UNESCO classification strives to recognise and protect sites that are outstanding demonstrations of “human coexistence with the land as well as human interactions, cultural coexistence, spirituality and creative expression.”  

With 900 protected sites in the world, both cultural and natural, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee's goal is to protect the treasures of our past for future generations. Since 1979, the committee has classified 35 sites in France. To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria. 

Classified sites:

• Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay (1979)
• Chartres Cathedral (1979)
• Palace and Park of Versailles (1979)
• Vézelay, Church and Hill (1979)
• Decorated Grottoes of the Vézère Valley (1979)
• Palace and Park of Fontainebleau (1981)
• Amiens Cathedral (1981)
• Roman and Romanesque Monuments of Arles (1981)
• Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay (1981)
• Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans (1982)
• Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrière and Place d'Alliance in Nancy (1983)
• Church of Saint-Savin sur Gartempe (1983)
• Cape Girolata, Cape Porto, Scandola Nature Reserve and the Piana Calanches in Corsica (1983)
• Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct) (1985)
• Strasbourg - Grande île (1988)
• Paris, Banks of the Seine (1991)
• Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Former Abbey of Saint-Remi and Palace of Tau, Reims (1991)
• Bourges Cathedral (1992)
• Historic Centre of Avignon - Palais des papes (1995)
• Canal du Midi (1996)
• Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne (1997)
• Pyrénées - Mont Perdu (1997, 1999)
• Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France (1998)
• Historic Site of Lyons (1998)
• Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion (1999)
• Belfries of Flanders and Wallonia (1999)
• The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes : Château d'Angers, Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud, Château de Langeais, Château du Clos Lucé, Château et écuries de Chaumont sur Loire, etc. (2000)
• Provins, Town of Medieval Fairs (2001)
• Le Havre, the city rebuilt by Auguste Perret (2005)
• Bordeaux, Port of the Moon (2007)
• Fortifications of Vauban (2008)
• Lagoons of New Caledonia (2008)
• Episcopal City of Albi (2010)
• Pitons, cirques and remparts of Reunion Island (2010)

Religious edifices constitute a big part of World Heritage Sites. Four French cathedrals were thus distinguished by UNESCO: Chartres, Amiens, Bourges and Reims.  All are masterpieces of the 12th and 13th century Gothic style. Our Lady of Chartres, with its vast diagonally ribbed nave, its admirably carved porches and its splendid stained-glass windows, is extremely well preserved. Our Lady of Amiens is the largest and the most striking in its coherence of design, with a beautiful tri-level interior. The cathedral in Bourges is particularly remarkable for its tympanum, its sculptures and its stained-glass. Lastly, in Rheims, the cathedral - where royal coronations once took place - is known for its finely sculpted façade and carved angels.

Many architectural splendours of the Romanesque period were also recognized by UNESCO. In Burgundy, the hill and the basilica of Vézelay was a holy gathering place for the Crusades and for those who were attracted by the relics of Mary Magdalène. Abbey of Fontenay, not far from Dijon, illustrates perfectly the austere principles of the Cistercian Order, with its ascetic architecture, its cloister and its gardens.The Church of Saint-Savin-en-Gartempe, in Poitou is often called the "La Sixtine Romane" (a Romanesque Sistine Chapel), because of its very beautiful murals from the 11th and 12th centuries.

Historic cities are also a part of the cultural heritage of humanity. All of French history unfolds right before your eyes as you travel along the banks of the Seine in Paris. Lyon's old quarter is a testament to 2000 years of architectural evolution. In Strasbourg, on Grand Isle, remarkable monuments -- a cathedral, four ancient churches, the Rohan Palace – are perfectly integrated into the medieval district. Avignon, the city of the Popes, boasts a splendid historical center, which houses examples of Gothic and Romanesque architecture. Carcassonne, in the Aude, constitutes a remarkable example of a walled medieval city. And finally Provins, knew to preserve the architecture and urban layout which characterized of large medieval market towns. 

UNESCO Biosphere Reserves: the Man and the Biosphere programme was launched in 1971 by UNESCO. It aims to provide the scientific bases to help find suitable solutions to the problems of sustainable development of populations and the management of natural resources. There are ten biosphere reserves across France, from the Mer d’Iroise in Brittany, to Mont Ventoux in the Alps and the Fango Valley in Corsica.