France 3’s “Favorite Monument of the French” 2023: Pre-Selected Monuments by Region

Coronation of Charles III, Eurovision: Stéphane Bern is everywhere! On the occasion of the 40^eEuropean Heritage Days, in September, he will present on France 3 the new edition of the favorite monument of the French.

But before the television high mass, the public is already invited to choose their representatives. Tuesday, May 9, 2023, France Televisions published the list of pre-selected monuments. Three sites per region have been chosen. Actu.fr reveals the full list.

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Built from the 11th century, the Grignan castle is the first representative of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It is “one of the most important witnesses of Renaissance civil architecture in south-eastern France and a major tourist spot”, recalls news Drôme.

Founded in 1867, the Cerdon copperworks is the second representative of the region. This copperworks has “manufactured everyday utensils and prestigious objects for more than 150 years, supplying large kitchens such as luxury hotels”, recalls actu Ain.

Basilica Our Lady of Fourvière in Lyon (Rhône) completes the list of three names.

Brittany

Located between Guingamp, Paimpol and Lannion, the Departmental domain of La Roche-Jagu is the pride of Costa Ricans as recalled the Echo of Armor and Argoat. It is one of the three sites chosen to – perhaps – represent Brittany, just like the Château du Taureau, chosen last year, in Plouezoc’h (Finistère) and the Citadel of Port Louis (Morbihan).

Occitania

Toulouse News knows how to sell its heritage, especially when it comes to the National Square of Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne) which can claim to represent the Occitan region. She “makes all her attributes admired by Montalbanais and tourists. “Since the rehabilitation of the square in 2022, “tourists have been able to rediscover a magnificent water mirrorconsisting of 332 misting nozzles”.

The Millau Viaduct between Millau and Creissels (Aveyron) and the Padirac Chasm (Lot) are also pre-selected.

Ile-de-France

To represent the capital – and perhaps the region, it is the Richelieu site of the National Library of France (BNF) which was chosen. Originally the Palace of Cardinal Mazarin, the Richelieu site is the historic cradle of the BNF as recalled Paris news. It reopened to the public in September 2022, after nearly 10 years of renovation, enriched with a museum.

In the Hauts-de-Seine, the Valley-aux-Loups departmental estate in Châtenay-Malabry is also selected. As reminded news Hauts-de-Seine, it was the home of François-René de Chateaubriand. La Vallée-aux-Loups was only a gardener’s house when the famous author settled there. He will give it a very personal imprint.

“In this romantic charterhouse labeled ‘Maison des Illustres’, the whole dimension of man is expressed, at the same time writer, politician, traveler and botanist”, reports our editorial staff.

The villa savoye in Poissy (Yvelines) is the third representative of the Ile-de-France region.

Pays de la Loire

Founded in 1230 by Queen Berengaria of Navarre, Epau Abbey in Yvré-l’Évêque (Sarthe) is in the top 3 of Pays de la Loire. It hosted Cistercian monks until the French Revolution, explains Le Mans news. “It later became a laundry and then a farm until the Department of Sarthe acquired it in 1959. The building was classified as a historical monument in 1973.”

The Brissac Castle (Maine-et-Loire) and the Three-master Belem in Nantes (Loire-Atlantique) are the other sites chosen.

Great East

In the region, three monuments are in contention: the fortified castle of Sedan (Ardennes), Metz station (Moselle) and the sanctuary of Mont-Sainte-Odile in Ottrott (Bas-Rhin).

In one article, our writing Lorraine news gives an update on the three representatives of the region.

Hauts-de-France

They represented the region last year, the Hortillonnages d’Amiens (Somme) are again selected, alongside the Birthplace of Charles de Gaulle in Lille (North) and Domaine de Chaalis in Fontaine-Chaalis (Oise).

New Aquitaine

The Courbre lighthouse à la Tremblade is in the running to represent the region, notes news La Rochelle. The villa Arnaga (house of Edmond Rostand) in Cambo-les-Bains (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) and the château ducal of Cadillac-sur-Garonne (Gironde) are the two other sites selected.

Built from 1599, under Henri IV then Louis XIII, this ceremonial residence embodies the rise and fortune of an ancestor of the musketeers, born a simple cadet from Gascony: Jean Louis de Nogaret de La Valette (1554-1642) , recalls in an article the South Gironde Republican.

In the 19th century, the castle housed the first prison for women in France, then it became a school for the preservation of young women from 1880.

Centre-Loire Valley

In the Centre-Val de Loire region, monuments steeped in history compete for the competition. It’s about domain of George Sand in Nohant-Vic (Indre), the famous royal castle of Blois (Loir-et-Cher), and Jacques Coeur Palace in Bourges (Cher).

Corse

In the island of Beauty, three representatives also: the Ajaccio citadel (Corse-du-Sud), the Saint Dominic Convent in Corbara (Haute-Corse), as well as the St. Mary’s Cathedral in Bastia (Haute-Corse).

Burgundy-Franche-Comte

The Burgundy region has proud representatives in the Côte-d’Or, with the great Forge de Buffon, but also in the Doubs, which is represented by the Chateau de Joux in La Cluse-et-Mijoux, or in Saône-et-Loire with Cluny Abbey.

Overseas – Martinique

Our Overseas Territories also have well-known monuments, particularly in Martinique, with the Schoelcher library in Fort-de-France (Martinique), Fort Saint Louis in Fort-de-France (Martinique), and finally the Aime Cesaire theater in Fort-de-France (Martinique).

Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur

Also in the South, three well-known sites: Cap Moderne, Eileen Gray and Le Corbusier at Cap Martin in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin (Alpes-Maritimes), the Château d’If in Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône), as well as the ancient sites of Vaison-la-Romaine (Vaucluse).

Normandie

Finally, the Normandy region has among its monuments in the running, the Pin national stud farm in Le Pin-au-Haras (Orne), the Benedictine palace in Fécamp (Seine-Maritime), and Boutemont Castle and Gardens in Ouilly-le-Vicomte (Calvados).

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