Architectural heritage

Architectural heritage in France – a balance between tradition and modernity

Bontourism® invites you to discover France’s architectural heritage – rich and diverse.

Along your travels, the nation’s architectural prowess and ingenuity across time – from prehistoric times to the 21st century – will unfold before your eyes.

Important remains hint at the past Roman grandeur:
The Pont du Gard, a famous World Heritage Site, is the highest Roman aqueduct in the world.

The fall of the Roman Empire was followed by the development of medieval cities and countless fortresses across France.
Towards the end of the Hundred Years War, fortified castles (designed to repel attacks) give way to more decorative castles of the Renaissance: the châteaux of the Loire Valley

During the reign of King Louis XIV, the Château de Versailles is built. The renowned architect Vauban designs fortified buildings to keep the kingdom’s borders safe.

Today’s architects are pushing new boundaries; their constructions are often characterised by the use of industrial materials – steel, glass, concrete – assembled in such a way as to produce geometrical shapes freely placed in the environment, urban space or otherwise.