ABSTRACT
The boundaries of the category ‘religious heritage’ cannot be definitively fixed and depend on the point of view from which it is approached (use, ownership, legal or sociological approach …). A correct, albeit somewhat restrictive, notion would limit religious heritage to assets that have been the subject of protection measures for historic monuments. Yet, it is precisely outside this boundary that the Heritage Foundation steps in, its role largely being concerned with unprotected heritage. Its specific character requires us first to introduce the Heritage Foundation (la Fondation du Patrimoine). This will be followed by a detailed analysis of its achievements in support of religious heritage. Finally, the actions of the Foundation will, if briefly, be placed within the French context of laïcité.
