In December 1998, UNESCO named the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France as a World Heritage Site. These routes pass through the following regions of France: Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Midi-Pyrénées, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. UNESCO highlights the routes' importance in "religious and cultural exchange," the construction of "specialized buildings" along the routes, and their role as "exceptional evidence of the power and influence of the Christian faith among people of all classes and countries in Europe during the Middle Ages."

UNESCO identified 71 structures along the routes and seven sections of the Chemin du Puy as a World Heritage Site. These structures are mostly monuments, churches, or hospitals that helped pilgrims traveling to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Some of these places were pilgrimage sites themselves. Other structures include a tower, a bridge, and a city gate.

Structures

The UNESCO sites include mostly monuments, churches, and hospitals that helped pilgrims traveling to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Some of these sites were also places where people went on pilgrimages. Other structures found there include a tower, bridges, a city gate, and a prehistoric stone building. When UNESCO names monuments as World Heritage Sites, this often causes more tourists to visit. This increase in visitors can make it harder for local communities to protect the sites properly.