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2026 ranking · historic monuments

The towns in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes with the most historic monuments

Lyon (Rhône) has the most historic monuments in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: 260 monuments. Next come Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme, 181 monuments) and Le Puy-en-Velay (Haute-Loire, 86 monuments).

1,897 towns ranked out of 4,025

Lyon, 1stThe next 19

The podium

  1. View of Lyon 1stLyon 260monuments Rhône
  2. View of Clermont-Ferrand 2ndClermont-Ferrand 181monuments Puy-de-Dôme
  3. 3rdLe Puy-en-Velay 86monuments Haute-Loire

This ranking covers 1,897 of the 4,025 towns in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Not ranked: towns with no historic monument. The table is split into pages of 100 towns. At the other end of the ranking, Aulan (Drôme) comes last with 1 monument.

In France, a commune is the smallest unit of local government, from large cities to tiny villages. Paris, Lyon and Marseille are ranked as whole communes: their arrondissements (districts) have no rank of their own.

The ranking: most historic monuments in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Rank Town Department Historic monuments Proportional bar Population
1 Lyon Rhône (69) 260 525,314
2 Clermont-Ferrand Puy-de-Dôme (63) 181 148,795
3 Le Puy-en-Velay Haute-Loire (43) 86 19,376
4 Pérouges Ain (01) 81 1,419
5 Riom Puy-de-Dôme (63) 76 19,541
6 Moulins Allier (03) 54 19,714
7 Vichy Allier (03) 51 25,445
8 Saint-Étienne Loire (42) 40 174,698
9 Vienne Isère (38) 39 32,216
10 Grenoble Isère (38) 37 158,303
11 Bourg-en-Bresse Ain (01) 35 43,961
12 Saint-Flour Cantal (15) 33 6,853
13 Annecy Haute-Savoie (74) 29 134,985
14 Aurillac Cantal (15) 27 27,578
15 tied Chambéry Savoie (73) 25 61,493
15 tied Thiers Puy-de-Dôme (63) 25 11,994
15 tied Bourg-Saint-Andéol Ardèche (07) 25 7,828
18 Montluçon Allier (03) 23 34,107
19 Villefranche-sur-Saône Rhône (69) 22 36,563
20 Billom Puy-de-Dôme (63) 21 4,894
21 tied Crémieu Isère (38) 20 3,601
21 tied Salers Cantal (15) 20 314
23 tied Valence Drôme (26) 19 65,647
23 tied Romans-sur-Isère Drôme (26) 19 34,176
23 tied Montbrison Loire (42) 19 16,656
26 Aix-les-Bains Savoie (73) 18 32,944
27 tied Thonon-les-Bains Haute-Savoie (74) 15 38,946
27 tied Chamalières Puy-de-Dôme (63) 15 18,059
29 tied Tournon-sur-Rhône Ardèche (07) 14 11,849
29 tied Charlieu Loire (42) 14 3,877
29 tied Viviers Ardèche (07) 14 3,699
32 Vallon-Pont-d'Arc Ardèche (07) 13 2,447
33 tied Issoire Puy-de-Dôme (63) 12 15,477
33 tied Tullins Isère (38) 12 7,751
33 tied Val-Cenis Savoie (73) 12 2,148
33 tied Pradelles Haute-Loire (43) 12 545
33 tied Bonneval-sur-Arc Savoie (73) 12 290
38 tied Belley Ain (01) 11 9,695
38 tied La Côte-Saint-André Isère (38) 11 5,157
38 tied Murat Cantal (15) 11 1,859
41 tied Montélimar Drôme (26) 10 41,752
41 tied Albertville Savoie (73) 10 20,463
41 tied Bourbon-l'Archambault Allier (03) 10 2,549
41 tied Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise Puy-de-Dôme (63) 10 1,508
41 tied Blesle Haute-Loire (43) 10 623
41 tied Hérisson Allier (03) 10 567
47 tied Trévoux Ain (01) 9 7,181
47 tied Brioude Haute-Loire (43) 9 6,839
47 tied Die Drôme (26) 9 5,088
47 tied Vic-sur-Cère Cantal (15) 9 1,935
47 tied Saint-Bonnet-le-Château Loire (42) 9 1,482
47 tied Saint-Saturnin Puy-de-Dôme (63) 9 1,228
47 tied Val d'Arcomie Cantal (15) 9 945
47 tied Châteldon Puy-de-Dôme (63) 9 757
55 tied Saint-Chamond Loire (42) 8 36,065
55 tied Aubenas Ardèche (07) 8 13,130
55 tied Évian-les-Bains Haute-Savoie (74) 8 9,521
55 tied Crest Drôme (26) 8 8,916
55 tied Saint-Gervais-les-Bains Haute-Savoie (74) 8 5,886
55 tied Royat Puy-de-Dôme (63) 8 4,589
55 tied Néris-les-Bains Allier (03) 8 2,433
55 tied Souvigny Allier (03) 8 1,736
55 tied Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse Isère (38) 8 1,042
55 tied Séneujols Haute-Loire (43) 8 332
65 tied Roanne Loire (42) 7 36,067
65 tied Firminy Loire (42) 7 17,241
65 tied Rive-de-Gier Loire (42) 7 15,379
65 tied Cusset Allier (03) 7 13,822
65 tied Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux Drôme (26) 7 9,471
65 tied Anse Rhône (69) 7 8,359
65 tied Lezoux Puy-de-Dôme (63) 7 6,595
65 tied Mornant Rhône (69) 7 6,456
65 tied Saint-Galmier Loire (42) 7 5,941
65 tied Courpière Puy-de-Dôme (63) 7 4,285
65 tied Aigueperse Puy-de-Dôme (63) 7 2,700
65 tied Saugues Haute-Loire (43) 7 1,745
65 tied Grignan Drôme (26) 7 1,643
65 tied Marsat Puy-de-Dôme (63) 7 1,461
65 tied Saint-Pal-de-Chalencon Haute-Loire (43) 7 1,054
65 tied Saint-Nectaire Puy-de-Dôme (63) 7 829
65 tied Cayres Haute-Loire (43) 7 693
65 tied Le Broc Puy-de-Dôme (63) 7 638
65 tied Agonges Allier (03) 7 309
84 tied Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon Rhône (69) 6 22,045
84 tied Annonay Ardèche (07) 6 17,836
84 tied Sassenage Isère (38) 6 11,854
84 tied Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne Savoie (73) 6 7,853
84 tied Montluel Ain (01) 6 7,083
84 tied Ambert Puy-de-Dôme (63) 6 6,732
84 tied Donzère Drôme (26) 6 6,105
84 tied Vic-le-Comte Puy-de-Dôme (63) 6 5,487
84 tied Chabanière Rhône (69) 6 4,399
84 tied Mauriac Cantal (15) 6 3,653
84 tied Coubon Haute-Loire (43) 6 3,215
84 tied Maringues Puy-de-Dôme (63) 6 3,192
84 tied Villeneuve-de-Berg Ardèche (07) 6 3,140
84 tied Courchevel Savoie (73) 6 2,366
84 tied Suze-la-Rousse Drôme (26) 6 2,144
84 tied Craponne-sur-Arzon Haute-Loire (43) 6 2,016
84 tied Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille Haute-Loire (43) 6 1,819

Source: French Ministry of Culture, Mérimée database (buildings protected as historic monuments); buildings classified or registered as historic monuments, in whole or in part. Not ranked: towns with no historic monument. Tied values share the same rank. Data sources.

FAQ

Most historic monuments in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: FAQ

Which town in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes has the most historic monuments?

Lyon (Rhône) has the most historic monuments in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: 260 monuments.

What are the 10 towns in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes with the most historic monuments?

In order: Lyon (260 monuments), Clermont-Ferrand (181 monuments), Le Puy-en-Velay (86 monuments), Pérouges (81 monuments), Riom (76 monuments), Moulins (54 monuments), Vichy (51 monuments), Saint-Étienne (40 monuments), Vienne (39 monuments), and Grenoble (37 monuments).

How many towns in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes are ranked?

1,897 out of 4,025. Not ranked: towns with no historic monument.

What does this ranking count?

Each building protected as a historic monument (monument historique), whether classified or only registered, in whole or in part, counts as one, as listed in the Mérimée database of the French Ministry of Culture. A monument that spans several communes, such as an aqueduct or a city wall, counts in each of them. The total also depends on how protections were divided up: a group of buildings can count as one monument or as several.

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