Ancient sites of Vaison-la-Romaine, Vaucluse, view of the Roman Bridge © DR
The Richelieu site of the National Library of France, the abbey of Cluny or the ancient sites of Vaison-la-Romaine… Discover the 14 finalists of the program The Favorite Monument of the French presented by Stéphane Bern.
On September 13 at 9:10 p.m., Stéphane Bern will unveil from the Cité internationale de la langue française-Château de Villers-Cotterêts the 2023 list of the favorite monument of the French. broadcast on France 3 a few days before the European Heritage Days, the program selected 14 monuments (among 42 places) which represent their region. Until July 21, the public voted online for their favourite. Which monument will succeed the Cherbourg Transatlantic Maritime Station and the Le Redoutable submarine (Normandy)?
Discover the 14 finalists selected in the 2023 edition of the Favorite Monument of the French:
1. Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: Basilica of Our Lady of Fourvière (Rhône)
Built from 1872 by the architects Bossan and Sainte-Marie Perrin, the Notre-Dame de Fourvière basilica is a masterpiece of 19th century religious architecture which dominates old Lyon with its 48-meter high towers . Its elements with Byzantine, Gothic and Romanesque inspirations are enhanced by precious materials such as white marble from Carrara, pink granite from northern Italy, blue marble from Savoy, green onyx, silver chips and gold, ebony and ivory.
Basilica of Our Lady of Fourvière © Fondation Fourvière
2. Burgundy-Franche-Comté: Abbey of Cluny (Saône-et-Loire)
Founded in 910 by Guillaume le Pieux, Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Mâcon, the Benedictine abbey of Cluny houses the remains of a Romanesque church (destroyed during the French Revolution) which was, between the 12th and 16th centuries, the largest church in Western Christendom. However, it is now possible to reconstruct the exceptional abbey at its peak, using digital tools.
Cluny Abbey, aerial view taken from the northwest © 4vents – CMN
3. Brittany: Citadel of Port-Louis (Morbihan)
A jewel of military architecture, the citadel of Port-Louis is located on a rocky point at the entrance to the harbor of Lorient. Revamped many times, the monument bears witness to the history of Brittany and in particular to the prosperous period of the French East India Company, which established itself there in 1666. The citadel now houses the Museum of the Compagnie des Indes and the National Maritime Museum.
Citadel of Port-Louis in Morbihan © Romain Osi
4. Centre-Val de Loire: Royal Castle of Blois (Loir-et-Cher)
An example of the evolution of French architecture from the 13th to the 17th century, the royal castle of Blois was the residence of seven kings and ten queens of France. Located in the heart of the city and on the right bank of the Loire, it offers a panorama of styles, from Gothic to classical, including the Renaissance style.
Royal castle of Blois © Gillard and Vincent
5. Corsica: Citadel of Ajaccio (South Corsica)
Built by the Genoese in 1492, the Miollis citadel was reinforced and enlarged in the 16th century. Transformed into military barracks then occupied during the Second World War by Italian fascists, the emblematic monument of Corsica was ceded in 2019 to the city of Ajaccio, which opened it to the public in 2021.
Citadel of Ajaccio in Corsica © All rights reserved
6. Great East: Fortified castle of Sedan (Ardennes)
Former residence of Lord Évrard III de La Marck protected by a fortified enclosure, the fortified castle of Sedan is a compendium of military architecture from the 15th to the 19th century. The largest fortified castle in Europe, this impregnable stone colossus is 35,000 square meters in area spread over seven levels and has some walls over 25 meters thick.
Fortified castle of Sedan in the Ardennes © Pierre Holley
7. Hauts-de-France: Domain of Chaalis (Oise)
Spread over 1000 hectares, the Chaalis estate was founded in 1137 by Louis VI. Today, it presents both the ruins of the 13th century abbey, the Sainte-Marie chapel decorated with 16th century frescoes by Primaticcio (the “Sistine of the Oise”) as well as the romantic place of residence by Nélie Jacquemart-André, portrait painter of Tout-Paris during the Second Empire, who restored it and installed there his collection of nearly 4,000 paintings, furniture and works of art.
Domaine de Chaalis dans l’Oise © Eric Seillé
8. Ile-de-France: National Library of France Richelieu Site (Paris)
Located rue Vivienne (Paris, 2nd arrondissement), the Richelieu site is the historic cradle of the National Library of France. Palace of Cardinal Mazarin built in the 17th century, the building housed the king’s library in 1721 and receives by legal deposit all the publications distributed in France. In 2022, the site reopened to the public after a vast campaign of renovation and modernization which lasted more than ten years and today presents 900 pieces from its collections (manuscripts, prints, coins, maps, etc.) dating from antiquity. nowadays.
National Library of France, Richelieu site, facade on rue Vivienne © Élie Ludwig – BnF
9. Martinique: Fort Saint-Louis (Lamentin)
The centerpiece of Martinique’s defensive arsenal, Fort Saint-Louis is one of the best preserved fortresses in the West Indies. A jewel of military architecture from the 17th and 18th centuries, the monument was built in volcanic rock and is 600 meters long and 100 meters wide.
Fort Saint-Louis in Martinique © DR
10. Normandy: Le Pin National Stud (Orne)
Built on the initiative of Colbert and Louis XIV in 1665, the Haras du Pin is considered the “Versailles of the horse”, thanks to its classical architecture of the Grand Siècle. Its red brick facades, its flat tiled roofs, its French-style courtyards and gardens, its wrought iron gate, the moat at the entrance to the horseshoe-shaped main courtyard and its Avenue Louis XIV have crossed the centuries to become this year a preparation center for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and an exhibition venue.
Pine National Stud © David Commenchal
11. New Aquitaine: La Coubre lighthouse (Charente-Maritime)
With its 64 meters, the Coubre lighthouse (located at the northern end of the Gironde estuary) is the highest on the Charente coast and one of the most powerful in France, with a light range of around 52 kilometers. Since 1905, the monument has played an essential role in maritime traffic to prevent the sinking of ships.
La Coubre lighthouse © La Coubre lighthouse
12. Occitanie: National Square of Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne)
Since 1144, the Place Nationale has been both an architectural gem and the space where Montauban’s public life takes place. Despite two fires in the 17th century, there are still traces of the past such as a medieval brick tower or a Renaissance gallery. Last year, the square was given a new tile and a water mirror to become an oasis of freshness in the heart of the city.
National Square of Montauban © DR
13. Pays de la Loire: Three-master White (Loire Atlantique)
The White is the last of the great 19th century French merchant ships in navigation. With her three-master with a square lighthouse and a steel hull, she was launched in 1896 in Nantes, her home port. Since 1979, when it was purchased by Caisse d’Épargne, the boat has been kept by the Fondation White. Restored this year, in 2024 it will transport the Olympic flame from Athens to Marseille.
Three-master Belem © Philip Plisson
14. Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur: Ancient sites of Vaison-la-Romaine (Vaucluse)
At the foot of Mont Ventoux, the Gallo-Roman sites of Puymin and La Villasse extend over more than eight hectares and form the largest archaeological complex in France. Remains of the private homes of wealthy families and shopping districts, ancient theatre, mosaics, public baths, sumptuous villas, Gallo-Roman bridge… This ancient heritage is accompanied by the Théo Desplans archaeological museum to highlight the statuary and everyday objects in the Gallo-Roman times.
Ancient sites of Vaison-la-Romaine, Vaucluse, view of the Roman Bridge © DR
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