THEME HOLIDAYS /
THEME HOLIDAYS / CULTURAL TOURISM Cultural Tourism CARCASSONNE 2 WORLD HERITAGE SITES Discover the most beautiful treasures offered by an exceptional cultural destination, France: from tourist sites and monuments to museums and exhibitions, a myriad of theatre, concert and dance seasons, new generation museum spaces and exceptional parks and gardens. France’s cultural sites are places where art and culture come to life: visit a museum, attend a festival, visit an exhibition, follow in the footsteps of famous people... By night or by day, heritage and culture are there for the taking during one’s trip to France. The Medieval City of Carcassonne (3rd – 14th centuries) is the largest medieval site in Europe on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Built over the ruins of a roman fortress, the “Cité” of Carcassonne became famous during the crusades against the heretics, when the city was one of the headquarters of Occitan Cathars. Nowadays, behind the walls composed by a double ring of ramparts and 52 towers and barbicans, the castle sits overlooking the surrounding area. The Old City offers visitors an intricate network of narrow streets with small terraces, quaint cafés, charming restaurants and hotels as well as numerous cultural events throughout the year. Near the Bastide Saint-Louis, the Canal du Midi, built in the 17th century to link the Atlantic and Mediterranean, flows through a region steeped in history. A boating holiday on the Canal du Midi is a unique experience to find “serenity”. © Atout France - Nathalie Baetens USPs • A myriad of cultural sites that tell the story of France. • The “French National Monuments” organisation is in charge of nearly 100 monuments all over France – castles, abbeys, pre-historic caves and archaeological sites – and manages world-famous sites that are registered on the UNESCO World Heritage list. • A huge choice of places where art and culture come to life MANKIND IS EVOLVING – AT THE MUSÉE DE L’HOMME IN PARIS A journey through the discovery of Mankind, from its origins to its future The Galerie de l’Homme © MNHN - Jean-Christophe Domenech KEY FIGURESS Over 40,000 monuments and protected sites 41 cultural sites classified by UNESCO 8,000 museums Nearly 500 festivals The Musée de l’Homme presents prehistoric, biological and cultural anthropology collections all in the same place, as well as being a centre for teaching and research on the evolution of Mankind and society. The exhibition draws on priceless collections: fossils of Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon men, Paleolithic statuettes, anatomical waxmodels... The prehistoric and anthropologic collections at the Musée de l’Homme in Paris are among the largest in the world. You will find both elements of knowledge and understanding, and also discover that other cultures have different approaches to these questions, different reflections on our cultures, and other responses to them. A PLACE TO DEBATE, AN OPEN SPACE FOR ALL This privileged place addresses the major questions of Human Science today. Enjoy vast areas of exchange and activities: atrium, auditorium, resource centre, and educational workshops. 14 France: Destinations to (re)discover france.fr
THEME HOLIDAYS / “SAVOIR-FAIRE TOURISM” “Savoirfaire” Tourism Marseille’s soaps, Limoge’s porcelain, perfumes of Provence, Guérande sea salt or the collections of the fashion houses in Paris… just some random examples of the immense diversity of French knowhow, or “savoir-faire”. With France’s reputation for excellence already renowned around the globe and the image of France as a nation of luxury and “art de vivre”, greatly contributing to the nation’s appeal, many a visitor comes today to investigate the techniques, skills, traditions and functions of a craft or industrial sector; through workshop and enterprise visits. USPs • Caters to all types of travellers: individual and groups, young and old, groups of friends and family guests. • Very broad diversity of the sectors of activity concerned and geographical locations. • An authentic experience, including discovery of the territory and encounters with the locals; an original and lively way to discover France. HARVESTING SALT FROM THE SEA Welcome to the heart of the salt marshes, where professionals take you discover how the famous Guérande salt forms and is harvested. The guides – salt workers themselves – speak with a passion for their work and offer 15 different tours according to the desires of the visitor: family walks for all ages, guided theme EDF – MARCKOLSHEIM HYDRAULIC POWER STATION walks, hiking in the heart of the Marais... Meeting with a “paludier” (salt worker) proud of his “flower of salt”, sharing recipes, or walking with a naturalist guide - great connoisseur of edible plants and an expert on birds - who come by the thousands to the Guerande peninsula… All moments of sharing. © CRTB - BOURCIER Simon KEY FIGURESS French art workshops and businesses attract more than 12-million visitors each year, including one million foreigners. In 2012, more than 5,000 companies opened their doors to the public in France. Among them, half are open to the public throughout the year. Craft work represents about 20% of visits. Situated on the Rhine, Markolsheim was, in 1961, the first “garland” hydroelectric development (the dam, locks and hydroelectric plant placed along a short deviation of the River, and not on its main course). The façade of the plant displays a fresco by the Alsatian artist Daniel Diminsky and in its engine room we find a monumental fresco by Paul Clair. Outside, a gazebo allows operators to overlook the locks, through which around 16,000 boats pass per year. Lifting one’s eyes skywards, Falcons Kestrels, Jackdaw and Swallows can be seen nesting in the station’s buildings... The visit allows the visitor to understand the history of the development of the Rhine -- how hydroelectric operation and navigation can live side-by-side, and to learn more about the environmental measures being deployed by EDF (#1 producer of electricity in France – and the world), to protect the biodiversity of the river and the island of Marckolsheim. france.fr France: Destinations to (re)discover 15
