The 44th session of the World Heritage Committee and its 21 member states have just decided: the Cordouan lighthouse is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List!

The Cordouan Lighthouse (France), joins other sites such as the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon or the Great Wall of China on the prestigious List, which designates properties of exceptional interest for the common heritage of humanity.

Versailles of the seas, Cordouan is a world-renowned lighthouse

A true architectural and technical feat, the Cordouan Lighthouse was built in the open sea at the mouth of the Gironde estuary, at Le Verdon sur Mer, nearly 400 years ago! In 1862, the Cordouan lighthouse was the first French lighthouse to be classified as a historical monument.

The Cordouan lighthouse has just been inscribed on the World Heritage List. This international recognition is the best reward for the guardian of the largest estuary in Europe. Unique and universal, it is both a monument of remarkable architecture and a symbol of the evolution of lighthouse construction.

The result of a collective approach

This inscription is the result of a collective approach launched in 2016. The State and SMIDDEST led the application in partnership with local communities. The population has widely supported this candidacy project: more than 13,000 people have joined the online support committee and many mobilization actions have been carried out in the territory.

A legacy for future generations

The various actors involved in the project must now continue to move forward hand in hand to pursue the actions already undertaken. A management plan has been put in place to sustainably manage the monument, in the medium and long term, in order to preserve it, but also to transmit to future generations the values associated with this precious heritage.