Our history, our values

Les Monuments Nationaux comprises a network of over a hundred monuments spread across all regions of mainland France, dating from prehistory to the 20th century. Castles, abbeys, archaeological sites, places of remembrance and iconic buildings: these sites tell the story of our collective history and continue to bring our heritage to life at the heart of our regions.

A public body under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture, the institution was established in 1914 under the name Caisse nationale des monuments historiques et préhistoriques. It was renamed the Centre des monuments nationaux in 2000, and Monuments Nationaux in 2026. With over 1,500 staff members, it is responsible for the conservation, restoration, maintenance and public access to these monuments, which welcome over 12 million visitors each year.

Despite their diversity, Monuments Nationaux form a close-knit family, sharing resources and expertise to preserve and promote this shared heritage. This approach is based on two founding principles:

• Financial solidarity, achieved through revenue equalisation. The revenue generated by the monuments is pooled at the organisation’s level, which allocates resources according to each monument’s needs. This principle enables support for monuments with more limited resources and ensures, across the network, that the necessary resources are available for their conservation and public access.
• The pooling of resources and expertise. Teams share their expertise, experience and best practice. This network-based organisation fosters cooperation between the monuments, encourages innovation and strengthens the organisation’s capacity to address contemporary heritage challenges.

Together, the Monuments Nationaux bring a diverse heritage to life – one that is rooted in local communities and accessible to everyone.

The primary mission of the Monuments Nationaux is to conserve, manage and open to the public the monuments in their care. This responsibility is structured around several major, complementary missions.

Preserving, restoring and passing on

The network oversees the preservation of over a hundred monuments, comprising nearly 600 buildings, as well as their parks and gardens. It also ensures the conservation of a collection of nearly 167,000 cultural artefacts. Through maintenance, restoration and adaptation work, the teams preserve this cultural and natural heritage and prepare it for future generations, whilst taking environmental and climate issues into account.

Opening up monuments to everyone

From the Royal Monastery of Brou to the Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, from the Arc de Triomphe to the Sainte-Chapelle, from the Panthéon to the Cité internationale de la langue française in Villers-Cotterêts, Monuments Nationaux welcomes over 12 million visitors every year. The network develops visiting, educational and hospitality programmes tailored to the diversity of its audiences, with a particular focus on accessibility, people with disabilities and those with limited access to culture. It also contributes to artistic and cultural education, notably by welcoming school groups.

Bringing monuments to life in the present

Exhibitions, performances, workshops, themed tours and family events: with around 400 events organised each year, Monuments Nationaux transforms its sites into places of discovery, creativity and sharing. Working in partnership with local authorities, residents and cultural and tourism stakeholders, they contribute to the vitality of local areas and devise new ways to discover and experience heritage.

Sharing knowledge of heritage

Through Éditions du Patrimoine, Monuments Nationaux fulfils the role of a public publisher. From visitor guides and coffee-table books to monographs, children’s books and publications adapted for blind, partially sighted, deaf and hard-of-hearing people: this work helps to disseminate knowledge, showcase the richness of our monuments and make our heritage accessible to as many people as possible.

Putting its expertise at the service of heritage

Through the Institut des Monuments Nationaux, the network shares its expertise and supports heritage professionals, both in France and internationally. Conservation, restoration, public engagement, promotion and development of cultural and natural sites: this expertise is intended to benefit other heritage sites, in a spirit of cooperation, knowledge-sharing and the public interest. 

In January 2024, the Chair of Monuments Nationaux, Marie Lavandier, launched a participatory process, open to both internal and external stakeholders, to jointly develop the ‘CMN 2030’ strategic plan . 

This ambitious project involves an in-depth reflection on the future of heritage, its accessibility and its role in society, drawing on a wide-ranging consultation carried out throughout 2024. The result of this collective effort, CMN 2030 is structured around five strategic priorities and ten key initiatives, aimed at enhancing hospitality and a welcoming environment for all, ensuring the transmission of heritage to future generations, forging new regional partnerships, to foster a dialogue between historic monuments and contemporary issues, and to strengthen the network of 110 sites managed by the CMN. This project affirms the commitment to making heritage a living and accessible asset, rooted in local communities and open to all, whilst innovating and adapting the institution to the challenges of the 21st century.

Find out more about CMN 2030

In 2025, several major events took place at the Monuments Nationaux, celebrating heritage and culture. The year was notably marked by the 500th anniversary of the Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, a landmark celebration of a Renaissance masterpiece. It was also marked by the induction of Robert Badinter into the Panthéon, accompanied by an exhibition at the Panthéon paying tribute to his commitment to justice and human rights.

The refurnishing of the Laiterie de la Reine at Rambouillet Castle has restored this 18th-century gem to its former glory. This year, Monuments Nationaux also celebrated the 10th anniversary of the management and reopening of the Villa Cavrois, a symbol of modern architecture.

Finally, the reopening of the towers of Notre-Dame de Paris was a highlight for the public, symbolising the cathedral’s renewal, whilst the launch of the ‘Fabrique de la Flèche’ at the Basilica-Cathedral of Saint-Denis, spearheaded by ‘Suivez la Flèche’, provided an opportunity to share with everyone the expertise mobilised for the building’s restoration.