UNESCO designated the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France as a World Heritage Site in December 1998. The routes pass through the following regions of France: Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Midi-Pyrénées, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. UNESCO cites the routes' role in "religious and cultural exchange", the development of "specialized edifices" along the routes, and their "exceptional witness to the power and influence of Christian faith among people of all classes and countries in Europe during the Middle Ages".
UNESCO designated 71 structures along the routes and seven stretches of the Chemin du Puy as a World Heritage Site. The structures are largely monuments, churches, or hospitals that provided services to pilgrims headed to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Some are places of pilgrimage in their own right. Other structures include a tower, a bridge, and a city gate.
Structures The sites included in the UNESCO designation are largely monuments, churches, or hospitals that provided services to pilgrims headed to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Some are places of pilgrimage in their own right. Other structures include a tower, bridges, a city gate, and a prehistoric stone construction. When UNESCO designates monuments as World Heritage Sites, this often leads to an increase in tourism that challenges the abilities of local communities to continue protecting the sites themselves.
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Clermont-Ferrand: church Notre-Dame du Port Le Puy-en-Velay: cathedral Le Puy-en-Velay: Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté La Charité-sur-Loire: church Sainte-Croix-Notre-Dame Asquins: church Saint-Jacques d'Asquins Vézelay: former abbatial church Sainte-Madeleine
Centre-Val de Loire Neuvy-Saint-Sépulchre: collegial church Saint-Étienne (formerly collegial church Saint-Jacques) – Centre-Val de Loire Bourges: cathedral Saint-Étienne – Centre
Grand Est L'Épine: Basilica Notre-Dame de l'Épine Châlons-en-Champagne: church Notre-Dame-en-Vaux
Hauts-de-France Amiens: cathedral Notre-Dame Compiègne: parochial church Saint-Jacques Douai: Église Saint-Jacques de Douai Folleville: parochial church Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Île-de-France Paris: Saint-Jacques Tower – Île-de-France
Normandy Mont Saint-Michel – Lower Normandy
Nouvelle-Aquitaine Périgueux: cathedral Saint-Front Saint-Avit-Sénieur: church Le Buisson-de-Cadouin: former abbaye Bazas: former cathedral Bordeaux: basilica of St. Severinus Bordeaux: basilica of St. Michael Bordeaux: cathedral of St. Andrew La Sauve: abbey de La Sauve-Majeure La Sauve-Majeure: church Saint-Pierre Soulac-sur-Mer: church Notre-Dame-de-la-Fin-des-Terres Aire-sur-l'Adour: church Sainte-Quitterie Mimizan: bell tower Sorde-l'Abbaye: abbey Saint-Jean Saint-Sever: abbey Agen: cathedral Saint Caprais Bayonne: cathedral Sainte-Marie L'Hôpital-Saint-Blaise: church Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port: gate Saint Jacques Oloron-Sainte-Marie: church Sainte Marie Saintes: church Sainte-Eutrope Saint-Jean-d'Angély: royal abbey Saint-Jean-Baptiste Melle: church Saint-Hilaire Aulnay: church Saint-Pierre Poitiers: church Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand Pons: former hospital des Pèlerins Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat: church Saint-Léonard
Occitanie Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert: former abbey de Gellone Aniane/Saint-Jean-de-Fos: Pont du Diable Saint-Gilles-du-Gard: former abbatial church Audressein: church of Tramesaygues Saint-Lizier: former cathedral and cloister, cathedral Notre-Dame-de-la-Sède, episcopal palace, rempart Conques: Abbey Church of Saint Foy Conques: bridge over the Dourdou Espalion: Pont-Vieux Estaing: bridge over the Lot Saint-Chély-d'Aubrac: bridge called "des pèlerins " over the Boralde Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges: former cathedral Notre-Dame Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges: paleo-Christian basilica, chapel Saint-Julien Toulouse: basilica Saint-Sernin Toulouse: Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques Valcabrère: church Saint-Just Auch: cathedral Sainte-Marie Beaumont-sur-l'Osse and Larressingle: Pont d'Artigue or of Lartigue La Romieu: collegial church Saint-Pierre Cahors: cathedral Saint-Étienne Cahors: Valentré Bridge Gréalou: dolmen of Pech-Laglaire Figeac: hospital Saint-Jacques Rocamadour: church Saint-Sauveur and crypt Saint-Amadour Aragnouet: hospice of the Plan and chapel Notre-Dame- de-l'Assomption, aka. chapelle des Templiers Gavarnie: parochial church Jézeau: church Saint-Laurent Ourdis-Cotdoussan: church of Cotdussan Rabastens: church Notre-Dame-du-Bourg Moissac: abbey-church Saint-Pierre and cloister
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Arles: Église Saint-Honorat
References
External links
UNESCO description UNESCO image gallery