France

Seasonal calendar — from climate data and curated definitions.

National holidays — closures and days off.

UNESCO World Heritage sites in this country.

• Palace and Park of Versailles

  1979Cultural

  ©

  The Palace of Versailles is a château and historic monument in Versailles in the Yvelines department of France, southwest of Paris. It served as the principal residence of the French kings Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI.

  Text: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
• Te Henua Enata – The Marquesas Islands

  2024Mixed

  ©

  The Marquesas Islands are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean. Their highest point is the peak of Mount Oave on Ua Pou island, at 1,230 m (4,035 ft) above sea level.

  Text: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
• French Austral Lands and Seas

  2019Natural

  The Kerguelen Islands, also known as the Desolation Islands, are a group of islands in the subantarctic region. They are among the most isolated places on Earth, with the closest territory being the Heard Island and McDonald Islands territory of Australia located at roughly 450 kilometres to the southeast, and the nearest permanently inhabited territory being Madagascar at more than 3,300 km (1,800 nmi) in distance. The islands, along with Adélie Land, the Crozet Islands, Amsterdam and Saint Paul islands, and France's Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean, are part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands and are administered as a separate district.

  Text: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
• Chartres Cathedral

  1979Cultural

  ©

  Chartres Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral in Chartres, France, about 80 km southwest of Paris, and is the seat of the Bishop of Chartres. Dedicated in honour of the Virgin Mary, it was mostly constructed between 1194 and 1220. It stands on the site of at least five cathedrals that have occupied the site since the Diocese of Chartres was formed as an episcopal see in the 4th century. It is one of the best-known and most influential examples of High Gothic and Classic Gothic architecture. It was built above earlier Romanesque basements, while its north spire is more recent (1507–1513) and is built in the more ornate Flamboyant style.

  Text: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
• Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley

  1979Cultural

  

  Lascaux is a network of caves near the village of Montignac, in the department of Dordogne in southwestern France. Over 600 parietal wall paintings cover the interior walls and ceilings of the cave. The paintings represent primarily large animals, typical local contemporary fauna that correspond with the fossil record of the Upper Paleolithic in the area. They are the combined effort of many generations.

  Text: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
• Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Former Abbey of Saint-Rémi and Palace of Tau, Reims

  1991Cultural

  ©

  Notre-Dame de Reims, known in English as Reims Cathedral, is a Catholic cathedral in the French city of the same name, the seat of the Archdiocese of Reims. The cathedral was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and was the traditional location for the coronation of the kings of France. The cathedral is considered to be one of the most important works of Gothic architecture. A major tourist destination, it receives about a million visitors annually. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.

  Text: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
• Decorated Cave of Pont d’Arc, known as Grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc, Ardèche

  2014Cultural

  ©

  The Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc Cave in the Ardèche department of southeastern France is a cave that contains some of the best-preserved figurative cave paintings in the world, as well as other evidence of Upper Paleolithic life. It is located near the commune of Vallon-Pont-d'Arc on a limestone cliff above the former bed of the river Ardèche, in the Gorges de l'Ardèche.

  Text: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
• Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct)

  1985Cultural

  ©

  The Pont du Gard is an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge built in the first century AD to carry water over 50 km (31 mi) to the Roman colony of Nemausus (Nîmes). It crosses the river Gardon near the town of Vers-Pont-du-Gard in southern France. The Pont du Gard is one of the best preserved Roman aqueduct bridges. It was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites in 1985 because of its exceptional preservation, historical importance, and architectural ingenuity.

  Text: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
• Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France

  1998Cultural

  ©

  The Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens, or simply Amiens Cathedral, is a Catholic cathedral. The cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Amiens. It is situated on a slight ridge overlooking the River Somme in Amiens, the administrative capital of the Picardy region of France, some 120 kilometres north of Paris.

  Text: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
• Amiens Cathedral

  1981Cultural

  ©

  The Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens, or simply Amiens Cathedral, is a Catholic cathedral. The cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Amiens. It is situated on a slight ridge overlooking the River Somme in Amiens, the administrative capital of the Picardy region of France, some 120 kilometres north of Paris.

  Text: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)