Ask the locals about their life in the village
Living here is not ordinary! In early April, the residents of Champagnac-la-Rivière were invited to a series of festive events, providing an opportunity to gather their perceptions of the area and their life in the village. Together, they were invited to reflect on the characteristics of their living environment and the conditions necessary for a good life here.
Collecting the experiences of residents
An hour from Limoges, Champagnac-la-Rivière is a town in the northern part of the Regional Natural Park, bisected by the Tardoire River, and currently has around 550 inhabitants. As part of a broader study on the livability of rural communities, the Park wanted to understand what connects the residents of Champagnac-la-Rivière to their village: what they love about it, what binds them to this area, what they miss…
From Friday, April 4th to Sunday, April 6th, numerous activities were offered to encourage reflection and gather testimonies. To liven up this festive weekend, the Park relied on the "Super ruraaal" collective, formed for the occasion and composed of a multidisciplinary team of experts in land-use planning, urban planning, and facilitating participatory workshops.
Workshops of all kinds
On the first evening, the participants gathered in a relaxed atmosphere to share anecdotes and photos of their daily lives in Champagnac. Through personal stories, they revisited the collective history of the village , gradually adding to the timeline of the past century. The mention of Mathilde, the village's last stationmaster, revived memories of the station's closure in the late 80s. Similarly, others reminisced about buying their homes and the reasons for their move to the region in the post-pandemic context of the 2020s.
The Saturday morning "breakfast chat" provided an opportunity to discuss water in Champagnac from every angle : springs, catchment areas, wells, pipes… The entire life of the village was revealed on the map through the presence and sharing of this common resource. "I had never seen Champagnac from this perspective," remarked Joël Villard, the town's mayor. In the afternoon, those feeling inspired took part in a songwriting exercise, sharing their daily lives through song.
Finally, the residents met again on Sunday for a film screening and discussion, providing an opportunity to delve deeper into the issues. The three days were also punctuated by walks. From the Jarosses heath, a protected nature reserve, to the village center and along the greenway, the residents explored the surrounding area, enriching their discussions about their living environment.
Habitability, a multifaceted concept
Regardless of the format, each of these activities aimed to explore the habitability of rural areas, within the framework of a joint project involving the six parks of the Massif Central and led by the Inter-Parks of the Massif Central (IPAMAC). Examining the habitability of a territory means questioning the conditions for living well together here, now, and in the future . Social life, inclusion, and conviviality are thus integral to the dimensions considered, alongside landscapes, service infrastructure, and available land. Focusing on questions of habitability also means, above all, moving away from a desire for attractiveness at all costs , to build territories that are not only desirable but also livable, day after day and over the long term, in a context of change, particularly climate change.
Following this festive weekend, the residents of the Park are already invited to the public restitution of the workshops which will be held on November 15 in Champagnac.
