L'inscription du Val de Loire au patrimoine Mondial UNESCO. Réflexions sur les implications institutionnelles d'un nouveau type de protection de la nature

The making of the Loire Valley as a world Heritage Site in 2000 leads to a reorganization of all stakeholders and to a new definition of the regional policy at the geographical level of the river basin between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes. More precisely, the political background caracterized by the conflict between anti and pro-dam and chanelizing projects is evoluing towards new perspectives. The article explain how environmental, historical and touristic projects defined under the UNESCO banner are reorganizing the political scene, the discourses, and private as well as public forces in the region.