UNESCO listing

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  The first vineyard listed by the UNESCO

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  December 1999 remains an historic date for Saint-Émilion!   It was on this date that the vineyard and the 8 villages of the Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its "cultural landscape". A world first!  By the way, what does it exactly mean to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site ?     According to UNESCO, Saint-Émilion is "an outstanding example of an historic vineyard landscape that has survived intact". A particular vigilance is given to this exceptional "cultural landscape" so that it can be preserved and can continue.   This is why, since 1993, a Commission (composed of INAO members, representatives of the town council of the municipalities concerned, representatives of the Chamber of Agriculture and Winegrowers) is in charge of validating the plant occupation of a plot or the modification of the structure of a soil.   This inscription represents approximately 5000 hectares of vines spread over the eight villages of the Saint-Émilion Jurisdiction: Saint-Émilion, Saint-Laurent des Combes, Saint-Christophe des Bardes, Saint-Pey-d'Armens, Saint-Etienne de Lisse , Saint Sulpice of Faleyrens, Saint-Hippolyte and Vignonet.   The inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage list continues to make the pride of the winegrowers who have both shaped and preserved the terroir. Nowadays it’s the winegrowers who enable millions of visitors to discover this cultural wealth ; as well as the Great Saint-Émilion Area Tourist Office, the Saint-Émilion Wine Council and the Association Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion, a World Heritage Site.   Indeed, it is not only a remarkable natural heritage but also a considerable historical and architectural heritage with the medieval city of Saint-Émilion, its monolithic church, its underground quarries, its cobbled streets and its numerous religious monuments. In addition, the Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion abounds with Romanesque churches, mills and dovecotes that contribute to the uncontested attraction of this territory.   Good to know:   Since July 2015, two other French vineyards have been listed by the UNESCO : The hillsides, houses and cellars of Champagne The "climates" of Burgundy     A little extra: The Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion is not the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in New Aquitaine. Find all these wonderful sites here and take advantage of your visit to the Gironde to discover them!   Careful : Alcohol abuse is dangerous for the health. Please drink responsibly.
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  Unesco ambassadors by Saint-Emilion Tourisme

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  Transmit his attachment to his territory!     In 2018, at the dawn of the 20th anniversary of the Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion's inscription on the World Heritage List by UNESCO, the Tourist Office has proposed exchange sessions around the notion of "UNESCO" to its partners. On this occasion, many of them expressed their desire to become more involved in the transmission of the values promoted by Unaesco.   Thus was born the Saint-Emilion Tourism Ambassadors' Club, which brings together some fifty partners of the Tourist Office - whether winegrowers, accommodation providers, restaurant owners, shopkeepers or leisure activity managers.   You will recognise these partners on our website by this little badge on their page. Going to meet them is the promise of a beautiful moment of exchange and sharing!  
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  The inscription by the UNESCO : a historical process

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  1999 - 2019: 20 YEARS OF INSCRIPTION ON THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST   It is an exceptional 800-year-old human adventure that is highlighted by the inscription of the medieval city of Saint-Émilion and the seven villages that surround it.   Without destroying it, human communities have made the most of the characteristics of the territory to develop their activities and their way of life. Land cultivation, quarrying, settlement and urban development, the construction of religious buildings and residential houses: all these have created a landscape in perfect harmony with the topography and resources of the territory.   Here are some of the key dates:   35,000 - 10,000 BCFirst traces of the establishment of Human in the Saint-Émilion region   IIIrd centuryPlanting of the "Biturica" vine in the surroundings   VIII - XIIth centuryInstallation of the monk Emilion and construction of churches and cloisters on the territory   1199Foundation of the Jurade et de la Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion  1289Delimitation of the current boundaries of the Jurisdiction 1884Creation of the first wine union   1867 & 1889Obtaining the gold medal of the Universal Exhibition & Collective Grand Prize of the Universal Exhibition for the wines of Saint-Émilion   1948Refoundation of the Jurade by winegrowers   1931Creation of the first cooperative cellar in Gironde   1954First classification of Saint-Émilion wines by the "Institut National des Appellations d'Origine"   1993Beginning of the work for the inscription of the Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion on the UNESCO World Heritage List   June, 1998Submission of the application file of the Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion   December 2nd, 1999Inscription of the Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion on the UNESCO World Heritage List  
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  An outstanding "cultural landscape"

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  In 1972, the World Heritage Convention became the first international legal instrument to recognize and protect cultural landscapes. Cultural landscapes represent the "combined works of Man and Nature" referred to in Article 1 of the Convention. They illustrate the evolution of society and human occupations over the ages, under the influence of the constraints and/or assets presented by their natural environment, and under the influence of successive social, economic and cultural forces, internal and external. Cultural landscapes fall into three major categories (2008 Operational Guidelines, Annex 3): The most easily identifiable is the landscape that is clearly defined, designed and created intentionally by Man, which includes landscapes of gardens and parks created for aesthetic reasons that are often (but not always) associated with religious buildings or ensembles. The second category is the essentially evolving landscape. It results from a requirement of social, economic, administrative and/or religious origin and reaches its present form by association and in response to its natural environment. These landscapes reflect this evolutionary process in their form and composition. They are subdivided into 2 categories:- A relict (or fossil) landscape is a landscape that has undergone an evolutionary process that has stopped, either suddenly or over a period of time, at some point in the past. However, its essential characteristics remain physically visible.- A living landscape is a landscape that retains an active social role in contemporary society, closely associated with the traditional way of life and in which the evolutionary process continues. At the same time, it shows clear evidence of its evolution over time. This is the case with the Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion. The last category includes the associative cultural landscape.   In the Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion, everything points out that Man and Nature have advanced together, by developing the cultivation of the vine that appeared more than 2,000 years ago. A cultural landscape like that of the Jurisdiction is shaped by its history and geography. Religious architectures, wine-growing architectures or small familiar architectural heritage from past generations (vine huts, washhouses, watercress, mills, etc.) are all expressions of a society, of its know-how to be kept alive and transmitted to future generations. It is important to note that the Convention recognizes the interaction between human beings and nature and the fundamental need to preserve the balance between the two.
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  The territory of the Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion

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  The inscription of our territory on the World Heritage List by the UNESCO concerns the Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion, the medieval city of Saint-Émilion, the seven villages that surround it and their vineyards.   The latter extends from Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, Saint-Laurent-des-Combes, Saint-Hippolyte, Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse, Saint-Pey-d'Armens, Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens to Vignonet.       This territory will be defined as a "family and united wine-growing community" from 1199, where the Jurade was established, until 1999. This definition is one of the foundations of the inscription by the UNESCO which the inhabitants are very proud of. Throughout these years, everyone on their own way has contributed to its meaning and to the sustainability of the Saint-Émilion vineyard.   Key figures of the Saint-Émilion Jurisdiction: 8 municipalities 7,846 hectares 5,500 inhabitants (approx.) 67.5% of the listed area produces wine 230,000 hectolitres of red wine are produced there 1,200,000 tourists per year
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  The Dordogne, a UNESCO biosphere reserve

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  On July 11th, 2012, the International Coordinating Council of UNESCO's "Man and Biosphere" programme integrated the Dordogne basin into the global network of Biosphere reserves. The recognition offered by this global network highlights the exceptional territory crossed by the Dordogne, both by its preserved nature, its cultural heritage and its art of living marked by the imprint of the river.   Each biosphere reserve must fulfil three fundamental functions, which are both complementary and mutually reinforcing: a conservation function, to contribute to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variations a development function, to promote economic and human development that is sustainable from a socio-cultural and ecological point of view a logistical function, to provide support for research, monitoring, education and information exchange on local, national and global conservation and development issues.   UNESCO thus recognizes the Dordogne basin as an exemplary territory of major interest on a global scale. It also suggests a certain harmony between nature and the people who have exploited it, inhabited it, shaped it, dreamed of it... without damaging it irreparably. For any further information, you can contact EPIDOR, the Dordogne basin's public territorial institution. 
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  The association "Juridiction de Saint-Emilion, Patrimoine Mondial de l'Humanité"

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  In 1999, the Juridiction of Saint-Emilion became the first vineyard to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural landscapes. The association Juridiction de Saint-Emilion, Patrimoine Mondial de l'Humanité is the guarantor before the State of the inscribed property, in charge of its management, enhancement and preservation.   It is co-chaired by the Mayor of Saint-Emilion and President of the Communauté de Communes du Grand Saint-Emilionnais and the President of the Conseil des Vins de Saint-Emilion. Its Executive Board includes the eight municipalities of the Jurisdiction (Saint-Emilion, Saint-Laurent des Combes, Saint-Christophe des Bardes, Saint Pey-d'Armens, Saint-Etienne de Lisse, Saint Sulpice de Faleyrens, Saint-Hippolyte and Vignonet), the Communauté de Communes du Grand Saint-Emilionnais and the Conseil des Vins de Saint-Emilion.