UNESCO World Heritage · 1999
Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion
Cultural
WHS ID
932
Inscribed
1999
Category
Cultural
Description
Viticulture was introduced to this fertile region of Aquitaine by the Romans, and intensified in the Middle Ages. The Saint-Emilion area benefited from its location on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela and many churches, monasteries and hospices were built there from the 11th century onwards. It was granted the special status of a 'jurisdiction' during the period of English rule in the 12th century. It is an exceptional landscape devoted entirely to wine-growing, with many fine historic monuments in its towns and villages.
Inscription details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| WHS ID | 932 |
| Inscribed | 1999 |
| Category | Cultural |
| Criteria | (iii)(iv) |
| State party | France |
| Transboundary | No |
| French name | Juridiction de Saint-Émilion |
Protected monuments
| Monument | Commune | Protected |
|---|---|---|
| Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martial | Montigny | 2008 |
| Château du Bas-Plessis | Montrevault-sur-Èvre;Mauges-sur-Loire | 1992 |
| Château de Montgiron de Veilleins | Veilleins | 1968 |
| Château de l'Ambroise | Saint-Sulpice | 1989 |
| Croix de Brogard à Trescalan | La Turballe | 1925 |
| Ancien château de Lazenay | Bourges | 1994 |
| Eglise Saint-Paul de Saint-Georges-de-Poisieux | Saint-Georges-de-Poisieux | 1921 |
| Ancien fort des Tourelles | Orléans | 2005 |
| Château de la Maroutière | Saint-Fort | 1978 |
| Maison de Du Cerceau de Orléans | Orléans | 1928 |
| Maison de Le Mans | Le Mans | 1945 |
| Château des Arcis (également sur commune de Le Buret) | Meslay-du-Maine | 2006 |
| Eglise Saint-Germain de Bourgueil | Bourgueil | 1908 |
| Château de Thouaré-sur-Loire | Thouaré-sur-Loire | 1982 |
| Eglise Saint-Etienne (collégiale) | Dun-sur-Auron | 1840 |
Loire appellations
| Appellation | Avg score | Reviews | Color |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sancerre | 89.3 | 554 | White |
| Muscadet Sèvre et Maine | 88.6 | 237 | White |
| Pouilly-Fumé | 89.6 | 153 | White |
| Vouvray | 88.4 | 153 | White |
| Touraine | 86.3 | 85 | White |
| Chinon | 88.7 | 72 | Red |
| Menetou-Salon | 87.3 | 69 | White |
| Crémant de Loire | 87.5 | 54 | Sparkling |
| Val de Loire | 85.6 | 41 | White |
| Saumur | 88.4 | 40 | White |
| Anjou | 87.6 | 36 | White |
| Rosé d'Anjou | 84 | 35 | Rosé |
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Updated: April 14, 2026.