12 Iconic French Landmarks Now Irreversibly Damaged: See the List!

Due to being in a state of “irreversible deterioration”, three locations and nine natural areas listed in the Environmental Code are set to lose their status as being of general interest.

As reported by Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the Minister of Territorial Planning and Ecological Transition, these twelve landmarks and natural spaces will be removed from the list of natural sites and monuments that need to be preserved according to the Environmental Code. This decision is based on the realization that the original goals of protecting and restoring these areas are no longer achievable, given their current degraded conditions.

The affected places include the Madeleine Chapel in Saint-Étienne-lès-Remiremont (Vosges), a section of the banks of the Aube, the Cisse valley (Indre-et-Loire), and the suburb of Maché in Chambéry (Savoie).

Previously, these sites were considered of general interest for their “artistic, historical, scientific, legendary or picturesque” value, as per the Environmental Code.

This repeal is expected to be implemented before January 1, 2026: a deadline set by the law for the reconquest of biodiversity, nature, and landscapes dated May 8, 2016. This law mandates a review of sites and monuments listed in the Environmental Code, focusing on those whose preservation serves a general interest.

This selection aims to “focus public action on the most essential sites”. In May 2022, a review was conducted, and 30 natural sites were delisted because they were too degraded.