Archives: Atlas Obscuras

The House Without Stairs

Discover Maison sans Escalier (The House Without Stairs) in Saint-Étienne, France: An architectural oddity of six stories, accessed by graceful ramps.

Forteresse de Mimoyecques

Discover Forteresse de Mimoyecques in Landrethun-le-Nord, France: Underneath a chalk hill in France lies what Hitler hoped would be the underground launching base for a devastating new weapon.

Labyrinthe Vert de Nebias

Discover Labyrinthe Vert de Nebias in Nébias, France: Green labyrinth formed by a karstic maze hidden in a preserved oak forest.

Le Droit Humain Masonic Lodge

Discover Le Droit Humain Masonic Lodge in Paris, France: The historic Masonic Lodge in which the first-ever female Mason was initiated.

St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral

Discover St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Nice, France: An Orthodox church built by the Royal Family for the Russian community exiled to the French Riviera.

Chemin de la Mâture

Discover Chemin de la Mâture in Etsaut, France: This narrow path was cut right into a French mountainside to feed the country's early naval expansion.

Petrified Fountain of Réotier

Discover Petrified Fountain of Réotier in Réotier, France: This otherworldly French waterfall looks like its waters have turned to stone.

Passage du Gois

Discover Passage du Gois in Barbâtre, France: This submersible road connecting a French island to the mainland is lined with safety towers for when the tide strands travelers.

The Lion of Belfort

Discover The Lion of Belfort in Belfort, France: A colossal sculptural lion built by the same man who designed the Statue of Liberty.

The Ruins at the Hotel le Vergeur

Discover The Ruins at the Hotel le Vergeur in Reims, France: Bits of architecture from a town destroyed in World War I now decorate this hotel garden.

Arles’s Cryptoporticous

Discover Arles's Cryptoporticous in Arles, France: A unique underground structure dating back to the 1st century BC.

France’s Trembling Rock

Discover Trembling Rock in Huelgoat, France: If they push on just the right spot, even the weakest person can move this titanic boulder.

The Abode of Chaos

Discover The Abode of Chaos in Saint-Romain-au-Mont-d'Or, France: An art world insider finds himself battling for his artistic home.

Le Musée du Fumeur

Discover Le Musée du Fumeur in Paris, France: Dedicated to the history and culture of smoking, this small museum now includes a vape lounge.

Transi de René de Chalon

Discover Transi de René de Chalon in Bar-le-Duc, France: Statue of a decomposing prince that once held his heart in its hand.

La Cave des Roches (Mushroom Caves)

Discover La Cave des Roches (Mushroom Caves) in Montrichard Val de Cher, France: Miles of man-made caves and tunnels are currently used for cultivating mushrooms.

Faux de Verzy

Discover Faux de Verzy in Verzy, France: Hundreds of dwarf beeches create an unusual, haunting forest in the north of France.

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i
To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius. 261 ii
To exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design. 480 iii
To bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared. 514 iv
To be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history. 642 ix
To be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals. 137 v
To be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change. 172 vi
To be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria). 256 vii
To contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance. 151 viii
To be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features. 98 x
To contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation. 168

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