List of World Heritage Sites in France

The fortified town of Carcassonne was built in 100 BC by the Romans, who used it as a trading center, although the first settlements in the region can be traced as far back as 3500 BC. The site was inscribed in the World Heritage Committee list in 1997 for being an excellent example of a fortified town that has an origin in Late Antiquity. Visitors can see the restored castle, which includes 53 towers and a series of ramparts and bridges, all of which are open for exploring. The narrow cobbled streets within the fortified city are home to shops, restaurants and hotels, all of which maintain the quintessential feel of yesteryear. The Romanesque church within the structure offers stained glass windows, barrel vaulting and gothic details. The towers also offer magnificent views of Ville Basse and the surrounding countryside.

Carcassonne
28, rue de Verdun
11890 Carcassonne Cédex 9
33 (0) 468 102 430
carcassonne.org

Le Mont-Saint-Michel is a small islet off the coast of Normandy. There are currently 50 permanent residents on the island, although the largest part of the island is covered by a monastery and fortified structures. Built in the 8th century, the monastery and its surroundings served as a prison during the 19th century and were eventually declared a historical monument in 1874. The whole island became a World Heritage Site in 1979 for its cultural and architectural significance and beauty.

Most of the original village buildings are still standing, although the road leading to the monastery is now full of shops and restaurants. The main attraction here is the fortifications, which include cloisters, towers, ramparts and chapels. Constructed mainly of granite with some limestone used sporadically as ornament, the castle has towers and stairways that beg to be climbed and explored. Thin cobblestone streets weed throughout the town, connecting the castle to the houses by stairways and ramps. The tide waves that surround the island, some of the highest in the world, are also a sight not to be missed.

Mont Saint-Michel Abbey
BP 22
50170 Le Mont-Saint-Michel
33 (0) 2 33 89 80 00
ot-montsaintmichel.com

Located in the south of France, near Nimes, Pont du Gard is a massive architectural construction dating back to the Roman Empire. The aqueduct was built to bring water from the River Gardon into the city. An impressive 49 meters tall, it has three stories, with the top one being the actual aqueduct. Pont du Gard became a World Heritage Site in 1985, in part because of the massive achievement in construction that took place to put the aqueduct up: no mortars were used to build it.

Guided tours of the area can be taken and allow entrance to the canal and access to the stairways connecting the different areas. There is also a walking tour that follows the remains of the aqueduct and helps explore the surrounding tree-lined valleys, as well as offering viewing points to see the Sartanette Valley and the water crossroads around it. A nearby museum helps visitors understand how the place worked. Models, short clips, interactive exhibits and full-scale replicas are all used here.

Pont du Gard site
Route du Pont du Gard
30120 Vers-Pont-du-Gard
33 (0) 820 903 330
pontdugard.fr