French Towns and Lands of Art and History
Since 1985, the French Ministry of Culture and Communication has pursued a policy of preserving and promoting France's heritage. Historic towns and districts have been designated Villes et Pays d'Art et d'Histoire (Towns and Lands of Art and History).
The Ministry provides financial and technical support to regions and groups for architectural and heritage undertakings. The Ministry imposes an obligation on beneficiaries to receive workers it has deemed qualified to participate in projects. 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. It advises on the eligibility of towns and districts for the Lands of Art and History designation, and effects withdrawal of support from landmarks where standards slip.
Policies of the network are put into effect by the regional directorates of arts and culture (Direction régionale des affaires culturelles: DRAC). The directorates seek to ensure that projects are relevant and blend into the culture of the region. They also serve as intermediaries between localities and the national organization.
In 2005, about 130 towns and districts were part of this network.
Point for discussion
A more accurate and readily-understandable translation of pays would be district (Towns and Districts of Art and History), as the word pays refers to an administrative area centered on a town or village - akin to a district or subdivision of an English county.
List of the French Towns and Lands of Art and History by région
The numbers in brackets are those assigned by the Ministry to the départements.
Alsace
- Towns of Art and of History: Mulhouse (68), Strasbourg (67)
- Land of Art and of History : Pays du Val d'Argent, Pays de Guebwiller (68)
Burgundy
- Towns of Art and of History : Autun (71), Auxerre (89), Châlon-sur-Saône (71), Joigny (89), 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- Towns of Art in which assent has been withdrawn : Auray (56), Saint-Malo (35)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), Loches (37)
Champagne-Ardenne
- Town of Art and History : Sedan 08 Châlons-en-Champagne (51),
Ile-de-France
- Towns of Art and of History : Boulogne-Billancourt (92), Étampes (91), Meaux (77), Noisiel (77), Pontoise (95), Rambouillet (78)
Lorraine
- Towns of Art and of History : Bar-le-Duc (55), Metz (57)
Nord - Pas de Calais
- Towns of Art and of History : Roubaix (59)
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)
Picardie
- Towns of Art and of History: Amiens (80), Chantilly (60),Laon (02), Noyon (60), Saint-Quentin (02), Soissons (02)
Savoie
- Land of Art and of History : High alpine valleys of Tarentaise, Maurienne, Beaufortain (73)