Today, France has 49 UNESCO World Heritage sites. From the Cordouan lighthouse to Mont Perdu in the Pyrenees, France is indeed full of sumptuous landscapes and monuments, which must be protected and brought to life. Discover our 5 favourites, having received this international recognition from the 1972 World Heritage Convention.
Did you know ? a UNESCO World Heritage site sees its tourist appeal increase by around 30% (Source: GEO)
Cordouan lighthouse
©DRAC New Aquitaine
The Cordouan lighthouse is not a lighthouse like the others. Located in the middle of the Gironde estuary, this lighthouse embodies both the creative genius of the engineer Louis de Foix, but also the major phases in the history of lighthouses.
Built in the open sea on a rocky plateau in the 16th century, it was thought of as a treasure of maritime signaling and as a monument, both in its program and its stylistic expression and in the engineering deployed.
Indeed, this lighthouse was built with blocks of white limestone and adorned with pilasters, columns, modillions and gargoyles which rise on eight levels 67 meters above the sea. A true masterpiece who has watched over the Atlantic for 400 years!
So do not hesitate to visit the oldest lighthouse in France still in operation when you pass through the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region!
The decorated cave of Pont d’Arc
©MCC/DRAC
Located in a limestone plateau in the south of France, this cave contains the oldest cave paintings known to date. According to experts, these drawings date from a very distant period, between 30,00,000 and 32,000 BC.
Discovered in 1994, this decorated cave is a very precious vestige, testifying to prehistoric art. More than 1,000 paintings, with anthropomorphic or animal motifs, have been made on the walls of this cave. In particular, there are representations of dangerous species, such as mammoths, kisses and even aurochs.
What is most astonishing is the exceptional aesthetic quality of these paintings. Indeed, it demonstrates a wide range of techniques, such as the stump or the combination of painting and engraving. A wonderful leap into the past!
Mont Perdu in the Pyrenees
©UNESCO
Located in the Pyrenees straddling Spain and France in the Hautes-Pyrénées department, Mont Perdu is a limestone massif made up of geological formations.
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, Mont Perdu, which culminates at 3,348 meters above sea level, offers an exceptional panorama: canyons, lakes, caves, forests, cirques, pastures… Come and discover during a hike its unique geodiversity and its remarkable mountain landscapes, shaped by the pastoral transhumance of yesteryear. A real change of scenery to take your breath away!
The Canal du Midi
©Gelbart Editions
Located in the Occitanie region, the Canal du Midi has nearly 360 navigable kilometers and 328 maritime structures.
Produced between 1667 and 1694 by Pierre-Paul Riquet, this work is one of the most extraordinary of the modern era. Indeed, this canal made it possible to connect the Mediterranean to the Atlantic Ocean and to facilitate the transport of goods and people. Today, the canal is frequented by many yachtsmen and tourists, who have come to discover the natural wealth of this place and its many locks, aqueducts and tunnels.
Bourges Cathedral
©Gelbart Editions
Built between the end of the 12th and the end of the 13th century, Saint-Etienne Cathedral in Bourges is considered one of the great jewels of Gothic art. Its tympanum, its sculptures and its stained glass windows are particularly impressive and constitute exceptional examples of medieval art.
Stunning in its proportions and design, this cathedral also testifies to the power of Christianity in medieval France. Indeed, Bourges was one of the first Christian cities of Gaul.
LR