The Regional Tourist Board of Champagne & Ardenne reports that the ?Hillsides, Houses & Wine Cellars of Champagne? are now officially added to UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The successful application was presented in the category of ?Continuing, Organically Evolved Cultural Landscape?.
UNESCO stated that the industry behind Champagne production was ?a very specialised artisan activity that has become an agro-industrial enterprise?, fulfilling three of the required criteria: including exceptional sites or landscapes of cultural, architectural or historical merit as well as living traditions of outstanding universal significance and therefore deserving of special protection status.
It is envisaged that the official UNESCO listing will provide a significant boost to tourism to the region as visitors are keen to explore and appreciate the landscapes and heritage of unique cultural, historical and wine-making traditions of the UNESCO status areas.
