10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites to Visit in France During the Olympics

The UNESCO World Heritage list consists of 1199 properties so far. That the country of France possesses 52 UNESCO World Heritage Sites is quite remarkable! While you are cheering on your favorite team, take a moment to celebrate humanity’s legacy and genius as you visit one of these locations.

Note: If you want to know what UNESCO is and what makes a World Heritage Site, you’ll find all the information at the end of this article.

Sites to Visit in and Around Paris

1. Banks of the Seine in Paris

The Banks of the Seine are the birthplace of Paris, and you will be walking all over the area as you move from one Olympic venue to the next. This is the place that will best showcase the evolution of Paris and its long history. From UNESCO’s registry description:

The whole area is of historical significance. These are 900 acres comprising the physical banks of the Seine, as well as some of Paris’ most iconic landmarks. Here are some of the sites you will not want to miss:

Buildings of Historical Significance:

• Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral: The iconic church is currently closed following the fire in 2019, but visitors can still see the exterior from a distance.
• Gothic church of La Sainte Chapelle: This was King Louis IX’s private chapel (and one of the most beautiful buildings this writer has ever seen!).
• La Conciergerie: This was a former courthouse and jail. The building itself is significant from an architectural and historical point of view. However, most interestingly, here is where Marie Antoinette spent her last night before being executed. There is a little chapel dedicated to her inside. Even more interestingly, Maximilien Robespierre—one of the most vocal voices of the French Revolution, who sent Marie Antoinette to her death—also spent his last night here.
• The Louvre: This building needs little introduction. It began its life as a palace and fortress. Now, it houses some of the world’s greatest treasures, such as Hammurabi’s Code, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, and the Mona Lisa. Go and see it!
• Hôtel des Invalides: The main building began as a military hospital and veteran’s retirement home. Now, the complex houses several museums related to French military history. Here, also, is the final resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte.
• The Paris Mint: The Monnaie de Paris is the oldest continuously running minting institution in the world, founded in 864.
• The Palais de Chaillot: It is a building at the top of the Chaillot Hill in the Trocadéro area. The Olympic torch will rest around this area.
• The Grand Palais: This multi-purpose building was designed for the Universal Exposition of 1900. Besides being a marvel of architecture, the complex houses several museums and exhibition halls.

Spaces of Historical Significance:

• The Eiffel Tower: It needs no explanation—the most well-known symbol of Paris!
• Bridges of the Seine, Like Alexandre III, Pont Neuf, or Pont Marie: architecturally beautiful and perfect places to take iconic photographs.

2. Maisons La Roche and Jeanneret

These sites have been on the World Heritage list since 2016. They are two terraced houses in the 16th arrondissement in Paris, and are the work of architect Le Corbusier—one of the pioneers of modern architecture. Le Corbusier’s mission was to provide better living conditions for the residents of crowded cities. His work was so influential in urban planning that 17 of his projects, in seven different countries, are inscribed in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These sites have their own category as The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement. 

Le Corbusier himself remains a controversial figure. Some of his urban planning ideas have been criticized for, among other things, their indifference to pre-existing cultural sites. His alleged ties to dictator Benito Mussolini, as well as fascism and antisemitism, produce contention even to this day. Architecture students and enthusiasts may still be interested in the value of the sites themselves as a response to fundamental issues of architecture and society in the 20th century. 

3. Château de Versailles

UNESCO inscribed the Palace of Versailles as a World Heritage Site in 1979. The palace itself demonstrates the life of French royalty during the years before the French Revolution, but it is also significant as the site of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, marking the official end of World War I. Besides the palace, the park and gardens cover an area of 1,976 acres, full of things to see and places to visit.

4. Palace and Park of Fontainebleau

Palace of Fontainebleau was another residence of the French kings. It is the only royal castle to be continuously inhabited for seven centuries, from Louis VII in the 12th century to Napoleon Bonaparte in the 19th. Besides visiting the castle and park, tourists have opportunities to hike, cycle, and even go horseback riding. 

5. Medieval Town of Provins

This is the place to go if you want to experience life in the Middle Ages. This fortified town, about 57 miles southeast of Paris, was the seat of the Counts of Champagne. Visitors may climb up the tower, attend a reenactment of knights in battle, and even a birds of prey show.

Sites to Visit on a Day Trip from Paris

1. Chartres Cathedral

Chartres Cathedral, 50 miles southwest of Paris and about an hour and a half away, marks the high point of French Gothic art. The cathedral is a good place to admire features typical of the time period such as flying buttresses, contrasting spires, and stained glass windows. Besides these, the monumental statuary of the 12th and 13th centuries that adorns both the interior and exterior of the church, are of outstanding quality. The site is of interest to tourists as much as Christian pilgrims, who come for the cathedral’s most famous relic, the Virgin Mary’s Sancta Camisia, believed to be the tunic she wore at the birth of Christ.

2. Vézelay Abbey and Hill

Vézelay is about three hours away from Paris. The Benedictine abbey is located in Burgundy and is a famous place of pilgrimage. This is due to its claim of holding the relics of Mary Magdalene, acquired a short time after the abbey’s foundation in the 9th century. It was from here that St. Bernard of Clairvaux preached the Second Crusade in 1146. Then later in 1190, Richard the Lionheart and Philip II Augustus met at the site before departing for the Third Crusade. Even Francis of Assisi chose the hill of Vézelay to found the first Franciscan establishment on French soil in 1217. The Madeleine of Vézelay, a 12th-century monastic church, is a masterpiece of Romanesque art and architecture. 

3. Le Havre – the City Rebuilt by Auguste Perret

Le Havre is also about three hours away from Paris, situated on the English Channel in Normandy. The city was severely bombed during World War II and rebuilt between 1945–1964. What makes Le Havre so exceptional among reconstructed cities is its unity and integrity as it relates to its former city pattern, but integrating these with new ideas of urban planning and construction technology. Of particular interest is the use of a modular grid, prefabricated construction materials, and concrete.

4. Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay

The Abbey of Fontenay is another site about three hours away from Paris. It was founded in 1119 by St. Bernard in a marshy valley of Bourgogne. The earliest communities of Cistercian monks practiced self-sufficiency, and the complex at Fontenay illustrates their lifestyle in the communal buildings that are mostly all original. The Abbey is an example of Romanesque architecture. The iron works are one of the oldest industrial buildings in France, highlighting the role the Cistercians played in the technological progress of the Middle Ages. 

5. Mont Saint-Michel and its Bay

Mont Saint-Michel, the “Wonder of the West,” is a Benedictine Abbey that seems to rise straight up from the water, and it is only accessible by foot during low tide. The unique challenges of building such a structure under these natural conditions make the abbey, as UNESCO describes, a “technical and artistic tour de force.” 

Mont Saint-Michel is located in Normandy, about four hours away from Paris. For nearly 1,000 years it has been one of the most popular places of pilgrimage in the West, along with Santiago de Compostela, Rome, and Jerusalem. The abbey itself was founded in 966 but the sanctuary had been functioning since 708. This sanctuary stands in a difficult place of access according with the tradition of places of worship dedicated to Saint Michael. 

There are different opportunities for tours at the site, not only of the abbey itself and its various attendant buildings but also of the bay during low tide. Visitors will enjoy wondering through the picturesque streets of the village that grew in the shadow of the Abbey as they shop and enjoy the delicious French food. A particular delicacy from the area are the egg omelets of the iconic Mère Poulard.

Bonus: If You Have Time to Go a Little Further Away…

If you have a couple of days in between events and would like to venture out, here are other sites worth visiting!

1. Historic Site of Lyon

Lyon was founded by the Romans in the 1st century BCE. It was the capital of the Three Gauls under the name of Lugdunum. Humans have been settling at this site for more than 2,000 years and visitors today can see traces of this long history all over the modern city.

One of the things that makes Lyon so unique is the way the different layers of expansion have managed to preserve the authenticity of previous architecture. The city is around 290 miles away from Paris, and it is well worth the visit. In Lyon, you will find Roman ruins and interpretive museums, Romanesque cathedrals, Renaissance homes, and even modernist architecture.

Another interesting feature of Lyon is that it was at the heart of the silk industry in France during the 1500s. There has been some sort of silk production in the area until present times. Shoppers today can buy luxurious silk souvenirs from one of the many canut houses (silk workers).

2. Historic Centre of Avignon: Papal Palace, Episcopal Ensemble, and Avignon Bridge

Avignon was the seat of the papacy during the 14th century. Located on the banks of the Rhône River, Avignon is known as the ‘City of the Popes’. Inside the Papal Palace (Palais des Papes), visitors can learn about this interesting and tumultuous historical period. The complex consists of both the Old and New Palaces. The Cathedral of Notre-Dame des Doms, dating from 1150, lies to the north of the Papal Palace. The Gothic chapels were added between the 14th and the 17th centuries. The Small Palace, begun in 1317, was originally the residence of the bishops of Avignon. 

Near the complex, only four of the 22 arches of the Saint Bénézet Bridge have survived. But, visitors standing nearby can imagine what it looked like as knights going on crusades crossed over it all those years ago.

Avignon is around 330 miles away from Paris, but there are many transportation options, the fastest being a two and a half hour train drive, to a nine hour bus ride.

3. Roman and Romanesque Monuments in Arles

Arles is a good example of how an ancient city adapts to medieval civilization, then on to modernity. As part of the Roman complex, travelers can visit the arena, the Roman theater, and the subterranean galleries from the 1st century CE Saint-Trophime, within city walls, which is one of Provence’s major Romanesque monuments.

Arles has also become famous because Vincent van Gogh made it his home from 1888 to 1889—even though this is not part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are at least a dozen locations belonging to the Van Gogh route, sure to delight Van Gogh fans and art enthusiasts alike. 

Travel Tips

Means of Transport

All the distances we have covered in this article have been based upon geographical miles. However, there are many options to travel in France. Most of the tourist locations in Paris are accessible by Mètro. The fastest way to get around after leaving Paris is via the high-speed train, TGV. Other options include renting a car, traveling by bus, rideshare, or even flying, with options for all kinds of budgets. This website might help you determine the best choice for your travel needs while in France.

Traveling During the Olympics

Traveling during the Olympics includes safety measures and even road closures. This way all visitors may travel safely and efficiently throughout the country. Starting on July 18, a series of colored zones will be in place throughout Paris to ensure secure perimeters around the Olympic venues. To be able to navigate through these zones, visitors will need the Pass Jeux. This is a Game Pass in the form of a QR code that will allow pass-holders to walk or cycle through all the common tourist areas within the Banks of the Seine World Heritage Site. The pass is free after submitting personal information through a government-issued form.

Olympic events are not only taking place in Paris. Many other sites throughout the country will see Olympic events and traffic, so tourists should plan accordingly and give themselves plenty of time to get to places.

Sources of Tourist Information

The Paris Tourism Bureau has developed an interactive map for visitors that lists everything from restaurants to museums to shops. Most of the venues discussed in this article have websites with comprehensive information and extensive online content for patrons who cannot visit in person. We encourage you to check them out!

Travel for Fun. Travel for Culture

In France, you can do both at the same time! From the City of Light to the coast of Marseille, soak up the French joie de vivre as you reconnect with your heritage as a citizen of the world. Bon Voyage!

What is UNESCO?

Are you curious about what UNESCO is? What makes a UNESCO World Heritage Site and why does France have so many of them? Here’s a look at the agency’s history and mission.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, is an agency of the United Nations. UNESCO’s objective is to promote world peace and security through international cooperation by focusing on the areas of education, arts, sciences, and culture. UNESCO was founded in 1945, shaped by the events of World War II.

As part of its mission, UNESCO adopted the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1972. Through this treaty, UNESCO seeks to identify, protect, and preserve sites of natural heritage and cultural significance. These designated World Heritage Sites then belong to all the world, regardless of the territory on which they are located. They are places of outstanding universal value to all of humanity. These sites are as varied as the Pyramids in Egypt, or the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

How Are World Heritage Sites Selected?

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. These criteria are outlined in the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention, and include items such as:

• The site represents a masterpiece of human creative genius, or
• The proposed site bears a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared, or
• The site contains superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.

How is a Site Included in the World Heritage Registry?

To have a site included in the registry, a country must make a Tentative List, including any sites within its territory that demonstrate natural and cultural importance. If a country finds that one of these sites qualifies by having Outstanding Universal Value and meeting one of the ten selection criteria, it can choose to present a nomination file for that site. The file will include items such as maps, property history, and other documentation showcasing the site’s value. After the file is submitted, advisory bodies must approve it before it is sent to the World Heritage Committee itself. This committee meets once a year to determine which sites meet the criteria necessary for inscription. Inscription, however, is only the beginning of a site’s story.

What Happens After a Site Is Selected?

Once the site is inscribed on the World Heritage List, each country has the responsibility to ensure the management, conservation, and monitoring of the property. Every six years, the country assesses its sites to make sure that the measures established for their preservation are still in place. 

Based on this assessment, properties may be placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, such as the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador, or the Everglades National Park in the United States. Inscription on this list then allows the Committee to reach out to the World Heritage Fund for help in preservation. This process is reminiscent of the origins of the program during the late 1950s, formed to protect the irreplaceable treasures along the Nile during the construction of the Aswan Dam.