Sites and Cities
Sites & Cités remarquables de France is a French non-profit association that networks heritage-labeled municipalities, providing expert advisory, Qualiopi-certified training, and international cooperation services for the sustainable urban revitalization of historic centers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersBordeaux, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sites and Cities does
Sites & Cités remarquables de France is a French non-profit association (association loi 1901) headquartered at the Musée d'Aquitaine in Bordeaux, founded in 2000 and formerly known as ANVPAH & VSSP. It operates as the national network association for French territorial communities (cities, towns, and inter-municipal authorities) that hold the 'Villes et Pays d'art et d'histoire' label or Sites Patrimoniaux Remarquables (SPR) designation. Its functional purpose is to support heritage-led urban revitalization and sustainable development of historic centers across France, addressing issues such as building energy inefficiency, undignified housing (habitat indigne), commercial vacancy, and limited engineering capacity in small and medium municipalities.
The association delivers four primary service lines: (1) expert advisory services via a roster of 28+ specialists in heritage, urban planning, law, and sustainable building rehabilitation; (2) Qualiopi-certified training programs for local officials and technical staff; (3) recurring webinars under the '1h – 1 expert' format; and (4) international cooperation programs, including a dedicated international platform at international.sites-cites.fr. Its principal knowledge platform is CREBA (Centre de Ressources pour la Réhabilitation Responsable du Bâti Ancien), co-founded with Cerema, Arts & Métiers ParisTech, the Architecture School of Toulouse, and Maisons Paysannes de France, which provides decision-support tools and resource content for energy-efficient rehabilitation of historic buildings. It also maintains the 'Quartiers anciens, quartiers durables' digital resource platform on old urban quarters and sustainable development.
Revenue is generated primarily through recurring membership fees from labeled territorial communities and training fees, supplemented by co-financing from the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Ecological Transition, ANCT, Banque des Territoires, regional councils, and EU programs (Interreg SUDOE, Interreg Alpine Space). The go-to-market motion is community-led, with recruitment via the website and member onboarding through a dedicated 'Espace Adhérent' portal. No revenue, headcount growth, or external funding-round data is disclosed in the available materials.
Sites and Cities firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sites and Cities
- Legal name
- Sites et Cités
- Website
- https://sites-cites.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Sites & Cités remarquables de France is a French non-profit association that networks heritage-labeled municipalities, providing expert advisory, Qualiopi-certified training, and international cooperation services for the sustainable urban revitalization of historic centers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sites and Cities industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Heritage and Urban Planning Services
- NAICS
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Historical Sites (71212)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Historic Preservation & Landmarks Conservation (BPAGAHAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Historic Sites, Heritage Landmarks & Archaeological Sites (THAJACAC), City Squares, Old Towns & Landmark Districts (THAJACAJ)
Keywords
Where Sites and Cities is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bordeaux
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sites and Cities business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership fees: The association generates revenue through membership fees from French territorial communities (cities, towns, inter-municipal authorities) that join the network. Members receive access to expert advice, training, webinars, publications, and international cooperation programs.
- Training services: Sites & Cités offers professional training programs for local officials and staff, including a Qualiopi-certified training action category. Training covers heritage management, urban planning, and sustainable building rehabilitation.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Sites and Cities product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sites & Cités remarquables de France is a French non-profit national association that brings together cities, towns, and inter-municipal authorities holding the 'Villes et Pays d'art et d'histoire' label or Sites Patrimoniaux Remarquables (SPR) designation. It provides expert advisory services, Qualiopi-certified professional training, webinars, publications, and an international cooperation platform to support heritage-led urban revitalization and sustainable rehabilitation of historic centers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CREBA: Centre de Ressources pour la Réhabilitation Responsable du Bâti Ancien - a resource center for responsible rehabilitation of old buildings, co-founded by Sites & Cités along with Cerema, Arts & Métiers ParisTech, and Maisons Paysannes de France
Products and services
- Membership Network for Heritage Territories Annual membership for French cities, towns, and inter-municipal authorities holding heritage labels, providing access to expert advisory services, training, webinars, publications, and international cooperation programs.
- Expert Advisory Services Direct access to a network of over 28 named experts across heritage, urban planning, law, and sustainable building for member territorial communities.
- Qualiopi-Certified Training Programs Professional training covering heritage management, urban planning in heritage areas, sustainable building rehabilitation, and energy-efficient renovation. Certified under the French national quality framework and approved for training local elected officials.
- Webinars "1h - 1 Expert" Regular webinar series featuring expert presentations on heritage rehabilitation, sustainable building, and urban planning topics.
- CREBA Resource Center National resource center online platform providing decision-support tools, resource summaries, case studies, and a rehabilitation charter for energy-efficient rehabilitation of old buildings.
- International Cooperation Platform Dedicated international platform providing access to a global network of heritage professionals, international cooperation projects such as 'Clé en main', French expert profiles, and international forums and training week programs.
Quantifiable outcome
- 77 of 222 Action Cœur de Ville program cities are Sites & Cités members
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Sites and Cities
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Sites and Cities technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Sites and Cities partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Ministère de la Culture (Ministry of Culture)coreThe Ministry of Culture is a key institutional partner, co-financing the association's activities and providing policy guidance on heritage preservation and urban planning. The ministry supports Sites & Cités through co-funding of studies, publications, and international cooperation projects.
- Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères (Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs)coreThe Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs co-finances international cooperation projects led by Sites & Cités, including the 'Clé en main' project program supporting heritage-based cooperation between French and foreign territorial communities.
- Ministère de la Transition écologique (Ministry of Ecological Transition)corePartners with Sites & Cités on sustainable urban development and energy-efficient rehabilitation of historic buildings, particularly through the CREBA resource center and ENERPAT project.
- ANCT (Agence nationale de la cohésion des territoires)coreThe National Agency for Territorial Cohesion collaborates with Sites & Cités on urban revitalization programs including Action Cœur de Ville and Petites Villes de Demain, providing engineering support and funding coordination for member communities.
- Banque des Territoires (Caisse des Dépôts)coreCo-finances heritage rehabilitation studies and energy-efficient building audits through the '20 Projets pour 2020' program. Also partnered on the 'Tiers-Lieux patrimoines' project producing case study fiches on heritage-based third places.
- Région OccitaniemajorSupports Sites & Cités members in Occitanie through co-funding of international cooperation projects, particularly with Mediterranean and cross-border Aragon/Catalonia partners.
- Région NormandiemajorPartners with Sites & Cités to support heritage-led development among member communities in Normandy.
- La PosteminorCorporate partner supporting the association's activities through sponsorship or in-kind contributions.
- CMN (Centre des monuments nationaux)minorPartners on heritage promotion and management initiatives related to France's national monuments.
- Fondation du PatrimoineminorCollaboration on heritage preservation and fundraising for restoration projects among member communities.
- CAPEB (Confédération des artisans et petites entreprises du bâtiment)minorPartners on sustainable building rehabilitation and energy-efficient renovation of old buildings, bringing together heritage expertise and construction sector skills.
- GIP EPAU (Établissement public d'architecture et d'urbanisme)minorPartners on urban planning and architecture education and expertise.
- Cerema (Centre d'études et d'expertise sur les risques, l'environnement, la mobilité et l'aménagement)coreFounding member of CREBA (Centre de Ressources pour la Réhabilitation Responsable du Bâti Ancien), bringing scientific expertise on energy efficiency in old buildings. Also involved in ENERPAT SUDOE and ATLAS European projects.
- Arts & Métiers ParisTechcoreFounding member of CREBA, providing engineering and technical expertise for sustainable building rehabilitation research and development.
- École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Toulouse (Laboratoire de Recherche en Architecture)coreFounding member of CREBA, contributing architectural research expertise on heritage buildings.
- Maisons Paysannes de FrancecoreFounding member of CREBA, contributing expertise on traditional building techniques and vernacular architecture preservation.
- Cités Unies FrancemajorDevelops the DCOL (Dispositif d'appui à l'action internationale des collectivités territoriales) program with AFD support, providing up to 80% funding for international project support services for French local authorities.
- Communauté d'Agglomération du Grand CahorscoreLead partner of the ENERPAT SUDOE project, coordinating eco-restoration pilot projects in historic buildings across three European cities (Cahors, Porto, Vitoria-Gasteiz).
- EURAC Research (Académie européenne de Bolzano)coreLead partner of the ATLAS Interreg Alpine Space project, coordinating the transnational sustainable building rehabilitation initiative across 6 European countries.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sites and Cities competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Villes de France: Association representing mid-sized French cities on national policy. Comparable as a membership association of French municipalities, though focused on a broader urban-policy agenda beyond heritage.
- Cerema: French public agency providing scientific and technical expertise on risks, environment, mobility, and urban planning. Comparable as a partner providing technical expertise on building rehabilitation and energy efficiency; serves a broader public-works mission than Sites & Cités but overlaps in heritage-and-urban planning expertise.
- ANCT (Agence nationale de la cohésion des territoires): French national agency coordinating territorial cohesion programs including Action Cœur de Ville and Petites Villes de Demain. Comparable as a partner/funder of the same municipal revitalization agenda Sites & Cités supports, with a much broader mandate.
Direct peers
- Europa Nostra: Pan-European federation for cultural heritage representing hundreds of member organizations across Europe. Directly comparable as a heritage network association aggregating civil society and local government members for advocacy, training, and heritage awards at a larger geographic scale.
- Fondation du Patrimoine: France's leading heritage preservation foundation, raising funds and supporting restoration of historic buildings and sites. Directly comparable to Sites & Cités as a French nonprofit operating in the heritage preservation ecosystem, and listed as a partner in the data.
- ICOMOS France: French national committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites, focused on conservation of historic monuments and sites. Directly comparable as a nonprofit expert network advising on heritage conservation standards, training, and international cooperation.
- Cités Unies France: French association supporting international action by local and territorial authorities, including the DCOL program funded by AFD. Directly comparable as a French territorial-cooperation network partnering with AFD and MEAE on heritage-related international projects.
- Maisons Paysannes de France: National federation advocating for vernacular architecture and traditional rural building techniques. Directly comparable as a heritage-focused French nonprofit network serving communities on building preservation; co-founder of CREBA with Sites & Cités.
Emerging players
- Fondation ALIPH: International foundation funding protection of cultural heritage in conflict zones. Comparable as a funder of heritage preservation projects that Sites & Cités may partner with for international heritage protection work.
Others
- CAPEB: French confederation of craft and small construction businesses. Adjacent stakeholder rather than a direct peer; partners with Sites & Cités on sustainable rehabilitation skills and energy-efficient renovation of old buildings.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sites and Cities social profiles
Digital presenceSites and Cities financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sites and Cities leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Sites and Cities funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sites and Cities M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sites and Cities
What does Sites and Cities do?
Sites & Cités remarquables de France is a French non-profit national association that brings together cities, towns, and inter-municipal authorities holding the 'Villes et Pays d'art et d'histoire' label or Sites Patrimoniaux Remarquables (SPR) designation. It provides expert advisory services, Qualiopi-certified professional training, webinars, publications, and an international cooperation platform to support heritage-led urban revitalization and sustainable rehabilitation of historic centers.
Is Sites and Cities a public or private company?
Sites and Cities is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Sites and Cities founded?
Sites and Cities was founded in 2000. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Sites and Cities based?
Sites and Cities is headquartered in Bordeaux, France, in the Europe region.
How does Sites and Cities make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership fees are the primary driver. The others are training services.
Who are Sites and Cities's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Villes de France, Cerema and ANCT (Agence nationale de la cohésion des territoires). Direct peers are Europa Nostra, Fondation du Patrimoine, ICOMOS France, Cités Unies France and Maisons Paysannes de France. Fondation ALIPH is listed as an emerging player. CAPEB is listed as an others.
Does Sites and Cities have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sites and Cities.
What industry is Sites and Cities in?
Sites and Cities's product category is Heritage and Urban Planning Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAE, Historic Preservation & Landmarks Conservation, with a secondary code of THAJACAC, Historic Sites, Heritage Landmarks & Archaeological Sites. Its NAICS code is 712.