JEP 2026: Visit the historic Inalco campus

Inalco is opening the doors of its historic building for European Heritage Days. The theme of this 43rd edition—“Heritage in Peril: Revive, Resist, Reimagine”—echoes the history of this former mansion built in 1716, which has been home to a succession of residents, ministries, and government agencies before being assigned to the School of Oriental Languages. Discover the history of this truly unique mansion during European Heritage Days!
Assembly JEP 2025
From left to right: the roof of the Maison de la Recherche with a view of the weather vane; the mosaics on the floor of the entrance corridor; the ornate ceiling of the grand staircase; the former dining room. © Sophie Lloyd‎

To mark the European Heritage Days, Inalco’s Research Center will open its doors to the public for a special event, allowing visitors to discover a variety of cultural treasures and enjoy a self-guided, informative tour tracing unique history of this building, which was renovated in 2019. Several architectural features, including the floor mosaics, the monumental staircase, and the moldings and medallions in the historic salons, have been designated the “Heritage of Regional Interest” designation from the Île-de-France Region in 2020. Visitors will have the opportunity to consult the volumes of the Description of Egypt housed at Inalco, a monumental work resulting from Napoleon’s military campaign in Egypt.

Volumes de la Description de l'Egypte
Volumes de la Description de l'Egypte © Sonia Leconte / Inalco‎

Calligraphy workshop led by a student organization at Inalco

The student association Assila invites you to discover the richness of writing styles through a calligraphy workshop. This workshop will introduce you to the art of Arabic calligraphy, a true living heritage rich in meaning and tradition. It will offer a glimpse into the linguistic and cultural richness taught at Inalco!

Free workshop, no registration required, subject to availability.

Someone draws during a calligraphy workshop
Calligraphy workshop at Inalculturelle © Mathious Gomes‎

Speed Searching - Meeting with Inalco Ph.D. Students

A group of Inalco doctoral students, trained through the Experimentarium program, invite you to explore research in a new way. These short, interactive sessions offer opportunities to appreciate the diversity and richness of the research currently being conducted at Inalco.

Since January 2025, Inalco has been part of the Experimentarium network, a national initiative to introduce doctoral students to science communication. This program was launched in Burgundy twenty years ago and is now thriving. It invites young researchers to step outside the academic setting to engage with diverse audiences and share their scientific approach in a simple, lively, and interactive way.

Free event, no registration required, subject to availability.

Ourida Manseri, a young researcher in linguistics, explains her research on the Berber language to a visitor to the European Heritage Days.
Ourida Manseri, a young researcher in linguistics, explains her research on the Berber language to a visitor to the European Heritage Days. © Sonia Leconte / Inalco‎

Practical Information

Free admission, subject to high attendance.
Saturday, September 19, 2026, 1:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. Last admission at 5:30 p.m.
Building accessible to people with limited mobility.

Maison de la recherche - 2, rue de Lille 75007
Metro lines 1 and 7 - Palais Royal, Louvre Museum
RER C - Musée d’Orsay
Bus lines 27, 39, 68, 69, 87, 95 - Pont du Carrousel, Quai Voltaire