Cooperation Offer

Tourism “culture-nature” – highlighting local environmental and cultural resources

Offer name: 
Tourism “culture-nature” – highlighting local environmental and cultural resources
Expiry date: 
30/01/2020
Offering LAG: 
GAL Durance Provence
Country:
  • France
Spoken languages:
  • anglais - français

Looking to cooperate with

Type of partner: 

All EU rural areas

Country(ies):
  • Union européenne
Type of area:
  • Inland, Lakes & rivers, Mountainous, Small town, Rural
Assets of the area:
  • High Nature Value, Cropland, Industry, Presence of relevant cultural sites

Project idea

Project type:
    • Cooperation within the country
    • Across regions
    • Cooperation within the country
    • Within the same region
    • Transnational cooperation
    • Cross - border cooperation
    • Transnational cooperation
    • With other MSs (no shared border)
    • Transnational cooperation
    • Non EU countries
Project topic:
    • Culture & Cultural heritage
    • Tourism / Territorial branding
    • Natural environment & Resources / Landscape
    • Circular economy / bio, green economy
    • Economic diversification
Context: 

The area covered by the LAG Durance Provence is at the confluence of the Durance and the Bleone rivers. It includes 14 municipalities (21 265 inhabitants in total). It can be described as a network of small rural communities organized around the main towns that are Château-Arnoux Saint-Auban, Les Mées, Peyruis and Malijai. These four urban centers concentrate 65% of the population.
This rural territory has a strong potential for tourism and cultural development. The proximity of both mountainous areas and rivers/valleys, provides a variety of opportunities for touristic and sportive activities. The A51 highway provides easy access (about 1h from the Aix-Marseille metropolitan area) and encourages de development of new means of transportation. And the territory is rich in natural resources such as landscapes, cultural resources, heritage sites, historical sites etc. and developing them is central to our local strategy, both for tourism development and for the well-being of the local population.

Project idea summary: 

Our territory has a high potential for tourism and cultural development, and it is also build around a strong environmental strategy. Therefore, we aim to promote and facilitate initiatives that contribute to developing the tourist economy in a responsible and sustainable way as well as promoting our environmental initiatives.

Objectives: 

The strategy chosen by our LAG regarding tourism is built around the “nature-culture” concept. We aim to promote our biodiversity (ornithological reserve of Haute Provence around the Durance for example), our culture and local crafts. We have two main objectives in that regard:

Objective 1: Highlighting and promoting local resources
Creating, preserving, and promoting knowledge and recognition of local environmental and cultural resources. Developing tools for touristic development and local social cohesion.
This could for example be achieved through: creating spaces and/or events for promoting the territory’s wealth (biodiversity, landscapes, culture, heritage and traditions …); developing and arranging spots for outdoor activities (mountain bike trails, hiking trails, orienteering…); promoting outdoor activities …

Objective 2: Creating new touristic offers
Creating new touristic offers based on biodiversity, culture, local know-hows and crafts…
This could include for example: the conception and set up of new touristic projects (such as a cultural festival, events around traditional know-hows, architectural heritage…); producing online offers (virtual visits of natural resources: landscapes, biodiversity, culture…); commercialization of cultural offers (products and/or services); promoting local know-hows and products; developing agritourism…