UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
designated the
Routes of Santiago de Compostela
The Camino de Santiago ( la, Peregrinatio Compostellana, "Pilgrimage of Compostela"; gl, O Camiño de Santiago), known in English as the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint ...
in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
as a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
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. The structures are largely monuments, churches, or hospitals that provided services to pilgrims headed to
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of St ...
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
pilgrim
A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) who is on Pilgrimage, a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journey (often on foot) to some place of special significance to the a ...
s headed to
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of St ...
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.
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (ARA; ; frp, Ôvèrgne-Rôno-Ârpes; oc, Auvèrnhe Ròse Aups; it, Alvernia-Rodano-Alpi) is a region in southeast-central France created by the 2014 territorial reform of French regions; it resulted from the merger of Au ...
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Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand (, ; ; oc, label=Auvergnat (dialect), Auvergnat, Clarmont-Ferrand or Clharmou ; la, Augustonemetum) is a city and Communes of France, commune of France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions of France, region, with a population ...
Le Puy-en-Velay
Le Puy-en-Velay (, literally ''Le Puy in Velay''; oc, Lo Puèi de Velai ) is the prefecture of the Haute-Loire department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of south-central France.
Located near the river Loire, the city is famous for its ca ...
:
cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
# Le Puy-en-Velay: Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (; , sometimes abbreviated BFC; Arpitan: ''Borgogne-Franche-Comtât'') is a region in Eastern France created by the 2014 territorial reform of French regions, from a merger of Burgundy and Franche-Comté. The new region ...
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La Charité-sur-Loire
La Charité-sur-Loire (before 1961: ''La Charité'') is a commune in the Nièvre department and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of eastern France.
Geography
La Charité-sur-Loire lies on the right, eastern bank of the river Loire, about 25 km no ...
: church Sainte-Croix-Notre-Dame
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Asquins
Asquins () is a commune in the Yonne department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in north-central France.
See also
*Communes of the Yonne department
*Parc naturel régional du Morvan
Morvan Regional Natural Park (French: ''Parc naturel régional du ...
: church Saint-Jacques d'Asquins
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Vézelay
Vézelay () is a commune in the department of Yonne in the north-central French region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. It is a defensible hill town famous for Vézelay Abbey. The town and its 11th-century Romanesque Basilica of St Magdalene are de ...
Centre-Val de Loire
Centre-Val de Loire (, , ,In isolation, ''Centre'' is pronounced . ) or Centre Region (french: région Centre, link=no, ), as it was known until 2015, is one of the eighteen administrative regions of France. It straddles the middle Loire Valley ...
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Neuvy-Saint-Sépulchre
Neuvy-Saint-Sépulchre () is a Communes of France, commune in the Indre Departments of France, department in central France.
History
The town takes its name from its basilica which is a replica of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. T ...
: collegial church Saint-Étienne (formerly collegial church Saint-Jacques) –
Centre-Val de Loire
Centre-Val de Loire (, , ,In isolation, ''Centre'' is pronounced . ) or Centre Region (french: région Centre, link=no, ), as it was known until 2015, is one of the eighteen administrative regions of France. It straddles the middle Loire Valley ...
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Bourges
Bourges () is a commune in central France on the river Yèvre. It is the capital of the department of Cher, and also was the capital city of the former province of Berry.
History
The name of the commune derives either from the Bituriges, t ...
Grand Est
Grand Est (; gsw-FR, Grossa Oschta; Moselle Franconian/ lb, Grouss Osten;
Rhine Franconian: ''Groß Oschte''; german: Großer Osten ; en, "Great East") is an administrative region in Northeastern France. It superseded three former administrat ...
Notre-Dame de l'Épine
The Basilica of Our Lady of l'Épine (), also known as Notre-Dame de l'Épine, is a Roman Catholic basilica in the small village of L'Épine, Marne, near Châlons-en-Champagne and Verdun. It is a major masterpiece in the Flamboyant Gothic style. ...
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Châlons-en-Champagne
Châlons-en-Champagne () is a city in the Grand Est region of France. It is the capital of the department of Marne, despite being only a quarter the size of the city of Reims.
Formerly called Châlons-sur-Marne, the city was officially renam ...
: church
Notre-Dame-en-Vaux
The Notre-Dame-en-Vaux is a Roman Catholic church located in Châlons-en-Champagne. The cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcop ...
Hauts-de-France
Hauts-de-France (; pcd, Heuts-d'Franche; , also ''Upper France'') is the northernmost Regions of France, region of France, created by the territorial reform of French regions in 2014, from a merger of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy. Its Prefectu ...
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Amiens
Amiens (English: or ; ; pcd, Anmien, or ) is a city and commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France. In 2021, the population of ...
Compiègne
Compiègne (; pcd, Compiène) is a commune in the Oise department in northern France. It is located on the river Oise. Its inhabitants are called ''Compiégnois''.
Administration
Compiègne is the seat of two cantons:
* Compiègne-1 (with 19 c ...
: parochial church Saint-Jacques
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Douai
Douai (, , ,; pcd, Doï; nl, Dowaai; formerly spelled Douay or Doway in English) is a city in the Nord département in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Located on the river Scarpe some from Lille and from Arras, D ...
: Église Saint-Jacques de Douai
# Folleville: parochial church Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
:
Saint-Jacques Tower
The Tour Saint-Jacques (, 'Saint James's Tower') is a monument located in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, France, at the intersection of Rue de Rivoli with Rue Nicolas Flamel. This Flamboyant Gothic tower is all that remains of the former 16th ...
Normandy
Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
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Mont Saint-Michel
Mont-Saint-Michel (; Norman: ''Mont Saint Miché''; ) is a tidal island and mainland commune in Normandy, France.
The island lies approximately off the country's north-western coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches and is ...
–
Lower Normandy
Lower Normandy (french: Basse-Normandie, ; nrf, Basse-Normaundie) is a former administrative region of France. On 1 January 2016, Lower and Upper Normandy merged becoming one region called Normandy.
Geography
The region included three departme ...
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Nouvelle-Aquitaine (; oc, Nòva Aquitània or ; eu, Akitania Berria; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Novéle-Aguiéne'') is the largest administrative region in France, spanning the west and southwest of the mainland. The region was created by t ...
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Périgueux
Périgueux (, ; oc, Peireguers or ) is a communes of France, commune in the Dordogne departments of France, department, in the administrative regions of France, administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France.
Périgueux i ...
Le Buisson-de-Cadouin
Le Buisson-de-Cadouin (; ) is a commune in the Dordogne department in southwestern France. It is situated on the left bank of the river Dordogne. The Gare du Buisson is a railway junction, with connections to Bordeaux, Sarlat-la-Canéda, Agen an ...
: former abbaye
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Bazas
Bazas (; oc-gsc, Vasats) is a commune in the Gironde department in southwestern France.
Geography
Bazas stands on a narrow promontory above the Beuve valley 60 km/37 mi southeast of Bordeaux and 40 km/25 mi southwest of ...
Bordeaux
Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...
Soulac-sur-Mer
Soulac-sur-Mer (; oc, Solac de Mar, , ), commonly known as Soulac (''Solac''), is a commune in the department of Gironde, administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine (formerly Aquitaine), France. It's a seaside resort on Côte d'Argent, in the pe ...
: church Notre-Dame-de-la-Fin-des-Terres
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Aire-sur-l'Adour
Aire-sur-l'Adour (; oc, Aira d'Ador or simply ) is a commune in the Landes department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France.
It lies on the river Adour in the wine area of southwest France. It is an episcopal see of the Diocese of Aire and D ...
: church Sainte-Quitterie
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Mimizan
Mimizan (; oc, Mamisan) is a commune in the Landes department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in south-western France. There are two separate districts of the town: Mimizan-Bourg (town center) and Mimizan-Plage (resort).
Geography
Mimizan is a seaside ...
Saint-Sever
Saint-Sever (, Gascon ''Sent Sever'' ) is a commune in the Landes department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France.
History and geography
Saint-Sever stands on an eminence. It is south of Mont-de-Marsan, on the left bank of the ...
:
abbey
An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns.
The conce ...
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Agen
The communes of France, commune of Agen (, ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Lot-et-Garonne Departments of France, department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It lies on the river Garonne southeast of Bordeaux.
...
Bayonne
Bayonne (; eu, Baiona ; oc, label= Gascon, Baiona ; es, Bayona) is a city in Southwestern France near the Spanish border. It is a commune and one of two subprefectures in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine re ...
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (literally "Saint John t theFoot of hePass"; eu, Donibane Garazi; es, San Juan Pie de Puerto) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. It is close to Ostabat in the Pyrenean foothi ...
: gate Saint Jacques
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Oloron-Sainte-Marie
Oloron-Sainte-Marie (; oc, Auloron e Senta Maria; eu, Oloroe-Donamaria) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine (before 2015: Aquitaine), southwestern France.
History
The town was founded by the ...
Saint-Jean-d'Angély
Saint-Jean-d'Angély (; Saintongeais: ''Sént-Jhan-d'Anjhéli'') is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.
The commune has its historical origins in the Abbey of Saint-Jean-d'Angély.
Royal abbey
Founded in the ...
: royal abbey Saint-Jean-Baptiste
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Melle
Melle may refer to:
People
* Basil Melle (1891–1966), South African cricketer
* Gil Mellé (1931–2004), American artist, jazz musician and film composer
* John van Melle (1887–1953), Dutch-born South African author
* Melle Mel (born 19 ...
: church Saint-Hilaire
# Aulnay: church Saint-Pierre
#
Poitiers
Poitiers (, , , ; Poitevin: ''Poetàe'') is a city on the River Clain in west-central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and the historical centre of Poitou. In 2017 it had a population of 88,291. Its agglomerat ...
: church Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand
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Pons
The pons (from Latin , "bridge") is part of the brainstem that in humans and other bipeds lies inferior to the midbrain, superior to the medulla oblongata and anterior to the cerebellum.
The pons is also called the pons Varolii ("bridge of Va ...
: former hospital des Pèlerins
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Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat
Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat (; ) is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in west-central France, on a hill above the river Vienne. It is named after Saint Leonard of Noblac. The commune of Saint-Léonard-de-Nobl ...
: church Saint-Léonard
Occitanie
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Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert ( or ; oc, Sant Guilhèm dau Desèrt) is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France. Situated where the Gellone river's narrow valley meets the steep-sided gorge of the river Hérau ...
: former abbey de Gellone
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Aniane
Aniane (; oc, Aniana) is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France.
Population
See also
* Benedict of Aniane
* Pont du Diable, Hérault
* Mas de Daumas Gassac
*Communes of the Hérault department
The ...
/
Saint-Jean-de-Fos
Saint-Jean-de-Fos (Languedocien: ''Sant Joan de Fòrcs'') is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Hérault department
* Pont du Diable, Hérault
The Pont du Di ...
Audressein
Audressein (; oc, Audressenh) is a commune in the Ariège department in the Occitanie region of south-western France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Audressenois'' or ''Audressenoises''.
Geography
Audressein is situated on the ...
: church of Tramesaygues
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Saint-Lizier
Saint-Lizier (; oc, Sent Líser) is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France, situated on the river Salat.
History
Saint-Lizier has a rich history stretching back to pre Gallo-Roman times. In 72 BC, Pompey, returning from ...
: former cathedral and cloister, cathedral Notre-Dame-de-la-Sède, episcopal palace, rempart
# Conques:
Abbey Church of Saint Foy
The Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy in Conques, France, was a popular stop for pilgrims traveling the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela, in what is now Spain. The main draw for medieval pilgrims at Conques were the remains of Sainte-Foy, ...
Espalion
Espalion (; oc, Espaliu) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France.
Population
Sights
* Château de Calmont d'Olt
*The Pont-Vieux (Old Bridge) is part of the World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in Fr ...
Lot
Lot or LOT or The Lot or ''similar'' may refer to:
Common meanings Areas
* Land lot, an area of land
* Parking lot, for automobiles
*Backlot, in movie production
Sets of items
*Lot number, in batch production
*Lot, a set of goods for sale togethe ...
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Saint-Chély-d'Aubrac
Saint-Chély-d'Aubrac (; Languedocien: ''Sanch Èli d'Aubrac'' or ''Sench Eli d'Aubrac'') is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France about 7 kilometres from Aubrac.
Population
Location
The town is in a large and beautiful gre ...
: bridge called "des pèlerins " over the Boralde
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Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges
Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges (, literally ''Saint-Bertrand of Comminges''; Gascon: ''Sent Bertran de Comenge'') is a commune (municipality) and former episcopal see in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France. It is a member of the ...
Toulouse
Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Par ...
Auch
Auch (; oc, label= Gascon, Aush ) is a commune in southwestern France. Located in the region of Occitanie, it is the capital of the Gers department. Auch is the historical capital of Gascony.
Geography
Localization
Hydrography
The Riv ...
Larressingle
Larressingle (; oc, Larressingla) is a commune in the Gers department in southwestern France.
Geography
Population
Sights
* Château de Larressingle
The Château de Larressingle is a ruined castle in the '' commune'' of Larressingle in ...
: Pont d'Artigue or of Lartigue
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La Romieu
La Romieu (; oc, L'Arromiu) is a commune in the Gers department in southwestern France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and terr ...
: collegial church Saint-Pierre
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Cahors
Cahors (; oc, Caors ) is a commune in the western part of Southern France. It is the smallest prefecture among the 13 departments that constitute the Occitanie Region. The main city of the Lot department and the historical center of the Quer ...
Figeac
Figeac (; oc, Fijac) is a commune in the Lot department in south-western France. Figeac is a sub-prefecture of the department.
Geography
Figeac is on the via Podiensis, a major hiking medieval pilgrimage trail which is part of the Way of St. ...
: hospital Saint-Jacques
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Rocamadour
Rocamadour (; ''Rocamador'' in Occitan) is a commune in the Lot department in Southwestern France. It lies in the former province of Quercy.
Rocamadour has attracted visitors for its setting in a gorge above a tributary of the River Dordogn ...
: church Saint-Sauveur and crypt Saint-Amadour
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Aragnouet
Aragnouet (; oc, Aranhoet) is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in southwestern France. It is near with the Spanish border.
Population
Transportation
The Bielsa tunnel under the Pyrenees connects Aragnouet and Bielsa in Spain. It ...
: hospice of the Plan and chapel Notre-Dame- de-l'Assomption, aka. chapelle des Templiers
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Gavarnie
Gavarnie (; oc, Gavarnia) is a former commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department, Southwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Gavarnie-Gèdre.Jézeau: church Saint-Laurent
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Ourdis-Cotdoussan
Ourdis-Cotdoussan is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.Rabastens
Rabastens () is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France. The historian Gustave de Clausade (1815–1888) was born in Rabastens of which he became mayor in 1848.
Population
Transport
Rabastens-Couffouleux station has rail conne ...
: church Notre-Dame-du-Bourg
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Moissac
Moissac () is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Occitanie region in southern France. The town is situated at the confluence of the rivers Garonne and Tarn at the Canal de Garonne. Route nationale N113 was constructed through ...
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (; or , ; commonly shortened to PACA; en, Provence-Alps-French Riviera, italic=yes; also branded as Région Sud) is one of the eighteen administrative regions of France, the far southeastern on the mainland. Its pref ...
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Arles
Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of ...