French political institutions see high tourism during Heritage Days

During European Heritage Days, French political institutions such as the Élysée Palace, Matignon, the National Assembly, and the Senate experience high visitor numbers. Rémy Knafou, a professor emeritus at Paris 1 – Panthéon Sorbonne, suggests this enthusiasm stems from the ability to enter spaces that are typically closed to citizens, effectively "transgressing the ordinary prohibition."

Knafou notes that while these sites have monarchical heritage value, the interest is also driven by a civic desire to understand institutional functions and a connection to historical memory. However, he characterizes these public openings as a "facade opening," arguing that the tours are highly controlled and staged for security and confidentiality reasons, offering a managed impression of power rather than true transparency.