The project to have the climats of Burgundy recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is gathering pace.

According to Decanter, the Ministry of Ecology and Culture has agreed to include the climats on the official July 2013 listing.

Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanee Conti is president of the association behind the movement, which, if successful, could result in a 30 per cent increase in tourism for the region.

The term 'climat' is specific to Burgundy and in this sense refers to plots of vines which date back centuries. The total UNESCO submission will include the vineyards between Dijon and Santenay, concerning 50 square kilometres of land and 1,247 individual climats.

A total of 37 French sites are already on the UNESCO list, including the vineyards of Saint Emilion in Bordeaux.

Other submissions for the July 2013 list includes the 25,000-year-old cave paintings in the Grotte Ornee, Chauvet-Pont d'Arc.