Locations of France's World Heritage Sites Quiz

Mont-Saint-Michel is a tidal island lying about 1km off the north-western coast of France near the mouth of the Couesnon River. The island used to be accessible by a causeway that was only passable at low tide and was underwater at high tide. Later on, a raised causeway was built, and in 2014 a low-level bridge was opened to provide access to the island, which is mostly not affected by the tide, although on rare occasions 'supertides' can lead to the bridge being submerged.

There has been a monastic presence on the island since the 700s and the abbey visible on the island today was completed in 1523. Mont-Saint-Michel and the surrounding bay were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 for the religious significance and the aesthetics of the buildings.

The Grand Ile is found in the French city of Strasbourg close to the border with Germany. It is an island situated between the Ile River and the Canal du Faux-Rempart. The name Grand Ile translates as 'large island'. The island contains many important historical buildings including the 15th century Strasbourg Cathedral as well as other churches and the area known as 'Petite France' which was once home to trades such as tanning, milling and fishing.

In 1988 the Grand Ile became a UNESCO World Heritage Site due its historic buildings which provided a good example of how medieval cities were laid out.

The Palace of Versailles was created by King Louis XIV of France and is located 18km to the west of Paris. The current palace became the seat of the court and government of France during the reign of Louis XIV who greatly expanded the palace from the hunting lodge originally established by Louis XIII.

The Palace of Versailles is also known as the location where the peace treaty ending World War I between the Allies and Germany was signed in 1919. The Palace of Versailles and the surrounding park were made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 due to its historical significance as the seat of French power and culture in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The Palace of Fontainebleau is a French royal residence and hunting lodge located 55km south east of Paris. There is evidence from 1137 of a royal residence at Fontainebleau but it is likely that this had been built earlier and took the form of a castle keep.

In the 1500s Frances I commissioned a palace to be built at the site and this was subsequently enlarged by later monarchs. The palace was later used by Napoleon I and III. The palace became a World Heritage Site in 1981 due to its historical significance and architectural importance.

The Cordouan Lighthouse is located 7km off the west coast of France near to the Gironde estuary. Construction of the lighthouse started in 1584 and was completed in 1611, making it the oldest extant lighthouse in France. The lighthouse was increased in height in the late 18th century and stands 67.5m tall.

The lighthouse was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021 due to its importance in the development of lighthouses and its Renaissance period architecture.

Bourges Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in the town of Bourges in central France. Work on the cathedral started on the site of an older church in 1195 and was finished in around 1230. In 1424 an astronomical clock was installed in the cathedral; as well as showing the time, this clock also shows the position of the sun, the lunar phase, and the time of year.

In 1992 the cathedral became a UNESCO World Heritage Site owing to its architectural merit.

Lascaux Cave is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vezere Valley. The Lascaux Cave contains many prehistoric cave paintings mostly of various large animals that were found in the region at the time. While there is some debate amongst scholars as to exactly when the paintings date from the most common range given is that they are between 17,000 and 22,000 years old.

The Lascaux Cave was rediscovered in 1940 and was open to the public until 1963, when it was discovered that the impact of visitors was causing the paintings to deteriorate. A number of modern replicas have now been built to cater for visitors. In 1979 the Lascaux Cave was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the importance of the preserved prehistoric art it contained.

Carcassonne is a walled city in the south of France. The city was established by the Romans due to its strategic importance being close to trade routes from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean and the Massif Central to the Pyrenees. The walled citadel dates back to the period of Roman occupied Gaul and was restored by the architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc in the mid 1800s.

In 1997 the citadel was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its importance as an example of a medieval fortified town and careful preservation and restoration.

The Pont du Gard is an aqueduct dating back to the Roman period which was originally built to transport water to the Roman colony of Nemausus which is now called Nimes. The aqueduct was built around 40-60AD. It ceased to be used to transport water after the fall of the Roman Empire but continued as a toll bridge for travellers.

The Pont du Gard was made a World Heritage Site in 1985 due to it being one of the best preserved Roman aqueducts in the world.

Nice is a city on the southeast coast of France in the area known as the French Riviera. The city was most likely founded around 350BC and became an important trading port. The city spent time as part of the Duchy of Savoy and the Kingdom of Sardinia before being ceded to France as part of the Treaty of Turin in 1860. From the late 1700s onwards Nice became a fashionable place for wealthy people, both from France and other countries such as England, to spend their winters.

The historical importance of Nice as a winter resort town was the reason for the city becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021.