Hôtel-Dieu - Hospices de Beaune 2026 - MOUVEMENT(S) [JOURNÉES EUROPÉENNES DU PATRIMOINE] Conserver, restaurer, transmettre : l'Hôtel-Dieu en héritage

Discover, preserve, share: heritage for all at the Hôtel-Dieu

To mark the 43rd European Heritage Days, the Hôtel-Dieu at the Hospices Civils de Beaune is presenting a programme centred on the theme ‘Heritage at risk: revive, resist, reimagine’. Talks, guided walks and themed tours invite visitors to satisfy their curiosity about the challenges of preserving and passing on our heritage, and to share in this living heritage of hospital life, so emblematic of Burgundy.

The European Heritage Days provide yet another opportunity to express our gratitude to visitors to the Hôtel-Dieu. As a privately owned heritage site of the Hospices Civils de Beaune, the admission fees collected help to sustain a mission that has continued since the institution’s foundation in 1443: they fund the maintenance and restoration of the monument, and also help to support the projects of the public healthcare institution. This is why, during the European Heritage Days, there remains a charge for entry to the heritage site. However, entry is exceptionally free for those under 18 holding ‘Hôtel-Dieu’ or ‘Découverte’ tickets. Furthermore, the full programme of events for the 2026 European Heritage Days, themed ‘Heritage in Peril: Revive, Resist, Reimagine’, is open to all visitors at no extra cost.


Workshops & guided walks • Care for the body and care for the soul: the legacy of the Hospital Sisters
Organised by the association ‘Hommage aux dames hospitalières de Beaune’
Wearing the traditional hennin headdress and dressed in the traditional blue woollen cloth costume, members of the association will share their passion for the history of the Hôtel-Dieu’s community of carers. Using medical instruments, apothecary jars and work clothes as props, they’ll tell you how these servants of the poor cared for both the bodies and souls of the sick. Even more surprising… As you wander through a room, under the gallery or near the well, you’re likely to come across a hospital sister! The atmosphere of the 15th-century hospital, when the sisters would walk through the premises going about their duties, is brought to life.
Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September, from 11.00 am to 12.00 pm and from 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm

Stories of Preservation • Meeting the guardians of our heritage
With Adam Lowe, founder of the Factum Foundation for Digital Technology in Preservation, and Larissa van Moorsel, project manager at the Factum Foundation
Facsimile, definition: to make something similar. The Factum Foundation and its founder Adam Lowe have made this their speciality, with the aim of preserving and making the world’s heritage accessible through new technologies. Drawing on a wide range of expertise, this team of specialists carries out projects involving the recording, digital restoration and creation of facsimiles of humanity’s historical artefacts.
The forthcoming restoration of the ‘Last Judgement’ polyptych provides an opportunity for the Hôtel-Dieu and the Factum Foundation to collaborate on the production of a facsimile of the work, which will be displayed in the chapel. Discover this work during a meeting with Adam Lowe and Larissa van Moorsel to discuss their work and hear their stories of heritage transmission.
Saturday 19 September, at 11.00 am and 3.00 pm

Voices from the Hospital Sector • Protecting hospital heritage: the cultural heritage preservation plan
With Jérôme Combeau, Head of Security at the Hospices Civils de Beaune, and Bruno François, Collections Manager at the Hospices Civils de Beaune
Come and meet the healthcare staff at the Hospices Civils de Beaune and hear their perspectives on the care provided today! Each speaker will share their professional experiences and explain their working practices as hospital staff. Jérôme Combeau and Bruno François invite you behind the scenes at the Hôtel-Dieu to understand how the protection of a historic monument and its collections is organised.
Saturday 19 September, at 2.15 pm

Stories of Continuity • Meeting former healthcare staff from the Hospices Civils de Beaune
With Sister Louise Duchini, Superior General of the Congregation of the Hospitaller Sisters of Saint Martha of Beaune
From the history of the community of Hospital Sisters founded in 1459 to an account of the daily lives of the nurses up until 1971, this is the story of the place as told by Sister Louise Duchini: a moving account of how nursing practices and the relationship with patients have evolved.
Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September, at 4 pm

Themed Pop-Up Tour • The restoration of the ‘Last Judgement’ polyptych
Led by a guide from the Hôtel-Dieu
In just 20 minutes, the secrets behind the restoration of this iconic painting will be revealed to you: little tidbits to savour before, during or after the self-guided ‘Hôtel-Dieu’ tour!
Sunday 20 September at 10.00 am, 11.30 am, 2.30 pm and 5.00 pm

Launch of the Heritage Pass – Fondation du Patrimoine
To mark the launch of the Heritage Pass, volunteers from the Fondation du Patrimoine will be at the Hôtel-Dieu to help you discover how this membership works and the opportunities it offers, ranging from exceptional tours to unique experiences across France. Come and meet them in the Saint-Nicolas Room!
Sunday 20 September from 10.00 to 17.30

Book via the Hôtel-Dieu’s online ticket office
https://reservation-hoteldieu.hospices-de-beaune.com/journees-europeennes-patrimoine-2026.html

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