Aubervilliers combines historical landmarks with a diverse cultural scene and routes along the Canal Saint-Denis. You can explore the city from different perspectives: through its church and its past, through theatre, music and cinema, or along its heritage circuits. When planning your stay, you can decide which of these aspects to focus on.
Historical landmarks in the church and fort
The Church of Notre-Dame-des-Vertus is classified as a historic monument. It houses the only organ from the early 17th century still in use in ĂŽle-de-France. Its 17 stained-glass windows also tell the story of the place: they depict a miracle, pilgrimages and other miracles. The church is thus home to both a rare musical instrument and a series of visual motifs.
Other traces of the city’s history reflect a range of themes. The 45-metre-high chimney has been protected as a historic monument since April 2005. The Maison de culture Mazier, meanwhile, is the last surviving testament to Aubervilliers’ agricultural past. Each site offers a different connection to the city’s history.
Fort d’Aubervilliers was built between 1843 and 1846 as part of the fortifications protecting Paris. Today, it is a place of everyday life and cultural events. This combination of its former military function and present-day use gives the fort a distinctive place among Aubervilliers’ historical sites.
Theatre, music and cultural venues
The Théâtre équestre Zingaro has been based at Fort d’Aubervilliers since 1989. The ensemble’s performances are created and presented there. They bring together equestrian theatre, dance, world music, poetry and other artistic disciplines. Those interested in performance forms that combine different arts will find a clear focus here.
Le Point Fort d’Aubervilliers is dedicated to the creation, production, distribution, presentation and passing on of world music, as well as traditional music and dance forms. The venue is open during events. You can reach Le Point Fort on Métro line 7, getting off at Fort d’Aubervilliers station, and on bus routes 134, 152, 173, 234, 248, 250 and 330. If your visit depends on a particular event, check its date when planning your trip.
Smaller and multidisciplinary cultural venues also add to the offer. Les Laboratoires d’Aubervilliers provide a publicly accessible space for exhibitions and gatherings in a former factory in the Quatre-Chemins neighbourhood. Les Poussières is a venue for culture, meetings and creative work, with performances, concerts, sound events and workshops, including cooking and group creative activities. Villa Mais d’Ici is a local cultural wasteland where visual and performing arts are developed. Its regular programme is open to the neighbourhood and involves local residents.
The L’Embarcadère hall hosts theatre, circus and stand-up performances, touring concerts, as well as local, community and municipal events. The programme ranges from stage productions and music to events with a local focus.
Cinema and specific dates
Le Studio screens art-house films in their original language, family films and films for very young audiences; regular preview screenings are also held. There are also regular screenings with introductions or discussions on a range of themes, often organised in collaboration with local and municipal organisations. The programme may change. If a particular screening is important to your stay, check the current cinema listings for your travel dates.
The Canal Saint-Denis and heritage circuits
Along the Canal Saint-Denis, the right bank has been redeveloped as an urban promenade with two parks: Aimé-Césaire Park to the south and Eli-Lotar Park to the north. The canal-side area offers a different focus from the city’s cultural venues and historical landmarks.
For exploring the heritage by bike, Aubervilliers offers two circuits starting from the town hall: one in the east and one in the west of the city, on either side of the Canal Saint-Denis. When planning your stay, you can therefore choose how to balance cultural events and historical sites with the circuits or the canal area.
Discover other destinations: Neuilly-sur-Marne, La Courneuve, Gagny, Montreuil-Sous-Bois, Stains, Pierrefitte-Sur-Seine, Épinay-Sur-Seine, Le Raincy
For the regional travel overview: Seine-Saint-Denis.
