The World Heritage meetings

From 20 June to 8 July 2009, from Sully-sur-Loire to Chalonnes-sur-Loire, Loire Valley residents and visitors were able to celebrate this outstanding natural and cultural heritage of the Loire Valley, which is a listed World Heritage site in the continuing, organically evolved landscape category.

Aims

This new meeting set out to:  

• showcase the inscription of the Loire Valley on the World Heritage List
• contribute to the assimilation by residents and visitors of the values thus identified and recognised 

For better understanding, protection, enjoyment and active engagement in this landscape that tourists come to admire from all over the world.    

Delivery

Download:  

• Meeting documentation (programme, press, visuals) 

Online:  

• Photo gallery 

165 regional stakeholders involved

• Local authorities and public organisations
• Tourist information offices and local branches
• Cultural and tourist sites and structures
• Associations (environment, culture, heritage)
• Sports clubs and federations
• Media 

Funding

• State: cultural section of the Plan Loire Grandeur Nature
• European Union:  European Regional Development Fund   

Outcome and outlook

 130 meetings were organised for the public thanks to the involvement of 165 regional stakeholders including: 

• Some forty discovery trails, to be enjoyed on foot or by bike
• Some fifteen Loire discovery outings, setting off from the river
• Nearly 20 days and/or weekends of festivities honouring heritage
• Some forty initiatives for discovering cultural heritage
• Scientific encounters
• A dozen exhibitions

The sail down the Loire of the Liger raft from Sully-sur-Loire to Chalonnes-sur-Loire was a highlight of the celebrations. 

The Loire à vélo cycle path was used for the discovery outings. 

Amboise and Saumur were decked out in colourful flags by visual artist Michel Gressier.  

Nine "Landscape evening events" organised on an experimental basis by Mission Val de Loire and its partners with a view to rolling out an awareness campaign on the Loire Valley cultural landscape. Each event included a heritage trail, a landscape interpretation from a viewpoint and a workshop led around presentation of the brochure “Experiencing the landscapes of the Loire Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site”.