Heritage

A UNESCO property

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982

In December 1982, the Saline royale of Arc-et-Senans became a UNESCO World Heritage site, making it the 12th site in France and the 150th site worldwide to be listed. It was the first industrial site in the world to receive this recognition.

The Saline royale is classified as an exceptional monument as it is :

  • The first site of this scale and standard designed as a place of work.
  • A witness to the birth of industrial society in Europe at the end of the 18th century.
  • An illustration of an entire philosophical current that swept Europe during the Age of Enlightenment and contributed to a visionary form of architecture.

This listing, which was extended in 2009 to include the Grande Saline in Salins-les-Bains, gives the Saline royale an international audience and thus increases its visitor numbers. Both sites, framed by their buffer zone, constitute the property registered on the UNESCO list under the name.

From the Grande Saline of Salins-les-Bains to the Saline royale of Arc-et-Senans: the production of open-pan salt.

Cocon Yoan Jeudy

The Enlightenment Centre

The inside of the Berne Ouest pan house at the Saline royale comes alive with the magic of light and the movement of monumental images… welcome to the Enlightenment Centre. Enter the heart of this immersive multi-sensory space and contemplate the wealth of the UNESCO World Heritage sites. A captivating, three-dimensional show. Eight large-format films, on-screen navigation, a 360° experience in the Pavilion of Traditions… as you wander through this three-part experience, you’ll resonate with the site and its spectacular aura. The sound and light shows offer a rare moment of collective immersion in the heart of the world’s most beautiful monuments and sites.

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Citadelle Besançon

Eight UNESCO properties in Bourgogne Franche-Comté

Eight UNESCO properties in Bourgogne Franche-Comté Bourgogne-Franche-Comté has eight properties on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This exceptional concentration testifies to the cultural wealth and diversity of the region. As well as being a genuine source of differentiation, it also constitutes a common base and a strength for successfully carrying out shared projects. Our UNESCO sites: Fontenay Abbey, Vézelay Abbey and hill, Notre-Dame de la Charité-sur-Loire church, the prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps, the Climats of the Burgundy wine-growing region, Notre-Dame du Haut Chapel in Ronchamp, the Vauban fortress of Besançon, the Grande Saline in Salins-les-Bains and the Saline royale of Arc-et-Senans.

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