French Towns and Lands of Art and History

Since 1985, the French Ministry of Culture and Communication has supervised the putting into effect of a policy of enlivening and drawing value from the country's heritage. This is done in partnership with the grouping of areas brought together under the title of Villes et Pays d'Art et d'Histoire (Towns and Lands of Art and History).

The agreement was finalized by a convention worked out with the managements of architectural and heritage undertakings and with those of the regions and groups concerned. The convention involves financial and technical support from the ministry and includes an obligation to receive qualified workers accepted by the ministry. The national council of towns and districts of art and history, ("Le conseil national des Villes et Pays d'Art et d'Histoire") set up in 1995, participates in the development and general policy of the network and issues advice as to which places are acceptable for membership of the designation as well as for the withdrawal of support from places where standards slip.

Regionally, the policies of the network are put into effect by the regional directorates of arts and culture ("Direction régionale des affaires culturelles: DRAC") which keep a watch over the relevance of a project and its integration into the cultural landscape of the region. They are also the special intermediaries between the localities and the national organisation.

In 2005, about 130 towns and districts were part of this network.

List of the French Towns and Lands of Art and History by région

For links, refer to the list above. The numbers in brackets are the conventional abbreviations of the names of the départements in which the places are.

Burgundy

- Towns of Art and of History : Autun, Auxerre (71), Châlon-sur-Saône (21), Joigny (21), Nevers (58)

Brittany

- Towns of Art and of History : Dinan (22), Dinard (35), Concarneau (29), Fougères (35), Guérande (44), Lorient (56), Morlaix (29), Nantes (44), Vannes (56), Vitré (35),

- Land of Art and of History : Quimper (29)

- Metropolis of Art and of History: Rennes (35),

- Towns of Art in which assent has been withdrawn : Auray (56), Saint-Malo (35)

Centre

- Town of Art and of History : Saint-Benoît-du-Sault (36)

Champagne-Ardenne

- Town of Art and History : Châlons-en-Champagne (51)

Ile-de-France

- Towns of Art and of History : Boulogne-Billancourt (92), Etampes (91), Meaux (77), Noisiel (77), Pontoise (95), Rambouillet (78)

Normandy

- Towns of Art and of History : Caen (14), Dieppe (76), Elboeuf (27), Fécamp (76), Honfleur (14), Le Havre (76), Rouen (76

- Lands of Art and of History: Pays d'Auge (14), clos du Cotentin & Valognes (50), pays de Coutances (50)

Pays de la Loire

- Towns of Art and of History : Angers (49), Fontenay-le-Comte (85), Guérande (44), Laval (53), Le Mans (72), (44)

- Land of Art and of History: pays du Perche sarthois (72)

ee also

* Les Plus Beaux Villages de France

External links

* [http://www.vpah.culture.fr/ Site of "Villes et Pays d'Art et d'Histoire"] In French.
* [http://www.vpah.culture.fr/vpah/france/france.htm Find the places on the map of France]