Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Heart of the Dauphin

Discover Heart of the Dauphin in Saint-Denis, France: The mummified heart of Louis XVII, the lost dauphin of the French Revolution.

Le Cyclop

Discover Le Cyclop in Milly-la-Forêt, France: Jean Tinguely's bizarre monster sculpture is hidden deep in a forest.

Rennes-Le-Château

Discover Rennes-Le-Château in Rennes-le-Château, France: French commune at the heart of conspiracies.

Chapelle de la Santonne

Discover Chapelle de la Santonne in Apt, France: One man's desire to transcend art led to the construction of this outsider chapel.

Villa Des Cent Regards

Discover Villa Des Cent Regards in Montpellier, France: 100-windowed castle turned art gallery, built by one dedicated mason.

Normandy American Cemetery

Discover Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, France: A memorial to the nearly 10,000 American soldiers laid to rest on the beaches of Normandy during WWII.

Aitre St. Maclou

Discover Aitre St. Maclou in Rouen, France: An ancient ossuary in Rouen.

Château de Cheverny

Discover Château de Cheverny in Cheverny, France: The opulent home that inspired Tintin's Marlinspike Hall and the adventures within.

La Cave aux Sculptures

Discover La Cave aux Sculptures in Dénezé-sous-Doué, France: Figures of unknown origin carved into the surfaces of underground caves.

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.

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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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