
UNESCO sites
The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region has rich cultural and natural heritage on Unesco’s World Heritage List: incredible legacies of the past, from prehistory to modern times.

The architectural work of Le Corbusier
An exceptional contribution to modern architecture: 17 sites around the world attest to the invention of a new architectural language breaking with the past. There are two of these sites in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: the Maison de la Culture in Firminy and the Sainte-Marie de La Tourette priory in Eveux.

The historic site of Lyon
Added to the Unesco World Heritage List in 1998, it includes the neighbourhoods of Old Lyon, Fourvière hill, Croix-Rousse and the Presqu’île peninsula. Two rivers, two hills, four river banks: a perfect description of Lyon's historical heart. 2,000 years of history to observe from the panorama at Fourvière.

The Chauvet Cave 2
Discovered in 1994, the Chauvet Cave is home to humanity's oldest masterpiece: hundreds of sketches of animals that date back more than 36,000 years. To preserve and share this exceptional historical Unesco World Heritage Site, the world's largest replica of a cave is now open for visitors: the Chauvet Cave 2.

The Way of Saint James
Throughout the Middle Ages, Santiago de Compostela was the most important destination for countless pilgrims. To reach Spain, they crossed through France along 4 routes, dotted with notable historical monuments that are today inscribed on the World Heritage List. The sites in our region: Notre-Dame-du-Port Basilica in Clermont-Ferrand and Notre-Dame Cathedral and Hôtel-Dieu in Le Puy-en-Velay.

4 Global Geoparks
Beaujolais (awarded in April 2018), the Ardèche Mountains (2014), Chablais (2012) and the Bauges Mountains (2011) are areas in the region with international geological significance.

The Chaîne des Puys - Limagne Fault tectonic arena
The Chaîne des Puys - Limagne Fault and its 80 volcanoes were awarded Unesco World Heritage status in July 2018, including the iconic Puy de Dôme, a "Grand Site de France®", peaking at 1465 m.

Saint-Etienne "Creative City of Design"
Saint-Etienne became in 2010, the first French city member of the network of creative design cities of Unesco and the 2nd European city, after Berlin.
The purpose of this network is the cultural, social and economic development of cities.