News · Heritage · 22 September 2026
Castellane and Colmars-les-Alpes classified as heritage conservation sites
Two decrees signed on 22 September 2026, published in the French Official Journal on 26 September 2026, classify Castellane and Colmars-les-Alpes as "site patrimonial remarquable" (heritage conservation site) — an official recognition of the heritage value of these two Verdon towns.
- Towns concerned
- Castellane and Colmars-les-Alpes
- Date of the decrees
- 22 September 2026
- Publication
- Official Journal no. 0225 of 26 September 2026
- Status
- Site patrimonial remarquable (heritage conservation site)
What the official text says
Official Journal no. 0225 of 26 September 2026 publishes two separate decrees, both dated 22 September 2026:
- "Arrêté du 22 septembre 2026 portant classement du site patrimonial remarquable de Castellane (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence)"
- "Arrêté du 22 septembre 2026 portant classement du site patrimonial remarquable de Colmars-les-Alpes (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence)"
The same issue of the Official Journal contains other heritage-site classifications published that day (Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, Valréas, Rumilly, Bourg-sur-Gironde, and Entrevaux in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence), but Castellane and Colmars-les-Alpes are the only two towns in our list of 64 Verdon municipalities that are concerned.
What is a "site patrimonial remarquable"?
The "site patrimonial remarquable" (SPR) is a heritage protection status defined by the French heritage code (article L631-1). Since 2016, it has replaced the former ZPPAUP (zones de protection du patrimoine architectural, urbain et paysager) and AVAP (aires de mise en valeur de l'architecture et du patrimoine) schemes. It recognises that a town, village or district has heritage, architectural, urban or landscape value that justifies protection and enhancement.
How the Castellane classification came about
According to Castellane town hall, the classification file was submitted to the Ministry of Culture in January 2026. A prefectoral decree of 9 April 2026 launched the public inquiry, with a consultation open from 4 May to 1 June 2026. The classification decree of 22 September 2026 is the outcome of that process, just under nine months after the file was submitted.
Frequently asked questions
What is a "site patrimonial remarquable" (SPR)?
It is a heritage protection status defined by the French heritage code (article L631-1), which replaced the former ZPPAUP and AVAP schemes. It recognises that a town, village or district has significant heritage, architectural or landscape value, and it governs building and renovation projects within the protected perimeter.
What does this classification actually change?
Within an SPR perimeter, construction, renovation or façade projects are generally subject to the advice of the Architecte des Bâtiments de France, to preserve the heritage character of the site. The precise rules (regulations, conservation plan) for Castellane and Colmars-les-Alpes are not yet published as far as we know: we will update this page once they are.
Were other Verdon towns classified on the same day?
The Official Journal of 26 September 2026 contains other heritage-site classifications published the same day, but no other town in our list of 64 Verdon municipalities appears in it. Entrevaux (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence), at the gateway to the Verdon, appears in the same issue of the Official Journal but is not part of the area tracked by LiveVerdon.
How did the Castellane classification come about?
According to Castellane town hall, the file was submitted to the Ministry of Culture in January 2026. A prefectoral decree of 9 April 2026 launched the public inquiry, with a consultation open from 4 May to 1 June 2026. The classification decree, dated 22 September 2026, is the outcome of that process.