European Heritage Days 2026 in Guadeloupe: Events Not to Miss
European Heritage Days return to Guadeloupe on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026. Throughout the weekend, historic estates, gardens, museums, historical sites and places usually closed to the public open their doors, offering a different way to discover Guadeloupe’s heritage.This 43rd edition highlights two themes: “Photography Heritage” and “Heritage at Risk: Revive, Resist, Reimagine.”What to do during European Heritage Days 2026 in Guadeloupe? The Europcar Guadeloupe team has selected experiences for you to enjoy across the archipelago. Exceptional visits, cultural and historical discoveries, encounters and activities invite you to explore the richness of Guadeloupe’s heritage.
🏛️ Step inside places usually closed to the public
Heritage Days are a unique opportunity to step inside places that are rarely open to the public and discover their history. Two exceptional openings await you in Guadeloupe this year.
Guided tour of the Guadeloupean Centre for Indian Culture – André Périannayagom
Discover Guadeloupe's Indian heritage through two complementary exhibitions. Historical photographs and documents trace the history of Indian immigration, while an immersive exploration of spices highlights the lasting influence of Indian workers on Guadeloupean culture and cuisine.
📍 Location: Guadeloupean Centre for Indian Culture, Petit-Canal
📅 Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026
🕐 Time: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
💶 Admission: free
Saraswati Temple
Take advantage of this exceptional opening to discover a group of sanctuaries dedicated to Hindu deities. The guided tour explores the arrival of Indian communities in Guadeloupe and their cultural, religious and agricultural contributions, along with an introduction to the diversity of Indian music.
📍 Location: Saraswati Temple, Bois David, Le Moule 📅 Dates: Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026 💶 Admission: free 💡 Europcar tip: as this is a place of worship, please wear respectful clothing suitable for the visit.
🧺 Discover Guadeloupean traditions and know-how
Music, dance and craftsmanship… Heritage Days bring to life traditions and skills passed down from generation to generation. Meet the people who preserve them and keep them alive today.
KA KI GWOKA (Discover Gwoka)
Step into the world of gwoka through a lively introduction to traditional drumming and dance. Children and adults can join in, have a go and discover a tradition passed down from generation to generation.
📍 Location: Lakou Veranda, Sainte-Anne
📅 Dates: Friday, September 18 and Sunday, September 20, 2026
🕐 Times: 9–10:30 a.m. on Friday; 9:30–10:30 a.m. on Sunday
💶 Admission: €10 per person
🎟️ Good to know: limited to 20 participants; no equipment required
💡 Europcar tip: wear comfortable clothing to make the most of the drumming and dance activities.
Friends of Indigo
Discover the fascinating world of indigo and traditional natural dyeing techniques. Learn about this remarkable plant and the characteristics that have made it the basis of a distinctive textile craft.
📍 Location: Écomusée de Marie-Galante, Grand-Bourg
📅 Dates: Friday, September 18 to Sunday, September 20, 2026
💶 Admission: free
🍲 Taste Guadeloupe's culinary heritage
Guadeloupe's heritage can also be discovered through food. In Marie-Galante, traditional recipes, local products and cooking methods tell the story of skills and traditions that continue to be passed down through generations.
Discover and taste wood-fired cooking – The symbolism of the “foyé di fé”
Discover the meaning of the “foyé di fé”, a tradition deeply rooted in Marie-Galante's heritage. After a talk exploring its history and significance, enjoy a meal showcasing the island's flavours, traditionally prepared and cooked over a wood fire.
📍 Location: Borée, Capesterre-de-Marie-Galante
📅 Date: Sunday, September 20, 2026
🕐 Time: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
🎟️ Booking: required
🚌 Good to know: transport is provided from a designated meeting point in each municipality from 10 a.m.
Siwo batterie – Le Moysan
Discover sirop de batterie, one of the traditional skills that shape Marie-Galante's culinary heritage. In Capesterre, a local family preserves time-honoured techniques for transforming sugarcane juice into this traditional syrup, keeping a unique family and artisanal tradition alive.
📍 Location: Le Moysan, Capesterre-de-Marie-Galante
📅 Dates: Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026
🕐 Time: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
💶 Admission: free
🥁 Immerse yourself in Guadeloupean culture and memory
Heritage Days are also an opportunity to discover the stories, customs and traditions that shape Guadeloupe's collective memory. In Sainte-Anne and Marie-Galante, explore a living heritage that continues to be passed down and reinvented across generations.
Our Elders, Guardians of our Memory
Immerse yourself in traditional customs and skills passed down through generations at Mare Grand-Maison. Quadrille, gwoka, local specialities, traditional carapate and roucou oil making, crafts and historical objects come together for a day dedicated to sharing Guadeloupean culture.
📍 Location: Mare Grand-Maison, Poirier, Sainte-Anne
📅 Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026
🕐 Time: 1–6 p.m.
💶 Admission: free
💡 Europcar tip: allow plenty of time to enjoy the event, with activities, local food and workshops to discover throughout the afternoon.
Heritage at risk: preserving Marie-Galante's intangible cultural heritage
Discover traditions from Marie-Galante that are now at risk of disappearing and the initiatives designed to document, pass on and preserve them. Traditional work songs, fishing knowledge and the Carnaval Kabwèt are at the heart of three days of talks, workshops and demonstrations.
📍 Location: Écomusée de Marie-Galante, Grand-Bourg
📅 Dates: Friday, September 18 to Sunday, September 20, 2026
💶 Admission: free
🌿 Explore Guadeloupe's natural and rural heritage
From historic estates to maritime landscapes, Guadeloupe's heritage can also be discovered through sites shaped by their history and surroundings. From the remains of a former sugar estate and distillery to a lighthouse off the coast of Le Gosier, these two visits reveal very different sides of the islands.
At the heart of Habitation Néron
Explore the remains of Habitation Néron, a former sugar estate and distillery dating back to the mid-17th century. This 45-minute guided tour takes you through the history of the estate before ending with an introduction to Papa Rouyo rums.
📍 Location: Habitation Néron, Le Moule
📅 Dates: Friday, September 18 and Saturday, September 19, 2026
🕐 Time: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
💶 Admission: free
🎟️ Booking: required, maximum 20 people per group
💡 Europcar tip: bring a hat and comfortable walking shoes.
Guided tour of the Gosier Lighthouse
Head to Îlet du Gosier and take advantage of the exceptional opening of its lighthouse to discover another side of Guadeloupe's maritime heritage. Led by staff from the Direction de la Mer, tours take place in small groups of six in a remarkable setting between land and sea.
📍 Location: Îlet du Gosier, Le Gosier
📅 Dates: Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026
🕐 Time: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
💶 Admission: free
👥 Tours: maximum 6 people, departing every 20 minutes
ℹ️ Good to know: open to children aged 8 and over when accompanied by a parent. The lighthouse is not accessible to people with reduced mobility. Visitors must arrange their own transport to the islet.
💡 Europcar tip: check transport options to the islet in advance and wear suitable footwear.
📸 Rediscover Guadeloupe through its history and images
Echoing the 2026 theme “Photography Heritage”, images become powerful witnesses to the past. Collections, historical photographs and archives offer a different perspective on Guadeloupe's history and the people who shaped it.
Edgar Clerc Museum exhibition and activities
Travel back to the earliest chapters of Guadeloupe's history by discovering the Amerindian remains presented at the Edgar Clerc Museum. For Heritage Days, the museum opens its doors around its exhibition and offers a range of activities and workshops to enrich your visit.
📍 Location: Edgar Clerc Museum, Le Moule
📅 Dates: Friday, September 18, Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026
💶 Admission: free
💡 Europcar tip: check the activity programme before your visit to choose which ones you would like to attend.
Morne-à-l’Eau and Guadeloupe of the past through Guy Nouvier's photographs
Step back in time through historical photographs of Morne-à-l’Eau and Guadeloupe in days gone by. Photographer and genealogist Guy Nouvier brings together photographs, press clippings and objects to bring part of the area's history and collective memory back to life.
📍 Location: LOLO PEYI, 44 rue Julien Lamago dit Loulou, Morne-à-l’Eau
📅 Date: Sunday, September 20, 2026
💶 Admission: free
🎟️ Booking: required
ℹ️ Good to know: continuous viewing with commentary every 30 minutes.
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