Strengthening links between urban and rural inhabitants

LAG’s objective is to strengthen links between those different areas existing inside the same population catchment area, in order to create synergy between urban and rural areas.

Almost 100 000 inhabitants live in Centre Saone-et-Loire LAG which shows two different identities: an industrial and coal mining one but also a rural one. Steel industry and coal mines shaped cities and some landscapes, and attracted a considerable population. After a glorious past during industrial revolution, the area faced a serious crisis leading to the end of coal extraction. Today, industry is regaining dynamism and our coal basin is restructuring its economy towards services sector, but unemployment remains high. The area also displays a marked rural physionomy, characterized by hilly hedged farmland full of rustic charm and some beautiful villages. Charolais beef meet production dominates rural economy. The Centre Canal links urban / rural and industrial /natural parts of the area

LAG’s objective is to strengthen links between those different areas existing inside the same population catchment area, in order to create synergies between urban and rural areas. Centre Saone-et-Loire LAG intends to work on 3 topics with other LAGs: - building a structured urban / rural touristic offer, associating for instance natural leisure with city museums, or industrial techniques discovery with handwork or farming know-how discovery; - implementing short supply chain, from local farmers to local consumers, aiming at promoting farming products among an urban audience; - developing closer cultural partnerships between inhabitants from urban and rural areas.

LAG located in any EU member state and sharing similar characteristics and objectives.

Hungary, Italy, Slovenia, United Kingdom, Greece, Ireland, Sweden, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Malta, Poland, Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Spain, Slovakia, Belgium, Germany, Finland, Romania, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Lithuania, Latvia

Spanish, English, French

Culture, Products(food), Tourism

06/04/2011