see hundred-year-old plane trees, manicured gardens, a beautiful jetty, breathtaking views of the lake and brave people in full activity (you can fish, sail, pedal boat or row).
To rest, walk, enjoy the freshness of nature or simply take a well-deserved break with a view that will take you on a journey : in our opinion, it's always a good idea.
On September 12, 2026 (from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.), the city will host the International Fireworks Festival "Les Couleurs du Val d'Oise", at the Enghien-Soisy racecourse.
On Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2026, it is the European Heritage Days throughout France.
For three days, places usually closed to the public open their doors free of charge or at low prices, to:
For the 43rd edition, two themes are in the spotlight:
For all those who lack inspiration and don't know where to turn among the hundreds of events: the Paris tourist office, Paris Je t'aime, has made a small selection.
1 rue de l'Ancien Canal, 93500 Pantin
In Pantin, at the Magasins Généraux, a cultural venue set up in a former 1930s warehouse on the banks of the Canal de l'Ourcq, the group exhibition "Simulacra" is being held until 27 September 2026.
Some twenty international artists explore the many ways in which art blurs reality: trompe-l'oeil, hyperrealism, shadow play, images generated by artificial intelligence...
Between the hyperrealist sculptures of Tony Matelli, the hybrid creatures of Julius Von Bismarck or the false memories of holidays imagined by Maria Mavropoulou, the exhibition invites us to question our ability (or our difficulty) to distinguish the true from the false.