Mont-Saint-Michel: Sheep graze on the reclaimed pré-salé or "salt meadow" (2004).

Mont Saint Michel is a small rocky tidal island in Normandy, roughly one kilometre from the north coast of France at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches, close to the border of Brittany, which has led to Breton claims to the mount. Originally the Couesnon formed the border between the two duchies, and every so often the river would shift its bank, leading to ownership of the mount shifting between them. The river's bed has now been fixed and Mont Saint Michel is now firmly in Norman hands. Location : 48°38′8″N, 1°30′40″W. It is home to the unusual Benedictine Abbey and steepled church (built between the 11th and 16th centuries) which occupy most of the one-kilometer-diameter clump of rocks jutting out of the waters of the English Channel. The church is crowned by a gold leaf statue of St. Michael by Emmanuel Frémiet, reaching a height of 510 feet (155 meters) above the sea. ImageMetadata File history File links Mont-Saint-Michel-2004. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Mont-Saint-Michel-2004. ... St. ... Mont Saint Michel, one of the famous symbols of Normandy. ... The Couesnon river, near the town of Pontorson, leads directly to Mont Saint-Michel, seen in the distance. ... Avranches is a commune of Normandy, France, in the Manche département, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... Traditional coat of arms This article is about the historical kingdom, duchy and French province, as well as one of the Celtic Nations . ... The Bretons are a distinct celtic ethnic group located in the region of Brittany in France. ... Mont Saint Michel, one of the famous symbols of Normandy. ... St Benedict of Nursia (c. ... An abbey (from the Latin abbatia, which is derived from the Syriac abba, father), is a Christian monastery or convent, under the government of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serve as the spiritual father or mother of the community. ... Satellite view of the English Channel Map of the English Channel The English Channel (French: La Manche (IPA: ) is the part of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the island of Great Britain from northern France and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. ... Emmanuel Frémiet French sculptor 1824-1910, lived and died in Paris. ...

Formation

Mont-Saint-Michel: An outlook of the surrounding area (2006).

In prehistoric times the bay had been covered by the sea, which retreated during multiple glaciations, allowing erosion to shape the coastal landscape over millions of years. Several blocks of granite or granulite emerged in the bay, having resisted the wear and tear of the ocean better than the surrounding rocks. These included the Mont-Dol, Tombelaine, Lillemer and Mont Tombe, later called Mont Saint Michel. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2304x1728, 1659 KB) Summary A beautiful picture of the outlook of Mont Saint Michel. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2304x1728, 1659 KB) Summary A beautiful picture of the outlook of Mont Saint Michel. ... Severe soil erosion in a wheat field near Washington State University, USA. Erosion s the displacement of solids (soil, mud, rock and other particles) by the agents of wind, water or ice, by downward or down-slope movement in response to gravity or by living organisms (in the case of... Quarrying granite for the Mormon Temple, Utah Territory. ... Modern petrology defnes a granulite sensuo stricto as a coarse grained, high-grade metamorphic rock composed primarily of pyroxene, plagioclase feldspar and accessory garnet, oxide and amphibole. ...

Tidal island

The Mount was connected to the mainland via a thin natural land bridge, which before modernization was covered at high tide and revealed at low tide. Thus, Mont Saint Michel gained a mystical quality, being an island half the time, and being attached to land the other: a tidal island. Land bridge is essentially a historical term; it refers to dry land exposed during periods of low sea level (see regression), connecting what are now separate continents or islands. ... The tide is the cyclic rising and falling of Earths ocean surface caused by the tidal forces of the Moon and the Sun acting on the Earth. ... St. ...

However, the insular character of the mount has been compromised by several developments. Over the centuries, the coastal flats have been polderised to create pasture. The coast south of the mount has thus encroached on the distance between the shore and the mount. The Couesnon River has been canalised, reducing the flow of water and thereby encouraging a silting-up of the bay. In 1879, the land bridge was fortified into a true causeway. This prevented the tide from scouring the silt round the mount. Now there are plans to remove the causeway and replace it with a bridge and shuttle. Satellite image of Noordoostpolder, Netherlands (595. ... The Couesnon river, near the town of Pontorson, leads directly to Mont Saint-Michel, seen in the distance. ... 1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Hindenburgdamm rail causeway across the Wadden Sea to the island of Sylt in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated by a bank, usually across a broad body of water or wetland. ... An early motorized bus - a Benz truck modified by Netphener company (1895) A bus is a large automobile intended to carry numerous persons in addition to the driver and sometimes a conductor. ...

On June 16, 2006, French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin announced a 150-million Euro project (Projet Mont Saint Michel) to build a hydraulic dam that will help remove the accumulated silt and make Mont Saint Michel an island again. It is expected to be completed by 2012. June 16 is the 167th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (168th in leap years), with 198 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepin (born 14 November 1953 in Rabat, Morocco) simply known as Dominique de Villepin ( — , is a French diplomat and politician. ... Hydraulics is a branch of science and engineering concerned with the use of liquids to perform mechanical tasks. ... Silt refers to soil or rock particles of a certain very small size range (see grain size). ... 2012 (MMXII) will be a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also: Couesnon river.

The Couesnon river, near the town of Pontorson, leads directly to Mont Saint-Michel, seen in the distance. ...

History

The Mont Saint Michel from the south

Le Mont-St-Michel was used in the 6th and 7th centuries as an Armorican stronghold of Romano-British culture and power, until it was sacked by the Franks, thus ending the trans-channel culture that had stood since the departure of the Romans in 459 AD. Image File history File links Mont_Saint_Michel_bordercropped. ... Image File history File links Mont_Saint_Michel_bordercropped. ... Armorica or Aremorica is the name given in ancient times to the part of Gaul that includes the Brittany peninsula and the territory between the Seine and Loire rivers, extending inland to an indeterminate point and down the Atlantic coast. ... For other uses, see Franks (disambiguation). ... Events Dathusena becomes king of Sri Lanka Arguably the worlds first recognizable labor union is formed in Turkey Births Deaths Simeon Stylites dies on top of his tower along the road from Antioch to Seleucia Hormizd III, king of Persia Category: ...

Before the construction of the first monastic establishment in the 8th century, the island was called Mont Tombe. According to legend, the archangel Michael appeared to St. Aubert, bishop of Avranches, in 708 and instructed him to build a church on the rocky islet. Aubert repeatedly ignored the angel's instruction, until Michael burned a hole in the bishop's skull with his finger. The dedication to St. Michael occurred on October 16, 708. (7th century — 8th century — 9th century — other centuries) Events The Iberian peninsula is taken by Arab and Berber Muslims, thus ending the Visigothic rule, and starting almost 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. ... Guido Renis archangel Michael (in the Capuchin church of Sta. ... Aubert was ordered by the archangel Michael to start construction of what became Mont Saint Michel St. ... Avranches is a commune of Normandy, France, in the Manche département, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... Events The Japanese court moved from Heian to Nara. ... Guido Renis archangel Michael (in the Capuchin church of Sta. ... October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in Leap years). ... Events The Japanese court moved from Heian to Nara. ...

The mount gained strategic significance in 933 when the Normans annexed the Cotentin Peninsula, thereby placing the mount on the new frontier with Brittany. It is depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry, which commemorates the 1066 Norman conquest of England. Ducal and royal patronage financed the spectacular Norman architecture of the abbey in subsequent centuries. Events Jersey was seized by William Longsword, Duke of Normandy . ... The Normans (adapted from the name Northmen or Norsemen) were a mixture of the indigenous population of Neustria and Danish or Norwegian Vikings who began to occupy the northern area of France now known as Normandy in the latter half of the 9th century. ... The Cotentin Peninsula juts out into the English Channel from Normandy towards England, forming part of the north-west coast of France. ... Traditional coat of arms This article is about the historical kingdom, duchy and French province, as well as one of the Celtic Nations . ... The Bayeux Tapestry (French: Tapisserie de Bayeux) is a 50 cm by 70 m (20in by 230ft) long embroidered cloth which depicts scenes commemorating the Battle of Hastings in 1066, with annotations in Latin. ... Events January 6 - Harold II is crowned September 20 - Battle of Fulford September 25 - Battle of Stamford Bridge September 29 - William of Normandy lands in England at Pevensey. ... Bayeux Tapestry depicting events leading to the Battle of Hastings The Norman Conquest of England was the conquest of the Kingdom of England by William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy), in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings and the subsequent Norman control of England. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population –mid-2004... The Nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the nave anticipates the Gothic style. ...

During the Hundred Years' War the English made repeated assaults on the island but were unable to seize it partly due to the abbey's improved fortifications. Les Michelettes, two wrought-iron bombards, left by the English in their failed 1423-24 siege of Mont-St-Michel, are still displayed near the outer defense wall. Combatants England France Commanders All the English commanders All the French commanders The Hundred Years War is the name modern historians have given to what was a series of related conflicts, fought over a 116-year period, between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of France, and later Burgundy... A bombard, Malbork Castle A bombard is a type of medieval cannon or mortar, used chiefly in sieges for throwing heavy stone balls. ...

Some of the older buildings in the village still present.

The wealth and influence of the abbey extended to many daughter foundations, including St Michael's Mount in Cornwall, England. However, its popularity and prestige as a centre of pilgrimage waned with the Reformation, and by the time of the French Revolution there were scarcely any monks in residence. The abbey was closed and converted into a prison, initially to hold clerical opponents of the republican régime. High-profile political prisoners followed, but by 1836 influential figures, including Victor Hugo, had launched a campaign to restore what was seen as a national architectural treasure. The prison was finally closed in 1863, and the mount was declared a historic monument in 1874. The Mont Saint Michel and its bay were added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1979, as they rank high on such World Heritage Site criteria as cultural, historical, and architectural significance, as well as human-created and natural beauty. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1367x735, 796 KB) Summary panoramic shot of the village about half way up the mount taken by me Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Mont Saint Michel User:Stevage ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1367x735, 796 KB) Summary panoramic shot of the village about half way up the mount taken by me Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Mont Saint Michel User:Stevage ... St. ... Cornwall (Cornish: Kernow) is a county in South West England. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population –mid-2004... A pilgrimage is a term primarily used in religion and spirituality of a long journey or search of great moral significance. ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement in the 16th century to reform the Catholic Church in Western Europe. ... Liberty Leading the People, a painting by Delacroix commemorating the July Revolution of 1830 but which has come to be generally accepted as symbolic of French popular uprisings against the monarchy in general and the French Revolution in particular. ... Charles Darwin 1836 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Victor-Marie Hugo. ... 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar). ... 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... UNESCO logo UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... Elabana Falls is in Lamington National Park, part of the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves World Heritage site in Queensland, Australia. ...

Design

Plan of the mount by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc

An Italian architect, William de Volpiano, was chosen as building contractor for the mount in the 11th century. He designed the Romanesque church of the abbey, daringly placing the transept crossing at the top of the mount. Many underground crypts and chapels had to be built to compensate for this weight. These formed the basis for the supportive upward structure that can be seen today. Today Mont Saint Michel is seen as a Gothic-style church. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (660x798, 109 KB) Plan du Mont Saint Michel. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (660x798, 109 KB) Plan du Mont Saint Michel. ... Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (January 27, 1814 – September 17, 1879) was a French architect and theorist, famous for his restorations of medieval buildings. ... Isola San Giulio; William de Volpiano was born here in 962 AD Saint William of Volpiano (Guillaume de Volpiano; William of Dijon; William of Saint Benignus) (June/July 962—January 1, 1031) was a Burgundo-Italian abbot, monastic reformer, and architect. ... A General Contractor is an organization or individual that contracts with another organization or individual (the owner) for the construcion of a building, road or other facility. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... Cathedral floor plan (crossing is shaded) A crossing, in ecclesiastical architecture, refers to the junction of the four arms of a cruciform (cross-shaped) church. ... Crypt is also a commonly used name of water trumpets, aquatic plants. ... A chapel is a private church, usually small and often attached to a larger institution such as a college, a hospital, a palace, or a prison. ... See also Gothic art. ...

Robert de Thorigny, a great supporter of Henry II of England (who was also Duke of Normandy), reinforced the structure of the buildings and built the main façade of the church in the 12th century. Following his annexation of Normandy in 1204, the King of France, Philip Augustus, offered Abbot Jourdain a grant for the construction of a new gothic style architectural set which included the addition of the refectory and cloister. Henry II of England (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189) ruled as Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, and as King of England (1154–1189) and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland, eastern Ireland, and western France. ... The Duke of Normandy is a title held (or claimed) by various Norman, English, French and British rulers from the 10th century. ... West façade of the Notre-Dame de Strasbourg Cathedral A facade (or façade) is the exterior of a building – especially the front, but also sometimes the sides and rear. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... // Events February - Byzantine emperor Alexius IV is overthrown in a revolution, and Alexius V is proclaimed emperor. ... Kings ruled in France from the Middle Ages to 1848. ... Philip II (French: Philippe II), called Philip Augustus (French: Philippe Auguste) (August 21, 1165 – July 14, 1223), was King of France from 1180 to 1223. ... See also Gothic art. ... A refectory is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. ... Cloister of Saint Trophimus, in Arles, France A cloister (from latin claustrum) is part of cathedrals and abbeys architecture. ...

Charles VI is credited with adding major fortifications to the abbey-mount, building towers, successive courtyards and strengthening the ramparts. Charles VI Charles VI the Well-Beloved, later known as the Mad (French: Charles VI le Bien-Aimé, later known as le Fol) (December 3, 1368 – October 21, 1422) was a King of France (1380 – 1422) and a member of the Valois Dynasty. ...

Thick mud is exposed on the banks of the river Couesnon at low tide.

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2848x2136, 3591 KB) Summary The muddy edges of the Couesnon river at low tide, about 2km from Mont St Michel. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2848x2136, 3591 KB) Summary The muddy edges of the Couesnon river at low tide, about 2km from Mont St Michel. ...

Tides

The tides in the area shift quickly, and have been described by Victor Hugo as "à la vitesse d'un cheval au galop" or "as swiftly as a galloping horse". The tide actually comes in at one meter per second.

The tides can vary greatly, at roughly 14 meters between high and low water marks. Popularly nicknamed "St. Michael in peril of the sea" by mediaeval pilgrims making their way across the tidal flats, the mount can still pose dangers for visitors who avoid the causeway and attempt the hazardous walk across the sands from the neighbouring coast. The danger of drowning due to costal tides after getting caught in quicksand continues to claim lives. For albums named Pilgrim, see Pilgrim (album). ... Quicksand and warning sign at a gravel extraction site. ...

The spire of Mont St. Michel is visible from the courtyard outside the abbey.

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1728x2304, 809 KB) Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1728x2304, 809 KB) Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ...

Administration

The islet belongs to the French commune Le Mont-Saint-Michel, of the Manche département, in the Basse-Normandie région. Population (1999): 50. The nearest major town, with an SNCF train station, is Pontorson. The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. ... Manche is a French département in Normandy named after La Manche (the sleeve), which is the French name of the English Channel. ... The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France and many former French colonies, roughly analogous to English counties. ... Capital Caen Land area¹ 17,589 km² Regional President Philippe Duron (PS) (since 2004) Population  - Jan. ... France is divided into 26 régions: 21 of these are in the continental part of metropolitan France, one is Corse on the island of Corsica (although strictly speaking Corse is in fact a territorial collectivity, not a région, but is referred to as a région in common... An SNCF multiple unit. ... Pontorsons most notable feature: proximity to Mont Saint-Michel, seen here from the towns outskirts. ...

Miscellaneous

The mount is the object of traditional, but nowadays good-humoured, rivalry between Normans and Bretons. Bretons claim that, since the Couesnon River marks the traditional boundary between Normandy and Brittany, it is only because the river has altered its course over the centuries that the mount is on the Norman side of the frontier. Normans display a certain proprietorial pride in the mount - for example, the Manche département in which the mount is situated uses its silhouette in its logo - and affect mild irritation on occasions when Brittany uses the mount in tourist publicity. The Couesnon River, near the town of Pontorson, leads directly to Mont Saint-Michel, seen in the distance. ... Traditional coat of arms This article is about the historical kingdom, duchy and French province, as well as one of the Celtic Nations . ...

Mont Saint Michel and St Michael's Mount in Cornwall were historical counterparts. The parallel existence of both reflects a number of corresponding places in Cornwall and Brittany. Indeed, both have the same name in their respective languages: carrick loz en coz in Breton and carrick looz en cooz in Cornish. To this day many Cornish people consider Mont St Michel to be in Brittany, not Normandy. St. ... Cornwall (Cornish: Kernow) is a county in South West England. ... Traditional coat of arms This article is about the historical kingdom, duchy and French province, as well as one of the Celtic Nations . ... Breton (Breton: Brezhoneg) is a Celtic language spoken by some of the inhabitants of Brittany (Breizh) and Loire-Atlantique (historically part of Brittany) in France. ... The Cornish language (in Cornish: Kernowek, Kernewek, Curnoack) is one of the Brythonic group of Celtic languages that includes Welsh, Breton, the extinct Cumbric and perhaps the hypothetical Ivernic. ...

Polderisation created salt marsh meadows that were found to be ideally suited to grazing sheep. The well-flavoured meat that results from the diet of the sheep in the pré salé (salt meadow) makes agneau de pré-salé (salt meadow lamb), a local speciality that may be found on the menus of restaurants that depend on income from the many visitors to the mount. This article is about marsh, a type of wetland. ...

The community belongs to the Organization of World Heritage Cities. The Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC) was founded on September 8, 1993 in Fez, Morocco. ...

The 1990 Bernt Amadeus Capra film Mindwalk was filmed on the mount. Mindwalk is a 1990 movie directed by Bernt Amadeus Capra, based on a book by his brother Fritjof Capra, named The Turning Point. ...

British electronic music artist Aphex Twin released a song entitled "Mt. Saint Michel Mix+St. Michaels Mount", which was reportedly produced on his travels in both of these locations. Electronic music is a term for music created using electronic devices. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Feudal era Japanese samurai Samanosuke Akechi and modern era French SA member Jacques Blanc visited Mont Saint Michel in Onimusha 3: Demon Siege, the third installment in Capcom's popular video game series. Samanosuke Akechi Hidemitsu Samanosuke Akechi (明智左馬介) is the main protagonist for Onimusha: Warlords and Onimusha 3: Demon Siege, and a supporting character for Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams. ... Jacques Blanc Spoiler warning: Jacques Blanc is one of two main protagonists (the other being Samanosuke Akechi) in Onimusha 3: Demon Siege. ...

The Mont Saint Michel was also featured in a scene in the 2004 animated Disney movie Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers, in which Captain Pete of the Musketeers attempted to drown Mickey Mouse in order to carry out his plot to take over France's monarchy as king without interruption. Pete even mentions it by name, telling Mickey before leaving the dungeon, "Enjoy your stay at the Mont Saint Michel -- they say the tide comes in faster than horses!" This ties in somewhat with the cathedral's history as a jail for political prisoners. Mickey Mouse is a comic animal cartoon character who has become a symbol for The Walt Disney Company. ... Pete as his ancestor Pecos Pete, in Goof Troop Black Pete (also known as Peg-Leg Pete and, simply, Pete) is a fictional character from the Walt Disney Company stables. ...

See also

• La Mère Poulard
• St Michael's Mount

La Mère Poulard is a restaurant and hotel on Mont Saint Michel. ... St. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Mont Saint-Michel

• Website about Mont Saint Michel
• Website about the abbey: History, Visit, Chronology...
• Architecture and History of Abbaye du Mont-Saint-Michel
• Website about the mount in French
• Projet Mont Saint Michel — engineering project to restore the island status of Mont Saint Michel
• Paris day-trip, from Paris to Mont Saint-Michel
• Satellite image from Google Maps
• Tripping Diary - Mont Saint Michel
• Mont Saint-Michel Images and some information
• Fine Art photographs of the Mont

World Heritage Sites in France

Amiens Cathedral | Avignon | Belfries of Belgium and France (w/ Belgium) | Bourges Cathedral | Canal du Midi | Cape Girolata, Cape Porto, Scandola Nature Reserve and the Piana Calanches, Corsica | Carcassonne | Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Former Abbey of Saint-Remi and Palace of Tau, Reims | Chartres Cathedral | Church of Saint-Savin sur Gartempe | Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay | Decorated Grottoes of the Vézère Valley | Le Havre | Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes | Lyon | Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay | Palace and Park of Fontainebleau | Palace and Park of Versailles | Paris, Banks of the Seine | Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrière and Place d'Alliance, Nancy | Pont du Gard | Provins | Pyrénées - Mont Perdu (w/ Spain) | Roman and Romanesque Monuments of Arles | Routes of Santiago de Compostela | Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and the "Triumphal Arch" of Orange | Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans | Saint-Émilion | Strasbourg – Grande île | Vézelay, Church and Hill

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... Elabana Falls is in Lamington National Park, part of the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves World Heritage site in Queensland, Australia. ... The cathedral in Amiens Close-up of a stained glass window The Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens (French: Cathédrale Notre-Dame dAmiens), or just Amiens Cathedral, is the tallest complete cathedral in France with the greatest interior volume, estimated at 200,000 m³. The vaults of the... View over the Rhône River to North-East with Mt Ventoux at the rear Palais des papes Square below the Palace of the Popes Paul Vs coat-of-arms on the Palais des papes The Notre Dame des Doms cathedral is located in the heart of Avignon, near... Bruges Antwerp Ypres Ghent Mons Tournai Boulogne-sur-Mer Abbeville Fifty-six Belfries of Belgium and France are collectively designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, in recognition of an architectural phenomenon that arose during the emergence of the historic Flanders and neighboring regions from feudalism. ... Bourges Cathedral Floorplan of the cathedral The Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Bourges is a cathedral located in Bourges, France. ... The Canal du Midi, near Toulouse The Canal du Midi is a canal of great historic importance and remarkable beauty in the south (le midi) of France. ... Capital Ajaccio Land area¹ 8,680 km² President of the Executive Council Ange Santini (UMP) (since 2004) Population   - Jan. ... The Scandola Nature Reserve (19. ... Calanques de Piana Calanches de Piana are Corsican calanques located between Ajaccio and Calvi. ... Capital Ajaccio Land area¹ 8,680 km² President of the Executive Council Ange Santini (UMP) (since 2004) Population   - Jan. ... Location within France Cathars being expelled from Carcassone in 1209. ... Façade of the Notre-Dame de Reims The Notre-Dame de Reims (Our Lady of Rheims) is the Cathedral of Reims, where the kings of France were once crowned. ... The Abbey of Saint-Remi is an abbey in Reims, France, founded in around AD 1000. ... The Palace of Tau in Reims. ... Cathedral of Chartres, western spires The Cathedral of Chartres (Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, French: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres), located in Chartres, about 50 miles from Paris, is considered the finest example in all France of the high Gothic style of architecture. ... Saint Savin, also referred to as Saint-Savin sur Gartempe, is a commune of the Vienne département, in the former province of Poitou, France. ... The church and convent building seen from the gardens. ... Vézère is a 190 km long river in south-western France. ... Location within France Abbey of Graville, Le Havre An old house in Le Havre Church of St. ... Loire Valley (French: Vallée de la Loire) is known as the Garden of France and the Cradle of the French Language. ... Three of the main sights in Lyon, the Cathedral St-Jean, the Basilica Notre Dame de Fourvière, and the Tour métallique de Fourvière City flag City coat of arms Motto: (Franco-Provençal: Forward, forward, Lyon the best) Coordinates : , Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) Administration Subdivisions 9... The central range of Fontainebleau: patterned parterres have been replaced with lawn. ... Location within France Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. ... Versailles: Louis Le Vau opened up the interior court to create the expansive entrance cour dhonneur, later copied all over Europe Monument of Louis XIV in the cour dhonneur The Château de Versailles —or simply Versailles— is a royal château, in Versailles, France. ... The Eiffel Tower, the international symbol of the city, as viewed from the Trocadéro This article is about the capital and largest city in France. ... Location within France Nancy (pronounced in French) (German: Nanzig) is a city and commune which is the préfecture (capital) of the Meurthe-et-Moselle département, in the Lorraine région of northeastern France. ... Pont du Gard, France The Pont du Gard is an aqueduct in the south of France constructed by the Roman Empire, and located near Remoulins, in the Gard département. ... Provins is a commune of France. ... Central Pyrenees. ... Monte Perdido (Mont Perdu in French, both meaning lost mountain) is the third highest mountain in the Pyrenees. ... Map of western Mediterranean, showing location of Arles Ruins at the Roman theatre Les Alyscamps, Falling Autumn Leaves, Vincent van Gogh, 1888 Arles (Arle in Provençal) is a city in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône département, of which it is a sous-pr... In 1998, several sites in France were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites under the description: Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France. Below is a detailed list of these sites: Périgueux: cathedral Saint-Front - Aquitaine Saint-Avit-Sénieur: church - Aquitaine Le Buisson-de-Cadouin: former abbaye... Théâtre dOrange Théâtre dOrange The Théâtre antique dOrange is an ancient Roman theatre, built early in the 1st Century A.D. and located in Orange in Southern France. ... , Orange (Arenjo in Provençal) is a town and commune in the département of Vaucluse, in the south of France. ... The Saline Royale (Royal Saltworks) at Arc-et-Senans, in the forest of Chaux near Besançon, France is notable as an early Enlightenment architectural project to rationalize industrial buildings and processes according to a philosophical order. ... Saint Emilion Saint-Émilion is a small town near Bordeaux, France that is famous for the eponymous wine region that surrounds it. ... City flag City coat of arms Coordinates : , Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) Administration Département Bas-Rhin (67) Région Alsace Mayor Fabienne Keller (UMP) (since 2001) Intercommunality Urban Community of Strasbourg City (commune) Characteristics Land Area 78. ... Vézelay Abbey was a Benedictine and Cluniac monastery in Vézelay in the Yonne département in Burgundy, France. ...