On Monday, 17 November, the representatives of the European Paper Route paid a visit to the headquarters of the Cultural Routes in Luxembourg and met with the Secretariat of the European Institute of Cultural Routes.

The visit was an opportunity to discuss the strategic development of the European Paper Route in line with the objectives and principles of the Cultural Routes, ensuring well-aligned and coherent future advancement.

Furthermore, during the meeting, the mission and key pillars of the Cultural Routes programme, including the certification criteria and evaluation cycle timeline, were presented and discussed.

Both parties highlighted the importance of cultural heritage connected to Europe’s paper-making tradition and emphasised the route’s potential to strengthen cultural tourism, young participation and cross-border collaboration.

The European Paper Route was represented in person by participants from France, Italy and online by participants from Portugal and Germany.

The network was created in 2024 and connects European towns and sites marked by papermaking such as Angoulême, Fabriano, Barcelona, Cappellades, Heidelberg, Lviv and Santa Maria da Feira. The Presidency of the network is held by Gérard Lefèvre, Deputy Mayor for Culture, Municipality of Angoulême.

This visit provided the delegation with valuable insights that enhanced their understanding of the necessary steps for the further development of the European Paper Route.

Further information on the paper heritage in Angoulême is available here.