RURAL TOURISM AS A TOOL FOR LOCAL

DEVELOPMENT
DIAGNOSIS OF THE FRENCH AREA OF
HAUTE-CORRÈZE

Marie SAULE

'I hereby declare that the dissertation submitted is wholly the work of Marie SAULE.
Any other contributors or sources have either been referenced in the prescribed
manner or are listed in the acknowledgements together with the nature and scope of
their contribution.'

MA European Tourism Management

Bournemouth University
August 2004

i
 ABSTRACT

Rural tourism is taking more and more importance in the tourism sector at the
international since it represents an alternative to mass tourism. In France, stays in
rural areas represent more than one third of the stays. This new type of tourism
started to develop after the beginning of rural exodus and is now considered by
experts and political authorities as an activity that can contribute to the development
of rural areas, especially of less favoured rural area. Haute-Corrèze is a less-
favoured rural area suffering old problems of depopulation and lack of dynamism.
Agriculture is one of the major activity of the area but it is suffering restructuring
problems. This study aims at finding if tourism is currently a tool of development
for Haute-Corrèze and if it is not, the purpose of the study is to find if and how
tourism could be a tool for Haute-Corrèze development.

A review of the literature about rural tourism and local development allowed to
establish a list of hypotheses checked during the study to know if tourism may be a
tool for development: necessity of quality, of co-ordination, of federation, of
implication of the local population, of awareness of local agents. It is also necessary
for the territory to have a touristic potential. In order to check all these hypotheses, a
territorial and a tourism diagnosis are led. Once all the data are collected and
analysed, some conclusions can be drawn:

The findings of this study confirm that Haute-Corrèze benefits from an important
tourism potential thanks to its natural and cultural resources. The accommodations
such as gîtes and B&Bs have a good quality. However, the territory has problems of
dynamism, of positioning, of organisation and of mentalities that prevent it from
being as strong as it could be. The territory needs financial and human means to
organise and develop new products corresponding to the expectations of the
customers. In the last part of the study, some recommendations are developed for
local tourism agents and for further research.

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 LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

Figure 3: Evaluation of the local touristic potential.................................................. 48

Figure 5: Localisation of Haute-Corrèze ................................................................... 54
Figure 6: Federation of the Pays Haute-Corrèze - list of municipalities................... 55
Figure 7: Evolution of the population in Haute-Corrèze between 1990 and 1999 ... 57
Figure 8: Population pyramid.................................................................................... 58
Figure 9: Level of equipment of the Pays ................................................................. 60
Figure 10: Distribution of heritage in the Corrèze département ............................... 66
Figure 11: Distribution of the products "Bienvenue à la ferme" in the Corrèze
département ................................................................................................................ 71
Figure 12: Nights spent in rural areas by French people in 2001 per type of
accommodation - in thousands of nights.................................................................... 73
Figure 14: Evolution of the number of gîtes and B&B in Haute-Corrèze between
1999 and 2003 ............................................................................................................ 76
Figure 15: Distribution of Haute-Corrèze camping sites per category ..................... 77
Figure 16: Evolution of the occupancy rates in the camping sites of the Corrèze
département. ............................................................................................................... 78
Figure 18: Figures about the frequentation of Corrèze competitors ........................ 91
Figure 19: Focus on the image given by the tourism agents interviewed ................. 92
Figure 20: Evolution of the frequentation of tourist offices in Haute-Corrèze and
Haute-Corrèze/Corrèze ratio .................................................................................... 101
Figure 21: Distribution of the frequentation of tourist offices in Haute-Corrèze in
2003.......................................................................................................................... 102

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 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

CAP Common Agricultural Policy

CC Communauté de Communes / Communauty of Municipalities
CDCE Economic Chambers Departmental Committee / Comité
Départemental des Chambres Economiques
DATAR Délégation à l’Aménagement du Territoire et à l’Action Régionale
ERS Economic Research Service
EU European Union
GRP Grande Randonnée de Pays / Pays Hiking Trails
INSEE National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies
LAGs Local Action Groups
LEADER Link Between Actions of Local Economic Development
LOADDT Loi d’Otientation sur l’Aménagement et le Développement Durable
du Territoire
NRP/PNR Natural Regional Park / Parc Naturel Régional
OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
PCRT/CPTR Permanent Conference on Rural Tourism / Conférence Permanente du
Tourisme Rural
SRLA Service Réservation Loisirs Accueil / Booking Centre
SWOT Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats
TDC/CDT Tourism Departmental Committee / Comité Départemental du
Tourisme
TDDS/SDDT Tourism Departmental Development Scheme / Schéma Départemental
de Développpement Touristique
TO Tourist Office
TRC/CRT Tourism Regional Committee / Comité Régional du Tourisme
UDOTSI Union Départemental des offices de Tourisme / Departmental Union
of the Tourist Offices
WTO World Tourism Organisation

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 CONTENTS

ABSTRACT .......................................................II

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES ........................ III

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ....................................IV

CONTENTS ....................................................... V

AKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................XI

CHAPTER 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION......12

1.1 Introduction................................................................................................ 12
1.2 The relevance of the topic .......................................................................... 12
1.3 The research area of the study.................................................................... 14
1.4 The objectives of the research.................................................................... 14
1.5 The research methodology ......................................................................... 15
1.6 The dissertation structure ........................................................................... 15

CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ..............18

2.1. Introduc tion................................................................................................ 18
2.2. Definition of the principal terms of the theme ........................................... 18
2.1.1. Rural areas: a multiple definition .............................................................. 19
2.1.2. Rural tourism: a multi-faceted concept..................................................... 20
2.1.3. Local development...................................................................................... 23
2.3. Rural tourism in Europe ............................................................................. 24

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2.3.1. Rural tourism as a tool for development: the danger of possible negative
impacts .................................................................................................................. 24
2.3.2. European funding for rural tourism ........................................................... 25
2.4. General trends in the economic and social situation of rural areas in France 26
2.4.1 Socio-historical analysis of the evolution of rurality................................. 27
2.4.1.1 1945-1960: Technical progress for rebuilding ............................................... 27
2.4.1.2 1960-1975: The world growth....................................................................... 28
2.4.1.3 After 1975: the crisis and the questioning ...................................................... 28
2.4.2 The four functions of rural areas in France............................................... 30
2.4.3 Three types of rural areas in France ......................................................... 31
2.4.3.1 The urban countryside................................................................................... 31
2.4.3.2 The declining countryside.............................................................................. 31
2.4.3.3 The new countryside...................................................................................... 32
2.5 Evolution of the perceptions of the countryside and consequences for the
development of rural tourism..................................................................................... 32
2.6 Tourism as a tool for local development .................................................... 33
2.6.1 Challenges and opportunities..................................................................... 33
2.6.2 Economic, social and environmental negative impacts............................. 36
2.6.2.1 Mitigated economic repercussions ................................................................. 36
2.6.2.2 Social repercussions of tourism...................................................................... 37
2.7 Conclusion:................................................................................................. 37

CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY .........................38

3.1. Approach of the topic:................................................................................ 38
3.2. Hypotheses about the key factors for tourism to be a tool for development
and falsification.......................................................................................................... 38
3.2.1. Hypothesis I: the territory and the tourism sector have to be in a local
development process .................................................................................................. 39
3.2.1.1. Sub-hypothesis I: Importance of the awareness of local agents of the problems of
the area ............................................................................................................ 39
3.2.1.2. Sub-hypothesis II: Importance of quality ....................................................... 39
3.2.1.3. Sub-hypothesis III: Importance of co-ordination ............................................ 40
3.2.1.4. Sub-hypothesis IV: importance of the federation of the different stakeholders .. 40

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3.2.1.5. Sub-hypothesis V: importance of the participation of local population............. 40
3.2.2. Hypothesis II: the tourism potential of the territory has to be important
enough .................................................................................................................. 41
3.3. Secondary data: .......................................................................................... 41
3.3.1. Literature review:....................................................................................... 41
3.3.2. Secondary data about Haute-Corrèze: ...................................................... 42
3.4. Primary data: .............................................................................................. 42
3.4.1. Quantitative versus qualitative data collection.......................................... 43
3.4.2. Qualitative data collection: In-depth interviews: ..................................... 43
3.4.2.1. Aims of the research...................................................................................... 44
3.4.2.2. Interview design............................................................................................ 44
3.4.2.3. Selection of the sample.................................................................................. 45
3.5. Discussion of the results:............................................................................ 47
3.5.1. Analysis of the tourism potential of the territory ....................................... 47
3.5.2. Specific analysis of the organisation of tourism on the territory............... 50
3.6 Conclusion.................................................................................................. 50

CHAPITRE 4 HAUTE-CORREZE
TERRITORIAL DIAGNOSIS ..................................51
4.1 Introduction................................................................................................ 51
4.2 What is a ‘Pays’? ........................................................................................ 51
4.3 Geographic presentation of the Pays .......................................................... 52
4.3.1 Perimeter of the territory ........................................................................... 53
4.3.2 Importance of water in the culture of the pays........................................... 55
4.3.3 Two geographical entities in the Pays ....................................................... 56
4.4 Demographic characteristics ...................................................................... 56
4.5 Equipment and infrastructures ................................................................... 59
4.5.1 Accessibility................................................................................................ 59
4.5.2 Equipment................................................................................................... 59
4.5.3 Housing ...................................................................................................... 60
4.6 Socio-economic characteristics.................................................................. 61
4.6.1 Social characteristics ................................................................................. 61

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4.6.2 Types of economic activities....................................................................... 61
4.6.2.1 Agriculture................................................................................................... 61
4.6.2.2 Commerce, craft industry, industry, services................................................... 62
4.7 SWOT analysis........................................................................................... 62
4.7.1 Strengths of the territory that can have an influence on tourism............... 62
4.7.2 Weaknesses of the territory that can have an influence on tourism........... 63
4.7.3 Opportunities that can have an influence on tourism ................................ 63
4.7.4 Threats that can have an influence on tourism .......................................... 64
4.8 Conclusion.................................................................................................. 64

CHAPITRE 5. HAUTE-CORREZE TOURISM

DIAGNOSIS ......................................................65
5.1. Introduction................................................................................................ 65
5.2. The territory resources ............................................................................... 65
5.2.1. Natural resources ....................................................................................... 66
5.2.2. Cultural resources...................................................................................... 68
5.2.2.1. The built heritage.......................................................................................... 68
5.2.2.2. Animations and festivals................................................................................ 68
5.2.2.3. Gastronomy.................................................................................................. 69
5.3. Touristic supply.......................................................................................... 70
5.3.1. Agri-tourism and gastronomy: the “Bienvenue à la ferme” network........ 70
5.3.2. Accommodations ........................................................................................ 71
5.3.2.1. Hotels .......................................................................................................... 72
5.3.2.2. Gîtes and Bed and Breakfasts ........................................................................ 73
5.3.2.3. Camping sites............................................................................................... 77
5.3.2.4. Second homes............................................................................................... 78
5.3.3. Activity suppliers ........................................................................................ 80
5.4. The demand ................................................................................................ 81
5.4.1. General trends of the rural tourists............................................................ 81
5.4.1.1. New expectations of the customers................................................................. 81
5.4.1.2. New purchasing behaviours........................................................................... 81
5.4.1.3. New socio-cultural trends.............................................................................. 83
5.4.2. Characteristics of the tourists coming in Haute-Corrèze .......................... 85

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5.4.3. Characteristics of the stays in Haute-Corrèze ........................................... 86
5.4.3.1. A majority of stays spent in non-market accommodations................................ 86
5.4.3.2. Activities practised: nature, culture and idleness............................................. 86
5.4.3.3. Low expenses................................................................................................ 87
5.4.3.4. An average length of stay higher than the national trends................................ 87
5.4.4. Motivations of tourists coming in Haute-Corrèze...................................... 89
5.4.5. Satisfaction of tourists coming in Haute-Corrèze ...................................... 89
5.5. Competitors ................................................................................................ 90
5.6. Promotion and communication .................................................................. 91
5.6.1. Image.......................................................................................................... 91
5.6.2. Communication and promotion.................................................................. 94
5.6.2.1. Edition of brochures...................................................................................... 94
5.6.2.2. Creation of websites...................................................................................... 96
5.6.2.3. National communication campaigns............................................................... 96
5.6.2.4. Participation to tourism fairs......................................................................... 97
5.6.2.5. Rest areas of the roads and motorways........................................................... 97
5.6.3. Marketing ................................................................................................... 98
5.7. Tourism organisation on the territory......................................................... 98
5.7.1. Public structures ........................................................................................ 99
5.7.1.1. Departmental structures................................................................................ 99
5.7.1.2. Local structures.......................................................................................... 100
5.7.2. Private structures and associations ......................................................... 104
5.8. SWOT analysis......................................................................................... 106
5.8.1. SWOT analysis of the supply .................................................................... 106
5.8.1.1 Strengths and weaknesses for the supply....................................................... 106
5.8.1.2 Opportunities and threats for the supply....................................................... 108
5.8.2. SWOT analysis of the demand.................................................................. 109
5.8.2.1 Strengths and weaknesses for the demand..................................................... 109
5.8.2.2 Opportunities and threats for the demand..................................................... 110
5.8.3. SWOT analysis of the positioning of the territory.................................... 111
5.8.4. SWOT analysis of the tourism organisation............................................. 113
5.9. Conclusion .............................................................................................. 115

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CHAPTER 6. CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS..........................................116
6.1. Conclusion................................................................................................ 116
6.2. Recommendations for tourism agents...................................................... 117
6.2.1 The creation of a coordinating tourist board at the destination level ..... 117
6.2.2 Finding a positioning for the territory ..................................................... 118
6.2.3 Improvement of the tourism products....................................................... 120
6.3 Recommendations for further studies....................................................... 122

BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................123

APPENDICES ....................................................132

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 AKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I want to thank my supervisor, Francisco Serra, for his advice and guidance
throughout the long process of this academic work.

I would like to thank all the member of the teachers of NHTV, Breda, and the
persons in charge of the International Office for their support, the knowledge they
brought us and for all the things they did for us.

I am really grateful to Ariane Portegies from NHTV, Breda, for her continual support
and encouragement and for always being available when I needed her all along this
year.

I would also like to thank Mike Morgan for his guidance throughout the whole ETM
program.

Concerning the practical part of this dissertation, my thanks go to Valérie Bordes,

Nadège Savary, Cédric Bach, Philippe Constanti, Henri Chassagne, Philippe Bordes,
M. Fraysse, M. Fay, Sophie Bonelli, and all the tourism agents of Corrèze and Haute-
Corrèze for their welcome and for the time they took to answer my questions and
provide me information.

xi
 Chapter 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

While tourism becomes every year more important for national and local economies,
the sector is facing some changes in comparison with its beginning. Mass tourism,
for example, even if it keeps attracting a great amount of people and generating
important revenues, is not the most attractive kind of tourism anymore. Factors such
as decrease of working time, urbanisation and development of communication means
give the opportunity for other kinds of tourism to develop. These factors, mixed with
the willing to find means to help rural areas to get out of crisis, mark the beginning
of rural tourism. People coming from the cities want to escape from their stressing
daily life and to enjoy during their holidays a peaceful and good quality environment.
The countryside tries to capture these customers that can contribute to diversifying
the local economy and improving the dynamism of the territory.

Every agent at local and even national level says that tourism can be used as a tool
for development in rural disadvantaged areas. Haute-Corrèze is a rural territory
located in the region Limousin, in the western part of Massif Central. It is suffering
demographic and econo mic problems. A process of local development has recently
been initiated through the creation of a Pays and tourism is of course part of the
development plan. The question of knowing whether tourism can be a tool for
development in this region is raised.

1.2 The relevance of the topic

Rural tourism is a ‘new’ kind of tourism to which the authorities are giving a great
importance for several reasons. First of all, it is seen as a way to minimise the crisis

12
of traditional beach tourism. Indeed, as explained by Blanca García Henche 1 (2003),
tourists are now looking for a balance between tourism, nature and culture, between
conservation and development in every place they visit. This new state of mind
gives opportunity for developing non-traditional tourist destination, such as the
countryside that answers to their need for more authenticity and contact with
nature and culture . Moreover, tourists no longer want to be seen as a mass. They
need personalisation during their holidays. That is why they are more attracted by
rural tourism, that is developed at a smaller scale than beach tourism. In France, the
countryside is the first destination in terms of stays with 36 % of the stays 2 . This
figure gives an idea about the economical importance of rural tourism for local
economies.

The authorities also see rural tourism as a way to get disadvantaged rural areas
out of crisis. Some articles present the solutions that tourism could provide to rural
less- favoured areas problems (Sharpley, 2002, Sarasa, 2001). Moreover, at the
European level, initiatives such as LEADER (Liaison Entre Actions de
Développement de l’Economie Locale) have as their main objective to help projects
in rural less- favoured areas, leading to the development of many tourism projects. In
France, rural tourism is considered as a tool for rural development. Numerous
studies and books are focusing on this theme, such as the study “Quelle France
rurale pour 2020?”3 that reserves a chapter to the entertainment and touristic
function of the countryside.

However, the same or other articles and studies show that tourism is not always
a solution for rural areas. An article presents the potential problems that can cause
rural tourism (Sharpley, 2002); another one exposes the factors that could prevent
rural tourism development (Sarasa, 2001). There is also an article from Bossuet
(2001) that asks the question: “Rural Tourism, an opportunity for local development

1
Garcia Henche, B., (2003) Marketing del turismo rural. Madrid, Piramide.
2
Direction du Tourisme, (2003) Tourisme Rural. Secrétariat d’Etat au Tourisme, Paris
3
DATAR, (2003) Quelle France Rural pour 2020 ? Contribution à une nouvelle politique de
développement rural durable. La Documentation Française, Paris

13
or a potential loss of identity?”. All those articles and studies show the relevance of
the question about the ability of tourism to be a tool for rural development.

1.3 The research area of the study

In this research, the question of the ability of tourism to be a tool for rural
development will be applied to the French region of Haute-Corrèze . The reasons
for having chosen this area are multiples. Firstly, there is at the same time an
affective and a practical reason. Living close to this area, primary data will be
easier to collect and the affective link with the area makes the research even more
interesting. Secondly, this area corresponds to a less-favoured rural territory
with demographic and economical problems . These problems are due to the crisis
affecting areas that could not find a new dynamism after the rural exodus of the mid-
twentieth century.

1.4 The objectives of the research

The goal of this research is to understand if and how tourism can be a tool for
rural development in a specific area: French Haute-Corrèze . It first implies to
find out if the region has the sufficient potential to develop tourism. After this
research, it will be interesting to know to what extend tourism can be a tool for
rural development. This second question will lead to the identification of the
problems of Haute-Corrèze and means to solve them. After defining what is local
development and what are the stakes in the topic, primary data research gives a
point of view on the way in which tourism can be used as local development tool in
the specific territory of Haute-Corrèze. The result of the research points out the
strengths and weaknesses of the territory in terms of tourism and give some
recommendations for further studies and for the tourism and local development
agents of the territory.

14
1.5 The research methodology

The research is carried out on the basis of a combination of secondary and

primary data sources.

The secondary data research aims firstly at defining the terms related to the
research and secondly exposes the different points of view of experts about tourism
as a tool for local development. Series of factors will be brought out in order to
check the conditions under which tourism can be a tool for local development.

Primary data research consists of 12 in depth interviews of about two hours with
local tourism stakeholders suc h as tourism and development agents and tourism
service providers in order to check out if tourism can be a tool of development in
the area, how people perceive it and what they are waiting from it.

1.6 The dissertation structure

As the dissertation is an academic piece of work, it has to conform to an academic

structure. It is composed of a mix of descriptive theoretical parts and analytical
practical data.

15
 Figure 1: Structure of the dissertation

Theoretical Introduction Literature review Methodology

part

Territory diagnosis of Tourism diagnosis of

Haute-Corrèze Haute-Corrèze

1.Presentation of the 2.SWOT 1.Measurement of the tourism 2.SWOT

territory analysis potential of the territory analysis

Recommendations and conclusion

Source: author’s own

Chapter one is the general introduction that presents the interest of the topic and
introduces the structure of the work.

Chapter two is composed of the theoretical part with a presentation and an analysis
of the literature about the theme. The literature review allows to situate the topic in a
context.

Chapter three presents the hypotheses of work and the explanation of the
methodology used in the empirical part of the study to obtain the results. It presents
the different possibilities of methodology, explains what methods, instruments and
techniques have been chosen and how the research is conducted.

16
Chapter four presents Haute-Corrèze and the general aspects of the territory such as
the geographic, demographic and socio-economic characteristics and analyses the
aspects of these characteristics that influence tourism.

Chapter five presents and analyses the touristic characteristics of Haute-Corrèze

such as resources, activity, accommodations, etc.

In the last chapter are the conclusion and recommendations.

17
 Chapter 2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1. Introduction

Rural tourism is an important trend in tourism since it is taking every year more
importance in the choice of holiday destinations. It constitutes an alternative to
traditional beach tourism. Indeed, it answers to the current needs of the tourists
that are unhappy with mass tourism.

It is a real phenomenon in France where rural areas represents the first tourism
destination in number of stays with 36 % 4 . At the European level, tourism is a sector
of great importance since it comprises some two million businesses5 and rural
tourism has often been seen as an opportunity for the development of rural areas.
The sentence of the World Tourism Organisation (1996) ‘Rural tourism at the rescue
of Europe’s countryside’ shows this importance. All these themes and the
discussion about tourism as a tool for development will be developed in this chapter
through the presentation and the analysis of the related literature .

2.2. Definition of the principal terms of the theme

Before starting to analyse the discussion found in literature about the role of tourism
as a tool for rural development, it is relevant to define the different concepts this
theme implies. The definition of the terms ‘rural tourism’, ‘rural areas’ and ‘local
development’ will be given in the European and above all the French context.

4
Op. cit. p14
5
Commission of the European Communities, (2001) Working together for the future of European
tourism. Proceedings from a commission communication to the Council, the European
Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, November,
2001.

18
 2.1.1. Rural areas: a multiple definition

It is necessary to define what is a rural area. It is not the simplest thing to do since
many distinct definitions are given in literature.

The INSEE (French National Institute of Statistics) says that a rural area is an area
compounded with agglomerations of fewer than 2,000 people with no more than 200
meters between the houses.

The American ERS (Economic Research Service) refers to all non metropolitan
counties in three categories: urbanised with a population of at least 20,000, less
urbanised with a population between 2,501 and 19,999 and rural with a population of
less than 2,500. This second definition will not be acceptable at a European level
since the scale of the towns is very different.

The definition of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and

Development), in its report Tourism Strategies And Rural Development (1994) says
that since the criteria vary enormously between and within the OECD countries, “at
local level, a population density of 150 person per square kilometre is the perfect
criterion. At a regional level, geographic units are grouped by the share of their
population that is rural into the following three types: predominantly rural (50 %),
significantly rural (15-50 %) and predominantly urbanised regions (15 %).”

These three definitions are really quantitative and give no importance to the
culture, economic activities or identity of rural areas. However, they are
important since they allow to classify in a systematic way what are and what are not
rural areas. A more cultural definition would be important to understand that rural
areas are not only figures but also symbolise a particular way of life and a culture.

Kayser (1993) gives a definition of rural areas that uses geographical, sociological
and economic criteria. He asserts that rural areas are defined by a particular way of
using space and social life. It is characterized by:

19
 - A low demographic and building density and a domination of vegetable
landscapes,
- Economic activities based on agriculture, forestry or breeding,
- A way of life characterized by the belonging of the inhabitants to a small
community and by their particular relationships with space,
- Specific identity and representation linked with the peasant culture.

The Cork declaration6 writen during the European Conference on Rural

Development in 1996 says that “rural areas - which are the home of a quarter of the
population and account for more than 80% of the territory of the European Union -
are characterized by a unique cultural, economic and social fabric, an extraordinary
patchwork of activities, and a great variety of landscapes (forests and farmland,
unspoiled natural sites, villages and small towns, regional centres, small industries)”.

These last two definitions give a more human and social definition of rural areas.
They allow to understand the specific stakes in rural development and of the
preservation of a specific rural identity. A combinatio n of all those definitions, with
quantitative and sociological aspects, gives a complete view of what are rural areas.

2.1.2. Rural tourism: a multi- faceted concept

Rural tourism is also an important notion to define. The origin of rural tourism is
really anc ient since rural areas have always been a place of inspiration for artists.
After rural exodus, at the beginning of the nineteenth century, rural tourism has
developed with the visits of friends and relatives to their home. This situation had
converted rur al tourism in a cheap tourism dedicated to the working class. However,
since the seventies, rural tourism has started to develop as an alternative to mass
tourism. People want quality and specialization for their holidays. Rural tourism
corresponds to tha t demand, with a better environmental quality in less touristIC
places. Moreover, rural tourism is more adapted to short breaks (García Henche,
2003).

6
http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/rur/cork_en.htm

20
For this concept too, diverse definitions can be given since rural tourism includes
various activities and concepts such as agri- tourism, eco-tourism, green tourism,
nature tourism, etc. The common point between all these activities is their location
in a rural area as defined in the paragraph above.

The definition given by a document produced by the European Commission7 divides

the definition of rural tourism into two trends .

In the first one, the distinction used is the percentage of revenue benefiting to the
local community. A representation would be like this:

Figure 2: Rural tourism definition scheme

Agri-
tourism

Rural tourism

Countryside tourism

Source: author’s own

The smaller is the circle, the more benefits there are for local population.

In the second trend, the term ‘rural tourism’ is used when the rural culture is a
key component of the product. Depending on the key activity proposed by this

7
European Commission, (1995) Marketing Quality Rural Tourism. Leader Technical Dossier,
March 1995.

21
product, the terms ‘nature’, ‘agri-‘, ‘green’, ‘eco’, etc. are used. This definition is the
most digest that could be found. A more precise definition of each term can be
given.

‘Rural tourism’ is, as explained above, a kind of tourism where the rural culture is a
key component.

‘Nature tourism’ is a kind of tourism where the observation and appreciation of

nature is the principal component (World Tourism Organisation, 2002).

In ‘green tourism’, the landscape is a key variable and the principal objective is the
integration of the visitor into the local natural and human environment (García
Henche, 2003).

‘Agri-tourism’ is an important part of rural tourism since the aims of developing

rural tourism are often to increase the revenue of farmers. The first characteristic of
‘agri-tourism’ is that it is the business of farmers (Beteille, 1996). It takes place in
farms (Keane, 2000) or former farms. It has to be related to the agricultural activities
and to complement the revenue of farmers (García Henche, 2003).

‘Sports tourism’ uses the natural environment as a resource and a base for the
practice of a sport activity (García Henche, 2003).

The term ‘eco-tourism’ is used when the priority is to preserve the natural
environment where the activity takes place (García Henche, 2003).

Another definition is given by the WTO8 . It is a definition oriented towards the

alternative that rural tourism represents to mass tourism. It explains that tourists
seek “rural peace”, that rural tourism “is tourism away from areas of intensive
tourism activity” and that “it is engaged in by visitors who wish to interact with the
rural environment and the host community, in a meaningful and authentic way”.
8
Mac Nulty, P., (2002) Conclusions. Proceedings from WTO Seminar on Rural Tourism in
Europe: Experiences and perspectives, Belgrade, Yugoslavia, June, 2002

22
The definition that will be kept for this research is the one that refers to rural
tourism when the rural culture is a key component of the product and considers
that the other terms depend on the central activity of the product. This
definition, like the one of WTO (2002), gives great importance to rural culture and
refers to the motivation of people for going to rural areas for their holidays. Indeed,
people choose the countryside for their holidays because of the representation and
the image they have of these places. This image is very often linked to rural culture:
authenticity, strong relation with nature, roots, heritage, identity (Dewailly, 1998,
Butler, 1998, Hall, 1998).

2.1.3. Local development

Development is defined by Sharpley (2002) as “virtually synonymous with

progress, implying positive transformation or ‘good change”.

The concept of endogenous development is first presented at the end of the fifties by
Friedman and Stöhr. It is defined as a voluntarist approach that favours endogen
resources based on local industries and that takes into account cultural values.

Houée (1989) exp lains that development is a global process gathering local agents
for the development of human and material resources of the territory in relation
with the decision centres, the economic, social and politic organisations in which
the territory is integrated.

Joyal (2004) insists on the notion of partnerships that is very important for local
development as well as the notion of networking. Local development can not be led
by one single actor even if there is a need for a leader that carries the process. The
notion of endogenous development helps to define the concept of local development
since it shows that development has to come from the agents of the territory and not
from national policies. The goal of a process of local development is the economic,
social and cultural development of the territory.

23
2.3. Rural tourism in Europe

As it is said above, rural areas represent the home of a quarter of the European
population and more than 80 % of the European territory (Cork Declaration, 1996).

Rural tourism takes an important place at the European level and the European
Community is doing a lot to develop it. Many publications were done about the
issues of tourism in Europe. Even the WTO commission for Europe organised
various conferences about rural tourism in Europe 9 to present the trends and
evolutions of rural tourism in western and eastern Europe, and to establish a
document on the European way to organise and develop rural tourism.

2.3.1. Rural tourism as a tool for development: the danger of possible

negative impacts

The WTO commission for Europe points out that rural tourism could be used as a
tool for rural development since it could “deliver additional sources of income
to rural communities”10 , such as transport, services or health. It also could break
the isolation of some communities and give cultural exchange opportunities.
Rural tourism could also contribute to the preservation and improvement of
environment since it depends on its attractiveness. This commission drew the
economic and social costs that could create the development of rural tourism:
increase demand for public services, increase in the prices of land and traditional
buildings and even of goods; what would prevent local people from buying it. These
statements show that, at the European level, authorities want to use tourism for
developing rural areas but are also conscious of the negative effects to which
this development could bring.

9
WTO Seminar on Rural Tourism in Europe: Experiences and perspectives, 2002, WTO Seminar on
Rural Tourism: Rural tourism: Guidelines for Development, 2003, WTO Seminar on Rural Tourism:
Rural tourism: Pathway to Sustainable Development, 2003
10
Mac Nulty, P., (2003) Conclusions. Proceedings from WTO Seminar on Rural Tourism: Rural
tourism: Pathway to Sustainable Development, Kielce, Poland, June, 2003.

24
 2.3.2. European funding for rural tourism

As rural development is a priority at the European level, EU (European Union) has

adopted measures that support it. Rural tourism being considered as part of rural
development, it can be funded through its instruments in the areas of information,
training, marketing, integration of the tourist activity in the area. The European
funds granted for rural development are:
- European Regional Development Fund to assist infrastructure
development, promotional activities and training,
- European Social Fund to promote training,
- European Agriculture Guarantee and Guidance Fund to promote
agricultural adjustment and diversification.

As explains the European Commission on its website11 , LEADER is one of the four
initiatives financed by EU structural funds. Its role is to make rural actors aware of
the long-term potential of their region. It encourages integrated strategies and
innovative projects with the purpose of a high-quality and sustainable
development. It gives a large place to partnerships and networks to exchange
experiences. LEADER + is the third generation of LEADER programme. LEADER
I in 1991 was a new approach of rural development policy territorially based,
integrated and participative. LEADER II in 1994 put the emphasis on the innovative
aspects of projects. LEADER + aims also, for the period 2000-2006, at the
implementation of integrated development programmes for local rural areas, drawn
and implemented by LAGs (local action groups) that represent the partnership
between the private and public sectors and ensure the local adaptability of the
LEADER + programme.
The priority themes of LEADER + are:
- making the best use of natural and cultural resources,
- improving quality of life,
- adding value to local products,
- the use of new know- how and new technologies.

11
www.europa.eu.int

25
Member States have also an important role to play through the principle of
subsidiarity, since they are responsible for the implementation of the LEADER
initiative. They have to settle national and regional programmes and plans. They
also have to evaluate each project funded by LEADER + making a mid-term
evaluation by the end of 2003 and another one in 2006.

LEADER is considered by Jenkins et al. (1997) as “one of the most significant

strategies for rural development ”. It is regarded as a ‘bottom-up’, an endogenous
approach to problems of rural development.

The LEADER programme has been of significant use for rural tourism projects.
Indeed, even if Kearney remarked in 1992 that “European tourism has long suffered
from the benign neglect of governments which have still to recognise its economic
importance in modern economies”, an article from Info LEADER magazine explains
that “tourism seems to offer a natural development path for rural areas in Europe,
particularly in the most disadvantaged of them” since “in 71 of the 217 LEADER 1
areas, it is the dominant activity in the business plans of the local action groups”.
Indeed, about one third of LEADER I initiative was already turned towards
tourism. This observation is reinforced by Airey (1983) that noticed that regional
development was the most frequent justification for tourism policies. However, this
statement shows how slow tourism development has been, especially in the rural
areas of southern Europe.

2.4. General trends in the economic and social situation of rural areas in
France

The question on the ability of tourism to help rural development is also a relevant
issue regarding the situation of some French rural areas, facing a an economic and
demographic crisis that they have difficulties to overcome. Indeed, rural areas
represent 80 % of French territory and only 23 % of the population while it
represented 26 % of the population in 1946 and 75.6 % in 1846. The crisis started a

26
long time ago but was accelerated at the end of the Second World War with
industrialisation and rural exodus. This depopulation put rural areas in a vicious
circle that led to the closure of many industries, shops and services. This part of the
research first explores the socio- historical aspects of the evolution of rurality
(Torrente et al., 2004) and then presents the different kinds of rural areas that exist
nowadays (DATAR, 2003).

2.4.1 Socio- historical analysis of the evolution of rurality

Since the Second Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions in the 18th and 19th
centuries, rural economies have experienced fundamental restructurings. The general
trend was to go from a rural economy to an urban one . However, the most
important changes occurred after the Second World War through the processes of
industrialisation of agriculture . According to Jenkins, Hall and Troughton (1998),
“this latest phase has been among the most disruptive to the rural system as a whole
and to its more traditional landscapes”.

2.4.1.1 1945-1960: Technical progress for rebuilding

After the Second World War, rural exodus is amplified. Farmers prefer to go to
the city to find job and security. During this period, one farmer out of four leaves the
countryside. The expansion of roads and railways make the cities closer to the
countryside and announces the development of a more modern and productive
agriculture. One farmer could feed four people in 1910, five in 1946 and ten in 1960.

The industrial revolution disrupted the distribution of agricultural activities. It

reinforced the domination of the capital city Paris and brought a great part of the
population in accessible and rich in raw material regions . Every economic books
talk about an axle between Le Havre and Marseille that separated, in 1960, densely
populated region in the eastern part of the country and less developed regions in the
western part of the country.

27
 2.4.1.2 1960-1975: The world growth

France wants to be “an independent, active and competitive nation on the European
and international markets” (DATAR, 2003). This period marks the acceleration of
industrialisation and urbanisation. Frenc h agriculture enters quickly in this
scheme. This situation leads to the creation of dissident movements that criticize
the capitalist domination. In 1957, the Rome Treaty gives to the CAP (Common
Agricultural Policy) a productivist orientation.

The number of farms still decreases and only a few endogenous actions are led
during this period. Houée (1989) explains that the crisis of 1968 brings a new
importance to the regionalist aspirations and the wish to live in the area where you
are coming from starts to affect more and more people. Farmers are not the only
occupants of the countryside anymore . Other people that have an affective link
with rurality are also moving there. This new social composition of the countryside
marks the beginning of a new approach to local development. In this context is
created in 1963 the DATAR (Délégation à l’Aménagement du Territoire et à
l’Action Régionale) that advocates a qualitative and cross-disciplinary approach.

2.4.1.3 After 1975: the crisis and the questioning

The mid-seventies mark the end of illusions with the oil crisis and an over-
production that provoke a decrease in the sales’ prices and in the income of farmers.
Between 1954 and 1990, the number of farm workers falls from 5.1 to 1.2 millions of
workers. The y represent today less than 5 % of the French working force
(DATAR, 2004) whereas they represented 28 % of the working force in 1955.

In the eighties, farmers are denounced for the deficient quality of their products,
the pollution, the over-production, the various aids that they receive and the
standardisation of their production.

28
This crisis is affecting unequally the different rural territories. Three kinds of
territories can be distinguished (Torrente, Bessières, Barthes, Godard, 2004):

- Territories of agricultural production with a dominant, intensive

agriculture

- Disadvantaged territories that are deserted and try to survive. Only a

few, aged farmers are staying. The Massif Central is in this category. In those
territories shops and services have difficulties to survive. It marks the death
of many small villages situated away from urban centres.

- Diversified territories led by a small agriculture looking for new models

of production. This agriculture plays an important role for the revitalisatio n
of the area through the composition of networks of economic, social and
cultural actors. They are organising cross-disciplinary projects. Torrente et al.
call that an ‘auto-centred development’, that is to say the development of all
the human and material resources ignored by the market, the use of local
structures, the invention of technologies, etc. (Aphandery, Bitoun, Dupont,
1989).

France is characterized by regional disparities that territorial development policies

are trying to alleviate. In 1982-83, the French government decided to reinforce
decentralisation by giving more power to the 22 regions that compose the country.
Each region is composed of ‘départements’ and each ‘département’ of ‘communes’.
The goal of this decentralisation was to give more power to local communities in
order to allow them to develop local projects. The government understood the
importance of local development and wanted to give to the territories more
opportunities to take the responsibility of their own development in a cross-
disciplinary logic. This situation shows that local development is a product of the
crisis and needs a sparking off event such as an economic crisis to start (Houée,
1989).

29
 2.4.2 The four functions of rural areas in France

Rural areas can be characterized by the function they have. The French organism
DATAR (2003) brought out four functions that can define rural areas.

- The residential function is developed mainly in areas situated in the

periphery of urban centres. The population working in this urban centre
chooses to live in the countryside instead of in the city centre. Thus the
majority of rural areas are not experimenting rural exodus anymore. Even
some ‘isolated’ areas are experimenting for the first time a positive migratory
balance of +0.29 % (INSEE). In spite of this positive aspect, 7.6 million of
people live in declining areas with a poor services quality, in particular in
small and isolated rural communes.

- The productive function of the countryside deals with all economic activities
taking place in rural areas. A lot of industries employ people in the
countryside. Since 1990 the growth of employment has been the most
significant in the municipalities situated in the periphery of urban areas.
Agriculture is not the predominant activity in terms of employment and added
value anymore but it keeps being the activity that structures and manages the
landscape. The service sector provides the majority of rural jobs with 50 %
(DATAR, 2003).

- The tourist and recreation functions of the countryside are linked to several
reasons such as its accessibility, its interest for urban people and the increase
of spare time. However, the majority of the rural tourism activity does not
give rise to trading since the majority of rural tourism accommodations
belong to families or relatives. Only 22 % of the nights are spent in market
accommodations.

30
 - The last function of rural areas is the ‘nature’ function. Natural issues are
considered as very important by our society. They deal with the protection of
natural resources and living environment.

2.4.3 Three types of rural areas in France

Rural areas are combining these four functions in very different ways. The DATAR
(2003) lays stress of three types of rural areas that can be distinguished in France.

2.4.3.1 The urban countryside

According to the DATAR, 18.5 % of the French ‘cantons’12 are part of this category.
There are two kinds of urban countryside, the first one being rural areas situated in
the periphery of big cities and having a residential function. The second type is
composed of rural areas less densely populated that constitute the large
periphery of cities. This second type is much more agricultural and provides more
jobs than the first one. Jenkins, Hall and Troughton (1998) lay stress in these areas
on the competition for land conservation against the process of urbanisation.

2.4.3.2 The declining countryside

This kind of area, still according to the DATAR, represents 19.8 % of the ‘cantons’
and 1/3 of the national territory. Usually, it combines three handicaps : low density
of population, mono-activity and negative demographic evolution. Two kinds of
areas can be distinguished. There are the agricultural areas with aged population.
They are located in and around the Massif Central, in Aquitaine and in the Pyrenees,
and in Central Brittany. Those areas suffer hard physical conditions and could not
convert to the modern agriculture (Jenkins, Hall and Troughton, 1998). They are not
competitive anymore. The population is declining, like the agriculture or the
services. Living conditions are not very good and there are a lot of empty houses.
The second type of regions is more characterized by a declining industry like in the

12
Administrative division of the département that is composed of one or more municipalities
(Wikipedia encyclopaedia)

31
North and North East of the country. Population density is higher but the
unemployment rate is high.

2.4.3.3 The new countryside

The ‘new countryside’ is compound of territories that managed to develop by

themselves through endogenous projects or to adapt to the needs of productive
economy. These territories have a diversified econo my and are attracting residents
as well as tourists since they are developing rural tourism activities. They represent
7.4 % of the ‘cantons’ but there is a great potential for many territories to move to
this category and this is the challenge of the pub lic policies to give to a majority of
territories the opportunity to achieve this development. The appeal of these ‘cantons’
is based on a good quality of life. It attracts French people and foreigners, retired
and young people that may have some difficulties to find a job in the area. The
tourism activity brings important revenue to these communities.

2.5 Evolution of the perceptions of the countryside and consequences for the
development of rural tourism

After having explored what kind of rural areas can be found in France, it seems to be
relevant to understand what is the place given to rural tourism. The analysis of the
evolution of the perceptions of the countryside shows partly how rural tourism has
taken such an importance in France.

The social function of the countryside has evolved with the image of rural areas,
resulting in the current situation. The countryside is today the first tourist destination
in France with 36 % of the stays in 2002. In the past, even if writers and artists had
been inspired by it, the countryside had always been seen as boring, very rude
and poor, with no facilities. It is only since the middle of the 20th century that
the countryside has become interesting for tourism. It corresponds to the period
following the rural exodus and the beginning of tourism. People native from rural

32
areas were coming back to visit their family. It was a cheap tourism. The
countryside was perceived as unfriendly, isolated and archaic (Torrente et al.,
2004). Nevertheless, after 1968, the modernity myth is questioned to rural values.
In the late eighties, while the population is concentrated in the cities, the
countryside became interesting not as a cheap destination but as a chosen one .
It is the beginning of nostalgia. People are starting to feel the need of finding their
roots and of being closer to the authenticity that urban stressing life has moved
away (Torrente et al., 2004). The growing interest in rural areas is not only
dedicated to the natural environment but also to the people living there, to the know-
how developed, to the buildings and to everything recalling the past. People are
more and more nostalgic and more and more attracted by anything reminding
them of the past. That is why the countryside is so fashionable for holidays. The
saturation of mass tourism resorts and the need of being recognized brought the
tourist to change its practices for more ecological, cultural and small-scale activities.

The only problem that can be raised is the false perception that tourists and urban
people have from the countryside, since the values and rurality they are looking for
have disappeared. There is an opposition between the modernisation of rural
areas and the traditional values that people expect from them. As noted by
Jenkins and Hall (1998), “people may want development and employment but many
also want traditional images of the countryside to be retained”.

2.6 Tourism as a tool for local development

2.6.1 Challenges and opportunities

If the trend of rural tourism can partly be explained by the fact that its image
represents what tourists need and want, the importance of rural tourism can also be
explained by the fact that it has been seen by the governments as a way to help rural
areas to develop. This literature analysis shows the different points of view of the
writers on this theme.

33
All writers agree to say that tourism is considered as a tool in rural development
in western countries (e.g. Hall, Jenkins, 1998, etc). Tourism is used to achieve
several goals that can be:
- “to sustain and create local income, employment and growth,
- to contribute to the costs of providing economic and social
infrastructure […],
- to encourage the development of other industrial sectors […],
- to contribute to local resident amenities and services […],
- to contribute to the conservation of environmental and cultural
resources […]” (Hall, Jenkins, 1998)

The final objective of rural tourism development is the increase of quality of life
for local residents through the achievement of social and economic goals.

At European level as well as at national level, tourism has been used as a tool for
rural development, as showing by Marsden, Lowe and Whatmore (1993) when they
wrote “Rural development policy, often developed with at least some recognition of
the potential of rural tourism, is a popular response to restructuring processes” .

The tools of the governments to achieve these goals are policy instruments that can
influence the actions of the economic agents by providing financial incentives for
appropriate behaviour or disincentives for inappropriate ones (Hall and
Jenkins, 1998).

The LEADER initiative is a demonstration of this strategy. In France, many policies

aims at helping territories to enter in an endogenous development process. For
instance, the policy of the Pays d’Accueil Touristiques wants to develop a tourism
based on the development of local resources. Rural tourism projects are used as an
impetus to federate local agents and residents around a common project. The goal is
to deve lop an endogenous process that can lead the territory to find the means to
develop by itself. The policy of the ‘Pays’ has also the objective of bringing the
territory to a process of endogenous development. Tourism is not necessarily the

34
central aspect of this policy since the development policy of the ‘Pays’ is based on a
cross-disciplinary approach that mixes the potential of different economic sectors in
order to put the territory in a homogenous process of development. The territory of
the ‘Pays’ is chosen according to the cultural and economic unity of the place (Loi
d’Otientation sur l’Aménagement et le Développement Durable du Territoire,
LOADDT, 1999). It is not based on an administrative segmentation (LOADDT,
1999). Tourism is most of the time part of this cross-disciplinary process since the
local development agents consider tourism as a tool for development. Being a cross-
disciplinary activity, tourism can gather the different agents around a common
project. Moreover, this law brings the aspect of sustainability that shows the
conscience of the importance of the preservation of the environment.

Rural tourism is part of local development, it is a way to potentially involve every

inhabitant, not only because he can have a project, but also “a s a member of the local
community and potential beneficiary of the expected collective
development” (Thibal, 1988).

Keane (2000) explains that “the heart of the rural development problem is the
lack of economic diversity”. Diversification brings stability and growth to the
community. He insists on the fact that “in many ways, development is something
that occurs because of necessity”. Houée (1989) has got the same point of view and
insists on the fact that initiatives are coming from the awareness that local
community have of the problem. A special event often triggers the process of local
development.

The strength of rural tourism as a tool for development is that it is based on the
natural and human environment of the countryside . It is based on local
resources. Moreover, the development of rural tourism not only leads to the
improvement of the structures for the tourists. Tourism is part of a global process
of improvement of the quality of life, for the tourists as well as for the residents.
Indeed, if a territory is more attractive for tourists, it will also be more attractive for
new and current residents.

35
 2.6.2 Economic, social and environmental negative impacts

After having explained how tourism can be a tool for development, it is important to
see the negative impacts that tourism can also have from an economic, social and
environmental point of view.

It is possible to read everywhere in the official documents of the governments’

authorities that rural tourism is an incredible tool for helping rural areas to get out of
the crisis by which they have been affected for years. It is supposed that rural tourism
can “retain the population, create jobs and, […] promote the socio-economic
development of disadvantaged areas” (LEADER, 1995). In spite of this apparently
very positive view, the balance of this initiative is mixed.

Tourism authorities, like the governments or the European Union, did not insist
enough from the beginning on the importance of planning, measuring the tourism
potential of the territory, etc. They presented rural tourism as a kind of miracle that
could do everything for disadvantaged rural areas. This situation led to the failure of
many projects due to lack of preparation, realism and planning. Rural tourism
can actually be a tool for rural development but under some conditions that have to
be clearly defined to avoid over-estimation of the potential of tourism. After having
realized the negative repercussions of this official line, the specialists reacted by
explaining the different negative impacts rural tourism can have if it is not developed
well.

2.6.2.1 Mitigated economic repercussions

“The benefits from tourism are equal if not greater than the benefits from other
economic activities” affirms Keane (2000). However, the problem of economic
repercussions has to be stated. Indeed, the majority of the stays in rural areas are
done in non- market accommodations, and the spending is lower than in other type of
tourism.

36
 2.6.2.2 Social repercussions of tourism

From the social point of view the objective of developing tourism is to reinforce the
attractiveness and the identity of the area for residents as well as for tourists by a
development based on local resources and on the population participation. However,
some examples show that instead of reinforcing these aspects, tourism can lead to a
loss of identity (Bossuet, 2001). Indeed, if tourism is developed for the tourists and
not at all for the local residents, it will lead to conflicts between them and the tourists
and to loss of identity. Tourism has to be developed in a controlled way so that it
stays representative of what the area is, as well as its traditions.

2.7 Conclusion:

This literature review gives an overall image of rural tourism as a tool for
development in rural less favoured areas. The literature review is a tool to
understand the different points of view of experts. It gives a basis for the specific
analysis of a rural area: Haute-Corrèze. In the next chapter will be determined the
hypotheses stated on the basis of the literature review and the methodology necessary
to check them and to achieve to goal of knowing if and how tourism can be a tool for
development in Haute-Corrèze.

37
 Chapter 3. METHODOLOGY

3.1.Approach of the topic:

The goal of this research is not to find out how to increase the number of tourists in
Haute-Corrèze, but to know if and how tourism can be used as a tool for local
development. Of course, if the territory does not attract any tourists, tourism cannot
be used. That is why one part of the study will be dedicated to the study of the
demand side. However, it will not be done through a questionnaire but through the
analysis of data already gathered by local and regional agencies. The aim of the
study is oriented on the way by which tourism can federate local population around a
project in order to put the territory in a self-development process. Secondary and
primary data will be used to answer this question.

3.2. Hypotheses about the key factors for tourism to be a tool for development
and falsification

The objective of the research being to know if and how tourism can be a tool for
local development in Haute-Corrèze, different hypotheses representing the key
factors for achieving this goal will be stated. The practical part of the research will
aim at checking if the territory answers to this list of criteria and if not, what could be
the means to use to change the situation. It is also possible that the hypotheses are
falsified if it appears that tourism is a tool for development whereas the situation
does no t conform to the criteria.

38
 3.2.1. Hypothesis I: the territory and the tourism sector have to be in a local
development process

A list of sub-hypotheses can be drawn on the basis of the main hypothesis. These
sub- hypotheses are confirmed by Wilson et al. (2001).

3.2.1.1. Sub-hypothesis I: Importance of the awareness of local agents of

the problems of the area

The awareness of local agents of the problems of the area is the first factor that can
put the territory in a development process. As Houée (1989) says, this stage is the
starting point of any development process. However, being aware that there is a
problem is not sufficient to be able to find the means to solve it. If they are aware of
the problems and want to change the situation, local agents will tend to become
leaders. Indeed, the development of tourism in a community depends on people who
understand the importance of tourism, who can fund and promote it. Their
enthusiasm is crucial for the success of tourism (Wilson et al, 2001).

3.2.1.2. Sub-hypothesis II: Importance of quality

Quality is seen by the European Union (LEADER, 1995) as one of the major
components of the success of rural tourism. It is true that quality is important to
increase the number of tourists. The concept of quality is difficult to define. It has to
meet the requirements of the customers. Indeed, travellers are always more aware of
what they want. They have more experience and are fed up with mass tourism.
They want to be closer to the nature and to have a better quality during the ir
holidays. A good quality means that tourism professionals know their customers and
are involved in the tourism development process. Moreover, it gives a good image
of the territory.

39
 3.2.1.3. Sub-hypothesis III: Importance of co-ordination

Co-ordination is a key factor for the success of tourism as a tool for development.
Indeed, co-ordination is what allows the different agents of the territory to work
together to develop a coherent project for the territory. The co-ordination of tourism
projects can be done by an agency created especially for that purpose or by an
agency already present on the territory and able to play this role. To achieve its
objectives of local development, it is important for rural tourism to be supported by a
community structure. Writers agree to say that co-ordination is a major component of
the success of rural tourism (Keane, Bossuet, Butler, etc.). All the other factors are
important but nothing can be done without co-ordination and partnerships. If there is
no leader from a local development support structure, that can federate the different
stakeholders of the tourism sector on the territory, it will be impossible to put the
territory in a progress and development logic.

3.2.1.4. Sub-hypothesis IV: importance of the federation of the different

stakeholders

Without federation, tourism can not be a tool for development. Federation is what
makes people working together and what put them in an endogenous development
process. Tourism, as a cross-disciplinary sector can lead to the federation of tourism
and non-tourism agents and even the local population. In this way, tourism can be a
tool for development.

3.2.1.5. Sub-hypothesis V: importance of the participation of local

population

Participation of local population is also an important factor. It is linked to the

federation of the different actors of the territory. Actually, the population is the best
ambassador of its territory. If local people understand the interest of developing
tourism and are involved in it, it will give a great dynamism to the territory and will
improve its image towards the tourists. Moreover, a tourism project will have
difficulties to develop if the population does not agree with it: If the population can

40
be the best ambassador of its territory, it can also be the worst enemy of tourism
development if it does not subscribe to the project.

3.2.2. Hypothesis II: the tourism potential of the territory has to be

important enough

The measurement of the potential of the territory is essential for the success of rural
tourism. It is obvious that if the territory does not have the potential to develop
tourism, it will not be possible to use tourism as a tool for rural development.
Moreover, the study of the tourism potential allows to highlight the general strengths
and weaknesses of the territory. It is a tool to improve tourism and other aspects of
the territory. If the territory is developed, the population will feel better and proud of
its territory.

3.3. Secondary data:

Secondary data research is the first step of any research process. It consists of
reviewing the literature written on the topic chosen (Veal, 1997).

Veal (1997) explains that secondary data are “data which already exist and which
were collected for some other purpose but which can be used a second time in the
current project”

3.3.1. Literature review:

The literature review allows to enter into the topic and to be aware of the different
issues of the theme. The literature reviewed gives information about rural tourism,
rural development and tourism as a tool for rural development. This information is
necessary to implement the case study. In this study, secondary data give the
background of the research and allows to establish a list of criteria that define the
way in which tourism can be used for rural development.

41
The types of sources used are:
- data available from organisations
- data available from the Internet
- data available from guidebooks
- data available from academic books and journals

3.3.2. Secondary data about Haute-Corrèze:

Many studies and surveys were collected as a base for the case study. These data
allow to set up the background of the territory of Haute-Corrèze, to define its limits,
to justify its organisation. They give general information about the economy, the
demography, etc.

Some surveys are also specialized in the tourism sector and give information about
tourism resources and about the customers, their motivations and the characteristics
of their frequentation.

The definition of the territory and its limits shows that this territory is particularly
involved in an endogenous local development process, at least in theory. This
context helps to know how tourism should be organised and developed. The
concrete observation then helps to know the differences between theory and practice.

3.4. Primary data:

Primary data are data for which “the researcher is the primary user” (Veal, 1997).
Different ways exist to collect these data, depending on the purpose of the research.
The two main approaches are the quantitative and the qualitative ones.

42
 3.4.1. Quantitative versus qualitative data collection

Qualitative research is appropriate for getting in-depth information from a small

number of people. In the context of this research, the goal is to understand if the
territory of Haute-Corrèze can use tourism as a tool for development. That is why it
is important to interview some of the main tourism agents of the territory to
understand their opinion about the real situation of the territory, to know if they have
entered in a development process, what is the place given to tourism on the territory
and finally to draw the means that could be used to improve the current situation. Of
course, the quantitative research is, like Veal (1997) explains, the basis for further
research and maybe for quantitative ones. Indeed, quantitative research does not
give enough space to develop opinions and the way the surveys could influence the
answer of the respondent.

Another reason for having conducted a qualitative research is that quantitative data
are already, to a certain extent, available on the topic and on the territory. However,
these data are not always reliable since it concerns some territories sometimes bigger
or smaller that the area studied. This limitation is taken into account in the research
and the combination of different sources allows to give more reliable results. If
quantitative research is rejected for this study, it could be used to complete this
research in further investigations.

Qualitative research presents some disadvantages and difficulties, particularly in the

analysis stage. Data are less easy to compare and to analyse than with quantitative
research. Moreover, data are collected from a smaller number of person and can not
be used for statistical analysis.

3.4.2. Qualitative data collection: In-depth interviews:

This research is based on in-depth interviews with representatives of tourism service

suppliers’ representatives and local tourism and development agents. It has been
decided to interview tourism service suppliers’ representatives because it would be

43
impossible, due to the length of the interviews, to interview all the suppliers and
these representatives can give a general opinion of what think the suppliers. The
interviewees give their opinion on the current situation of the tourism sector in
Haute-Corrèze.

3.4.2.1. Aims of the research

The objectives of these interviews are different according to the category of people
interviewed:

- Interviews with local tourism and development agents aim at knowing:

o if tourism is part of the future projects, why or why not,
o if they organise on the territory some partnerships in order to develop
coherent policies, what are the results of this strategy,
o the place of tourism on the territory,
o what could be improved in term of tourism infrastructures,
organisation.

- Interviews with representatives of shopkeepers and tourism services providers

aim at knowing:
o the image they have of their territory,
o if they feel involved in the tourism development process launched by
tourism agents, why or why not,
o what they are expecting from the tourism policy of the territory,
o if they work in partnership with their colleagues

3.4.2.2. Interview design

The interviews are conducted in the semi- structured way, that is to say that the
questions broach the different themes of interest and lead to broad and open
discussions during the interview. The interviews can last between one and a half and
two hours. The purpose of using this kind of method is to let the interviewee talk

44
and not to close him in a scheme of question/answer. The interview starts with an
explanation of the context of the research and with some general questions to create a
suitable atmosphere.

Two different models of interviews are designed according to the people targeted.
- Interviews directed to local tourism and development agents are designed in
the following way:
o Questions about the territory: the questions and the discussion are
argued by the data obtained about the territory
o Questions about the tourism activity: the questions and the discussion
are argued by the data obtained about tourism in Haute-Corrèze
o Questions about organisation and planning of tourism in Haute-
Corrèze.
This structure can vary according to the profession of the people interviewed.

- Interviews directed to representatives of tourism service suppliers are

designed in the following way:
o Questions about their feeling about tourism development and
organisation in Haute-Corrèze,
o Questions about their degree of implication in this development and of
cooperation with other tourism agents.

3.4.2.3. Selection of the sample

The sample has been selected after the evaluation of the different tourism agents of
Haute-Corrèze. Appointments have been taken with some of them, according to
their different missions. During the interviews, the agents advised to go and see
other people because they thought they could bring other relevant information and a
different approach of the topic.

45
The list of tourism agents interviewed is the following:
- Chamber of Commerce and Industry => Mr. Bach, in charge of Local
Development.
- Tourism Departmental Committee (TDC) => Mr Constanti, in charge of the
promotion.
- Federation for the Pays Haute-Corrèze => Ms Savary, in charge of the
creation and organisation of the Pays.
- Committee for the Working Area of Ussel => Ms Lacouture, in charge of the
animation of the structure. è No interview because the interviewee had no
time for it.
- Conseil Général of Corrèze => Ms Bordes, in charge of tourism development.
- Tourist Office of Ussel and Union of the Tourist Offices of Haute-Corrèze =>
Mr. Chassagne, president.
- Tourist Office of Meymac => Ms Bonelly, polyvalent agent, permanent
employee.
- Natural Regional Park => Ms Dubosclard, director of the NRP è No
interview because the interviewee had no time for it.

For the tourism service suppliers and the shopkeepers’ representatives, they were
selected according to the sector they represented. It could have been possible to ask
the advice of the agents of local organism but then, the selection would have been
oriented. With a randomly selected sample, the research is more reliable.

The list of representatives of tourism service suppliers interviewed is the following:

- Hotel and restaurant business representatives:
o Mr. Fraysse, hotel manager, president of the departmental chain
“Logis de France” => Hotel ** Logis de France “Les Gravades”, Saint
Dézery
o Ms Fay, hotel manager => Hotel ** “Le Meymacois”, Meymac
o Mr. Deschamps, hotel manager, president of the Union of Correzian
Hotels and Restaurants => Hotel ** “ Les Voyageurs”, Tarnac.

46
 - Gîtes owners representative:
o Mr. Bordes, in charge of the departmental association of the brand
“Gîtes de France”.
- Camping sites representative:
o Departmental Association of the Correzian Camping sites
è on holiday during the summer, impossible to have an interview.
- Shopkeepers representative:
o No shopkeepers’ association in any town of Haute-Corrèze.

3.5. Discussion of the results:

The purpose of this research is to establish a diagnosis of the tourism sector in Haute-
Corrèze in order to know if tourism can be used as a tool for development or, if not,
how this situation could change. The first stage is the realisation of a territorial
diagnosis that allows to understand the problems and strengths of the territory. The
second stage if a tourism diagnosis of Haute-Corrèze. The analysis of the research
will consist in a comparison between the different data obtained about the territory in
order to establish a tourism diagnosis and a SWOT (Strengths / Weaknesses /
Opportunities / Threats) analysis of the touristic situation of the territory. This
analysis will be divided into two parts, the first one being the analysis of the Haute-
Corrèze tourism potential in terms of tourism facilities and the second being the
analysis of the tourism organisation and relationships between the stakeholders in
Haute-Corrèze.

3.5.1.Analysis of the tourism potential of the territory

The tourism potential of a territory is not so easy to evaluate. It consists of an

evaluation of the territory resources, of the supply and the demand sides to see if they
match and of the organisation of tourism on the territory. It is also important to take
into account external data such as the trends and possible opportunities and threats
that could affect tourism on the area. Secondary data about the territory are analysed

47
in order to make a SWOT analysis about the tourism potential of the territory in
terms of resources and demand. A methodology is proposed by LEADER II
proposes a scheme that shows all what has to be studied to make a diagnosis of
territory.

Figure 3: Evaluation of the local touristic potential

Analysis of demand Analysis of competition

Analysis of supply

The situation in the

tourism sector

Analysis of
strengths / weaknesses

Analysis of
opportunities / risks

Analysis of trends

Source: adapted from LEADER II, Evaluating a territory’s touristic potential.

This scheme shows the way to approach the diagnosis and the following scheme
shows how will be studied the different aspects of this diagnosis:

48
 Figure 4: Methodology for the case study

ANALYSIS OF THE SUPPLY ANALYSIS OF THE

AND COMPETITION DEMAND

TWO METHODS : Documentary

research and
analysis

Documentary Interviews with On the basis of existing

research and analysis tourism agents and studies and reports
professionals from:
- The tourism ministry
On the basis of existing Face to face in-depth - The TDC (Tourism
studies and reports interviews with 12 Departmental
from: tourism agents. Committee)
- Touristic brochures Interviews realized - The departmental
- The TDC (tourism in July 2004. union of tourist offices
departmental - The TRC (Tourism
committee) Regional Committee)
- The Pays Charter - The Federation of
- The NRP Charter Gîtes de France
- The Federation of - Etc.
Gîtes de France
- The tourist offices

ANALYSIS OF THE TOURISM ORGANISATION

Interviews with
tourism agents and
professionals

Face to face in-depth

interviews with 12
tourism agents.
Interviews realized
in July 2004.

TOURISM DIAGNOSIS
OF HAUTE-CORREZE
Source: author’s own.

49
 3.5.2. Specific analysis of the organisation of tourism on the territory

A list of hypotheses is elaborated at the beginning of this chapter on the basis of the
literature review. Thanks to these hypotheses, an observation of the territory is done
trough the analysis of interviews in order to evaluate the organisation of the supply
side and of the organisational part of the tourism sector in the area.

Primary data will not be exactly compared since the questions were not necessarily
the same for the different interviewees. However, when the questions are similar, the
answers will be compared. Interviews were given by different kinds of actors in
order to have different approaches on the question of tourism as a tool for
development. The data is analysed, on the basis of the notes taken, in a critical way
and compared with the theoretical criteria of local development, that is to say with
the hypotheses to see if tourism is currently a tool for local development. First the
original question is considered (Veal, 1997) and then the sub-questions. The
information collected is classified according to the different topics broached. This
classification simplifies the analysis.

If the answer to those questions does not correspond to a favourable situation, a

reflection will be engaged on the means to employ in order to change this situation.
This last part will be done in the last chapter of the research work.

3.6 Conclusion

The goal of this study is to establish if, as it is suggested by the literature review,
tourism can be a tool for development. The research is focused on the area of Haute-
Corrèze. The methodology used is a combination of secondary data collection in
books, technical reports, tourist guides and primary data collection with interviews.
It allows to establish a territorial and a tourism diagnosis that are presented in the
following chapter. The last chapter presents the conclusions of this study.

50
 Chapitre 4 HAUTE-CORREZE TERRITORIAL
DIAGNOSIS

4.1 Introduction

Rural areas are diverse and a specific study is necessary to understand each rural
area. That is why this chapter is dedicated to the study of the general characteristics
of Haute-Corrèze. It will allow to understand the specificities of the territory. This
chapter aims at giving the context for tourism development in Haute-Corrèze.
Indeed, tourism is not the only activity of the territory and it is important to have a
global vision of Haute-Corrèze in order to realise a good tourism diagnosis.
Moreover, tourism is a cross-disciplinary sector and it influences and is influenced
by all the other aspects of the territory, either socio-economic, geographic or cultural
issues.

Haute-Corrèze is a specific area located in the Limousin French region, in the

Eastern part of the Corrèze département. It is a Pays. .In the following paragraphs
the notion of Pays is explained before a general presentation of the territory, of its
geographic, demographical, equipment and socio-economic characteristics. It will
finally allow to elaborate a SWOT analysis of the territory, in relation with tourism.

4.2 What is a ‘Pays’?

The Pays is a French initiative developed to encourage local development initiatives

in disadvantaged rural areas. It takes place in the context of the general
decentralisation policy started up in the early eighties by the French government.
The Pays is, according to the Loi d’Urbanisme et d’Habitat of 2003, “a territory

51
that presents a geographical, cultural, economic or social cohesion at the scale of
a labour market area or a living area”. There is no limit of size. The average size
of the Pays already created is 80 to 100 municipalities.

The key element is that a Pays is the expression of an identity. It cannot be invented.
A Pays is often created to answer to a need for local development. The Pays is not a
new administrative grade . It is the framework for the elaboration of a common
project of sustainable development. It is based on intermunicipal links that are a
specificity of France due to the high number of municipalities (36 000).

The Pays is created by the municipalities, through the constitution of the

development council and the elaboration of the development charter of the Pays.
The charter is validated by the municipalities, the departmental, regional and national
authorities.

The development council represents the different stakeholders of the Pays and
constitutes the working structure of the Pays. The most important key factor for
the success of the Pays is the mobilisation of the different stakeholders .

The development charter expresses the orientations that the stakeholders want to give
to the Pays and the actions they want to lead, on the basis of a territorial diagnosis.

4.3 Geographic presentation of the Pays

Haute-Corrèze is located in the western part of the Massif Central. It is a region of

low mountains and plateaus where the climate is hard during the winter, with low
temperature and snow. The Spring and Autumn are often wet and the summer mild.
The Pays covers 2 141.28 km², 36.6 % of the Corrèze département. The next
paragraph presents the perimeter of the Pays and its geographic specificities.

52
 4.3.1 Perimeter of the territory

The Haute-Corrèze Pays is situated in the Eastern part of the Corrèze département
and of the Limousin region. It is composed of 83 municipalities and of 43 130
inhabitants, 18.6 % of the Corrèze population. The main cities are Ussel with 10 753
inhabitants, Egletons, with 4 087 inhabitants, Bort- les-Orgues with 3 534 inhabitants
and Meymac with 2 627 inhabitants.

Two areas are studied for the constitution of the Pays since another Pays might be
created in the western part of Haute-Corrèze. This situation poses a problem for the
implementation of the charter. Moreover, it shows that it is not so easy to define an
area that presents “a geographical, cultural, economic or social cohesion at the scale
of a labour market area or a living area” like the law explains. The unity of an area is
often not sufficient to allow a decision of that importance. Political opinions and
rivalries have to be taken into account and often slow down the process.

Besides, the Pays is partly situated on the territory of the Millevaches Natural
Regional Park (NPR). This situation presents some risks for the Pays. First of all, a
lack of visibility for new inhabitants, then a competition between the two structures
and also, resulting from this competition, a lack of cooperation ending up in a
redundancy of the actions proposed. Mrs Savary, from the Fédération du Pays
Haute-Corrèze already deplores the lack of communication between the two
structures.

53
Figure 5: Localisation of Haute-Corrèze

THE CORREZE DEPARTEMENT

FRANCE

HAUTE CORREZE

Sources: CPIE Corrèze, CDT Corrèze.

54
Figure 6: Federation of the Pays Haute-Corrèze - list of municipalities

Source: Pays Haute-Corrèze pratique, 2003/2005

4.3.2 Importance of water in the culture of the pays

Historically, Haute-Corrèze has always been marked by water. In the Northern part
is the “Pays de Millevaches” that means Pays of 1000 sources and in the southern
part, is the river Dordogne and its barrages (Fédération of the Pays, 2004). Water is

55
one of the elements that expresses better the identity of the Pays, marked by three
valleys:
- The Dordogne Valley in the south,
- The Vézère Valley in the north,
- The Corrèze Valley in the north.

4.3.3 Two geographical entities in the Pays

Protected and listed natural areas mark the landscapes. Two strong geographical
identities can be distinguished:
- In the north, the Millevaches plateau, at the beginning of the Massif
Central. Here can be found the pick of the département: the Bessou
Mount (986 meters).
- In the south, the landscape is marked by the valleys and gorges of the
Dordogne river.

These entities are two fragile rural areas separated by the A89 highway as shows the
map of the previo us page.

4.4 Demographic characteristics

The demographic characteristics of the Pays are worrying for two reasons: the
depopulation and the age of the population.

The table of evolution of the population by ‘canton’ shows the importance of this
problem.

56
Figure 7: Evolution of the population in Haute-Corrèze between 1990 and 1999
Years of census
Cantons Evolution
1990 1999
Bort-les-Orgues 5 838 5 149 -11.8 %
Bugeat 2 542 2 295 -9.72 %
Elgetons 7 365 6 876 -6.64 %
Eygurande 3 125 2 829 -9.47 %
Lapleau 1 883 1 825 -3.08 %
Meymac 4 772 4 657 -2.41 %
Neuvic 3 829 3 804 -0.65 %
Sornac 2 767 2 456 - 11.24 %
Ussel 13 900 13 239 -4.76 %
Total 46 021 43 130 -6.28 %
Source: adapted from the Pays’ Charter

The demographic evo lution is negative. It decreased by 6,28 % between 1990 and
199913 . This drop is caused by a deficit of birth not sufficiently compensated by the
arrivals of new inhabitants. Most of the rural and urban municipalities have lost
population. The average population density varies from 3 to 235 inhabitants per km².

13
INSEE

57
Figure 8: Population pyramid

Source: Pays’ Charter

According to the data of the CDCE (Departmental Committee of the Economic

Chambers) and the study of the population pyramid shows that 40 % of the
population is composed of people over 60 years of age. People of less than 15 are a
minority: only 20 % of the population and they are localised in the two urban centres
of Ussel and Egletons.

Depopulation is stronger in the municipalities where infrastructures and socio-

economic activities are the less numerous. The Millevaches Plateau is suffering
important problems of desertification14 .

14
See Appendix 1: Distribution and densities of population in Haute-Corrèze.

58
4.5 Equipment and infrastructures

4.5.1 Accessibility

The territory is structured around three main urban centres: Ussel, Égletons and Bort-
les-Orgues. Other important centres are the county towns: Sornac, Meymac, Neuvic,
Lapleau, Eygurande and Bugeat.

The municipalities are linked by a good communication network. Another important

trunk road is the motorway A89 that crosses the territory from west to east linking
Bordeaux to Lyon. It is considered as a way to open up the Pays by the development
charter. It also makes the Pays closer to 3 airports (Clermont-Ferrand, Limoges and
Brive). The problem for the tourism activity is that it can prevent people from
stopping in Haute-Corrèze. To remedy to this threat, the Conseil Général of the
département and the TDC have opened a modern and attractive touristic information
centre in the rest area of the motorway.

Concerning the rail and bus networks, the Pays is really landlocked 15 . The territory
looks really dependent on the regional metropolis.

4.5.2 Equipment

INSEE has calculated on the basis of a list of 36 equipments 16 , the level of

landlocking of the municipalities of the Pays.

15
See Appendix 2: Map of the rail network in Corrèze
16
See Appendix 3: List of elements used by the INSEE to establish the landlocking level of the
territory

59
Figure 9: Level of equipment of the Pays

Source: Charter of the Pays.

On the map, it is easy to notice that the north-west of the Pays is less equipped than
the rest of the territory, eve n if the south and the east are also lacking of equipment.
Equipments are concentrated in the most important cities of the Pays, converted in
attraction and activity poles.

4.5.3 Housing

One of the major problems of the Pays, linked to the depopulation is the high number
of empty houses. According to the Pays’ charter, this number reaches 2 638 houses,
10 % of the number of houses of the Pays.
This issue is crucial for achieving the main goal of the Pays: welcoming new
inhabitants. The ability of the territory to house new inhabitants is important but the
process is slowed down by the reluctance of the owners to rent their houses. The low
quality and comfort of the houses is also a problem since they do not correspond to
the requirements of the demanders.

60
4.6 Socio-economic characteristics

4.6.1 Social characteristics

The number of seniors is in constantly rising. The average rate of working

population is 41,55 % of the Pays of which 44 % are women and 56 % are men.
In 2001, the unemployment rate was of 6 % of the population. This figure is lower
than the national average (8,8 %).

4.6.2 Types of economic activities

46 % of the firms of the Pays are located in the municipalities of Ussel and
Égletons .

4.6.2.1 Agriculture

Agriculture represents one of the major activities of the Pays. It is based on cattle
breeding and milk production. Forestry is also an important activity. Forests
occupy a great proportion of the territory. In some municipalities, it can reach
70 % of the territory. It is due to the specific climate of the area and to the
decrease of agriculture that lets the forest invade the former fields. This leads to the
closure of the landscapes.

If agriculture is a major activity for the territory, it suffers some problems such as the
decrease in the number of farms . It can be explained by the bigger size of the
farms and also by the fact that 30 % of the farmers are more than 50 years old
and do not have anyone to take over from them. Another problem is the lack of
diversification of agriculture . Diversification in agri-tourism keeps being marginal.

61
 4.6.2.2 Commerce, craft industry, industry, services

The number of craftsmen has decreased slightly during the 10 last years. 1720
people are working in this sector. It is dynamic sector in Haute-Corrèze that ha s to
be preserved.

For the other activities, there is a decrease of 7,86 % in the number of businesses
since 1995. The companies are mostly located in the municipalities of Ussel,
Egletons, Neuvic and Meymac. The branch more represented of commercial and
industrial firms is hotel business with nearly 20 % of the businesses.

The service sector is marked by a high number of social services: hospital, old
people’s home, working centres for handicapped people, etc.

Local shops are suffering a difficult evolution, above all in the most rural areas.
Desertification of these areas and ageing of population lead to the closure of many
shops and services. Moreover, the development of supermarkets means less
frequentation for local shops.

4.7 SWOT analysis

4.7.1 Strengths of the territory that can have an influence on tourism

- Quality of the living environment.

- Quality of the natural and built rural heritage that can be developed for a
bigger attraction.
- Good road network that makes good links between the different areas of
the territory.
- Many villages and urban centres with a good quality of infrastructures.
- Low unemployment rate.
- Dynamic craft industry.

62
4.7.2 Weaknesses of the territory that can have an influence on tourism

- Climate sometimes not attractive and that gives a bad image of the
territory.
- Worrying depopulation and ageing population = lack of dynamism.
- Important isolation of the territory from railway networks, from regional
urban centres = lack of attractiveness.
- Lack of employment and of ability of the firms to develop themselves =
lack of dynamism.
- Lack of a strong urban centre that could help the Pays to develop = lack of
dynamism.
- Low population density = difficulty to attract people.
- Lack of local shops in the more rural areas = difficulty to develop tourism
in such conditions.
- Lack of services for businesses = less firms, less inhabitants and less
dynamism.
- Reduction of the number of farms = closure of the landscape, loss of the
rural environment, inability to diversify the activity.
- No specific product in the territory = it is important to have some to
develop rural tourism.
- Lack of diversification of agriculture toward agri- tourism.
- Lack of cooperation between the Pays and the Natural Regional Park of
Millevaches.

4.7.3 Opportunities that can have an influence on tourism

- The motorway will contribute to reduce the isolation of the territory, by

linking it with big metropolis and allowing installations of new
businesses.
- Important capacity to welcome new inhabitants in terms of housing if the
owners open their mind to it and if a renovation policy is settled.

63
 - Creation of the Natural Regional Park of Millevaches: opportunities of
cooperation and partnerships for tourism actions.
- Intermunicipal cooperation have an influence on the financial and human
resources available for tourism development.

4.7.4 Threats that can have an influence on tourism

- The motorway can prevent potential tourists to cross the territory.

- If the situation of depopulation goes on, it will prevent any tourism
development.
- A threat for the quality of the landscapes is the increase proportion of
forest on the territory. It could lead to a total closure of the landscapes and
to a decrease of the attractiveness of the Pays.

4.8 Conclusion

The general characteristics of the Pays have an influence on the tourism activity.
Indeed, tourism is a transversal sector that influences and is influenced by all the
other socio-economic, natural and cultural specificity of the territory. Now a
territorial diagnosis has been realised, the tourism sector will be analysed.

64
 Chapitre 5. HAUTE-CORREZE TOURISM
DIAGNOSIS

5.1. Introduction

In France rural areas are considered as touristic places since they answer to several
requirements of tourists for their holidays (see Chapter II). National regional and
local authorities are using this opportunity to turn tourism into a tool for development
in rural areas. The goal of this diagnosis is to know what the current situation is in
Haute-Corrèze. Indeed, Limousin, that is the administrative region where Haute-
Corrèze is located, is the less touristic of the French regions with only 1 % of the
tourist nights 17 . That is why the analysis of tourism in Haute-Corrèze is essential to
know if tourism can be a tool for development. After the general analysis of the
territory in the previous chapter, the touristic aspects will now be analysed in order to
know what are the resources and markets of the territory and how they are exploited.
The last part of this diagnosis is the evaluation of the tourism and territorial
organisation of the territory. This is a very important issue to understand the ability
of Haute-Corrèze to use tourism as a tool for development.

5.2. The territory resources

The following map shows the distribution of natural and cultural heritage on the
territory.

17
Chocat, C., (2004) Chiffres clés 2003 du tourisme en Limousin. Comité Régional du Tourisme,
Limoges, France.

65
Figure 10: Distribution of heritage in the Corrèze département

HAUTE-
CORREZE

Source: CDCE

5.2.1. Natural resources 18

Nature is the major asset of Haute-Corrèze. The great majority of the territory
consists in natural landscapes with beautiful sceneries and specific flora and fauna.
As shows the map above, this heritage is diffuse on the territory. Its quality has been
recognized by its listing as a natural area with fauna and flora of special interest.
Natural heritage has to be preserved and that is the goal of this listing.

There is also a will to develop it as a tourism attraction through bike rides, hiking or
pony treks. Several hiking trails cross the territory:

18
See Appendix 4: List of natural heritage in Haute-Corrèze

66
 - The GR 46 that links Vassivière to Rocamadour and crosses the
Millevaches Plateau.
- The GR 440 that crosses the Limousin Mountains.
- The Transcorrezian that follows the itinerary of the Tacot, a former steam
train linking Tulle to Ussel.
- The GRP (Pays Hiking Trails) between the Dordogne River and
Ventadour.
- Tourist offices and local associations propose other paths for shorter
hiking.

The paths have to be well kept in order to give a good image of the territory and it is
generally the case. In addition to hiking, cyclo-tourism has an important potential for
development in Haute-Corrèze with its terrain changing from valleys to mountains.

The creation of the Natural Regional Park of Millevaches Limousin is an opportunity

to develop the attractiveness of nature in the region thanks to the products the Park
can develop and to the fame of Natural Regional Parks. However, the forests can be
a problem since they are not always well-kept and may give a bad image of the
territory. The owners are not always aware of the importance of these aspects since
they only have small parcels and do not want to invest in it.

There is an important presence of water on the territory that is one of the main
components of its identity and of its touristic resources. It is developed a little
through nautical activities around the lakes and through hiking and fishing around
the area of the rivers. However, this development keeps being limited and lacks of
promotion and organisation. There is no touristic product on the water theme.
However, it represents an important potential since water is responsible for the
majority of the frequentation of Haute-Corrèze 19 .

19
See Appendix 5: List of the most frequented sites of Haute-Corrèze

67
 5.2.2. Cultural resources

Cultural resources are numerous in Haute-Corrèze 20 but there is no real important

monument that could attract tourists.

5.2.2.1. The built heritage

The built heritage is mainly vernacular, often compound of churches, crosses, mills
characteristic of life in Haute-Corrèze. This heritage is well spread on the whole
territory. It can be an asset since all the territory can potentially benefit from
tourism, but it can also be a weakness since there is nowhere on the territory where
the tourists can really find a big tourism spot with a concentration of heritage. It
makes the heritage interest of the territory less remarkable for tourists.

Moreover, this cultural heritage suffers from problems of accessibility and clarity.
Cultural resources are not developed enough from a tourism point of view even if
efforts are done in some areas of the territory (in Meymac for example). This comes
from the fact that, like many local agents stress, town councils are not aware of the
importance of tourism and do not want to give money for it.

5.2.2.2. Animations and festivals

The Pays is equipped with good cultural structures, with 5 cinemas, a theatre
company, "Ussel Culture” an association organising cultural animations and 9
museums 21 .

These structures and the animation departments of the municipalities are proposing
animations and exhibitions targeting at the same time local people and tourists. Here
is an example of such an initiative: theatre courses and performances held in the
historic site of the Car’s ruims during the summer time.

20
See map above and Appendix 6: List of cultural heritage in Haute-Corrèze
21
See Appendix 6: List of cultural heritage in Haute-Corrèze

68
There is also a specific aspect of the Haute-Corrèze culture that could be exploited
for tourism but is not developed yet: the troubadours and the medieval period of the
Ventadour. Troubadours are poets and are the symbols of the lifestyle and
refinement of this period. Many of them came from Haute-Corrèze. Developing this
aspect of the local culture could be a good way to let the local population discover its
history at the same time as the tourists.

Some festivals, and above all local manifestations 22 can also be found in Haute-
Corrèze, mainly during the summer. The festivals mainly use heritage resources of
the territory as scenery.

5.2.2.3. Gastronomy

Gastronomy is a major component in rural tourism, especially in France where

good food is integrated in everyday life. It is an important aspect for the tourists who
spend 41.2 % of their holiday budget in food and beverage either in restaurants or
in food shops (calculated on the basis of data from the Satellite accounts of tourism,
2002). That is why it is necessary to offer a complete range of food possibilities.
The territory must have all types of restaurants, with particularly regional food.
In Haute-Corrèze’s hotels, it is possible to notice the effort of the managers to
develop this kind of products. Other types of restaurants, for every budget can be
found, from international to French cuisine and they are well distributed on the
territory23 .

A special attention is also paid to the development of Marchés de Pays. These

food- markets takes place during the summer in different areas of Haute-Corrèze and
they sell food products from local producers. This initiative is organised by the
“Bienvenue à la Ferme” department of the Chamber of Agriculture.

22
See Appendix 7: List of summer manifestations in Haute-Corrèze
23
See Appendix 8: List of restaurants in Haute-Corrèze

69
The only thing that is missing is the development of local products in shops.
Craftsmen could promote more typical products from the area, especially during the
summer.

5.3. Touristic supply

5.3.1. Agri-tourism and gastronomy: the “Bienvenue à la ferme” network

Agri-tourism is organised at the departmental level by the Chamber of Agriculture.

It is developed through a national network called “Bienvenue à la ferme ” (welcome
to the farm) in charge of:
- The development of the "Bienvenue à la Ferme" brand,
- The animation of the "Bienvenue à la Ferme" network,
- The development of partnerships with other rural tourism agents.

This network proposes different kinds of tourism products:

- Direct sale of farm products
- Educational farms
- Discovery farms
- Equestrian/hiking farms
- Inn farms
- Farm snacks
- Farm accommodations
- Farm hunting
- Local products markets

When looking at the map of distribution of all these activities, it is easy to notice that
these activities are not as developed in Haute-Corrèze as they are in Corrèze in
general. Farmers may do not have time for developing these activities since the size
of the farms is increasing. Moreover, agri-tourism may not be profitable in
comparison with the time and money investments required. This can also be

70
explained by the lower awareness that farmers have of the interest of tourism in
Haute-Corrèze, as it has been testified during the interviews.

Figure 11: Distribution of the products "Bienvenue à la ferme" in the Corrèze

département

HAUTE-CORREZE

Source : brochure « Bienvenue à la ferme »

5.3.2. Accommodations

At the regional level, the Limousin represents, in terms of touristic accommodation,

2 % of the national supply with, and 3/4 of non- market accommodations 24 . The
Corrèze département is the most important of the region with 54.5 % 25 of the regional
supply. The share of Haute-Corrèze corresponds to 30 % of the departmental supply
and 16 % of the regional market beds. The regional trend tends to be confirmed in

24
Chocat, C., (2004) Chiffres clés 2003 du tourisme en Limousin. Comité Régional du Tourisme,
Limoges, France.
25
Appendix 9: List of accommodations in Haute-Corrèze

71
Haute-Corrèze since the proportion of non- market accommodations reaches 70 % of
the total number of touristic beds in the Pays.

5.3.2.1. Hotels

The Pays counts 41 hotels with a total of 526 rooms which represents only 11 % of
the departmental supply26 . They are only sma ll hotels with an average of 13 rooms
per hotel. This low figure does not allow groups and busses to use the facilities
provied. 7 hotels are affiliated to the voluntary chain ‘Logis de France’. This
affiliation means that they meet some quality requirements. Only 17 % of the
hotels are in a quality process. 59 % of these rooms are in two-star hotels which
does not exactly correspond to what the tourists are looking for. A particular
attention has to be paid to the improvement of quality, all the more so as there is no
three-star hotel in Haute-Corrèze what excludes a great segment of customers.

Concerning the occupancy rates, the average departmental rate reaches 43 % of

occupancy in 2003 which represents a decrease of 2 % in comparison with 200227 .
This decrease is constant since 2001.Only the three-star hotel showed a slight
increase.

The low number of hotel suggests that it would be necessary to open new structures
and to improve quality. However, when looking at the occupancy rates of the hotels,
it seems to be impossible to open other establishments. There would not be enough
customers to fill them. It is a kind of vicious circle since if there are not enough
customers, it is impossible to open new hotels, and without new hotels, it is
impossible to attract more tourists. An effort has really to be done to improve quality
in the existing establishments.

26
Tourism Departmental Committee
27
Tourism Departmental Committee

72
Figure 12: Nights spent in rural areas by French people in 2001 per type of
accommodation - in thousands of nights
Type of accommodation Number of nights Percentage
Hotels 7 233 3.3 %
Gîtes 20 662 9.4 %
Camping sites 13 889 6.3 %
Non-market accommodations 164 787 75.4 %
Source: Adapted from ‘Comptes satellites du tourisme, 2001’.

When observing the type of accommodations chosen for rural tourism, hotels are not
in the pole position. It seems that this type of accommodation does not correspond to
what people want when they go to the countryside.

5.3.2.2. Gîtes and Bed and Breakfasts

An interview with the person in charge of the ‘Gîtes de France’ departmental

association allowed an analysis of the characteristics of this type of accommodations
in Haute-Corrèze.

Gîtes and Bed and Breakfasts represent the first type of accommodations asked by
the demand28 . This success can be explained by the fame of the ‘Gîtes de France’
brand to which most of the gîtes and all the Bed and Breakfasts are affiliated.

185 gîtes and 46 Bed and Breakfasts affiliated to Gîtes de France can be counted
in Haute-Corrèze . It represents respectively 25 % and 19 % of the departmental
supply. This percentage is relatively low. The low density and the age of the
population can explain it. Another reason can be the fact that, in spite of the 2 600
empty houses in Haute-Corrèze, there are less houses than in the rest of the
département. Moreover, heritage is less developed in Haute-Corrèze in comparison
with Basse Corrèze. The fact that people are more turned toward agriculture than

28
See table above.

73
toward tourism can also be an explanation according to Philippe Bordes, the manager
of the Gîtes de France departmental association.

Occupancy rates are not maximized since they only reach 12 weeks for the Gîtes
and 100 nights for the B&B. Occupancy rates are the highest in the area close to the
motorway where people stop for one night or two on the way to their holiday
destination. These figures can be explained by different reasons:
- A supply not adapted to the demand of the low season. Owners only
propose to rent weekly and not for weekends. The reason for this is that
the charges of opening the gîte during the weekend are more important
that the profit generated through the renting.
- The hard climate of Haute-Corrèze that makes difficult to attract
tourists during the winter.
- Closure of many activity suppliers out of the peak season.
- The lack of communication and products on activities that can be
practiced out of the peak season: fishing, hiking, mushrooms picking, etc.
- The lack of renown of Haute-Corrèze .

Many owners of empty houses would like to invest in its restoration to convert it in a
gîte, even if with the current occupancy rates, it is not profitable, their first
motivation being the preservation of local heritage. However, only a few do it
since the financial help is limited. It reaches a maximum of 18 % of the total
investment 29 . This shows that regional governments do not want to invest in the
preservation of built heritage.

Gîte and B&B creations are really profitable for local development.
- It participates to the rehabilitation of built heritage. 2 000 houses have
been preserved by this way in Corrèze during the 20 last years.
- It contributes to a diffuse tourism that spreads on the whole territory.
- It mobilises local energy since it is a tourism implemented by and for the
local population (craftsmen, shopkeepers, gîte owners, etc.)

29
See Appendix 10: Interview with Philippe Bordes

74
 - It contributes to the development of local economy. The gîtes activity
represents € 1, 14 million of revenue per year.

Figure 13: Distribution of the gîtes and B&Bs per category in Haute-Corrèze

Distribution of the gîtes per Distribution of the bed and breakfast

category per category in Haute-Corrèze
3 ears
2 ears
1 ear 1 ear 2ears 3 ears
5% 11% 2ears

2 ears 3 ears
41% 54%

3 ears
89%

Source: Author’s own elaboration, data from Gîtes de France departmental association.

Quality of gites and B&Bs in Haute Correze is above average compared to the rest of
the departement. On the whole département, the average of 3-ear gîtes is only
52.9 %. For the B&Bs, the proportion is even better since 73.7 % are 3 ears and the
rest is 2 ears.

In addition to the gîtes and B&B, the Haute-Corrèze Pays proposes:

- 16 farm gîtes (27 % of the departmental supply)
- 15 farm B&B
- 2 farm camping sites
- 3 lodges
- 2 inn farms
- 1 holiday farm

75
 - 73 gîtes that do not belong to the brand ‘gîtes de France’ and do not have
their notoriety and quality (60 % of two-star gîtes)

This supply is diversified and generally of good quality even if it stays for some
products under the potential of the territory. However, the evolution in the number
of gîtes (of any type) and of B&B is really strong

Figure 14: Evolution of the number of gîtes and B&B in Haute-Corrèze

between 1999 and 2003

1998 2003 Evolution

Type of
Nb of Nb of Nb of Nb of Nb of
accommodation Nb of beds
structures beds structures beds structures
Gîtes 280 1596 324 1878 + 15.7 % + 23,1 %
B&B 12 66 19 120 + 58,3 % + 81,8 %
Source: Adapted from data from the Tourism Departmental Committee, 2004.

The number of beds increases more than the number of structures what shows a trend
to increase the size of the house to answer to the demand of small groups.

76
 5.3.2.3. Camping sites

Figure 15: Distribution of Haute-Corrèze camping sites per category

Distribution of the camping sites per

category

2 stars
40% 3 stars
23%

0 or 1 star 4 stars
31% 6%

0 or 1 star 2 stars 3 stars 4 stars

Source: Author’s own

There are 35 camping sites in Haute-Corrèze. It represents nearly 50 % of the

accommodation capacity of the département 30 . However, their capacity keeps
being reduced. Moreover, only a few camping sites have good quality: 29 % are 3
or 4-star camping sites. They are mostly managed by local collectivities and their
quality has to be improved, since even some three-star camping sites do not
correspond to their classification.

There is a visible erosion of the frequentation in occupancy rates. This comes from
the trends of the customers to choose 3 or 4-star camping sites.

30
See Appendix 9: List of accommodations of Haute-Corrèze

77
Figure 16: Evolution of the occupancy rates in the camping sites of the Corrèze
département.

May June July August September Average

1998 4% 5.5 % 28.5 % 37.5 % 3.5 % 15.8 %
1999 4% 6.5 % 33 % 34 % 4% 16.3 %
2000 5% 8% 39.5 % 39 % 5.5 % 19.4 %
2001 4% 9.5 % 31.5 % 42 % 5% 18.4 %
2002 7% 7.5 % 30.5 % 37.5 % 4.5 % 17.4 %
Source: adapted from « Bilan du Schéma Départemental de Développement Touristique de la Corrèze
et mise en adéquation des préconisation avec les Pays. », N. Chassagne.

The association of Correzian Camping Sites exists since 1989 and gathers 87
camping sites on the whole département. Its role is to federate and help the camping
sites.

5.3.2.4. Second homes

There are 6840 second-homes in Haute-Corrèze 31 . It represents 24 % of the total

number of houses in the Pays. This important figure can be explained by the
desertification of the Pays and the fact that people keep in Haute-Corrèze a family
house for their holidays.

31
Charter of .the Pays

78
 Figure 17: distribution of second homes in Haute-Corrèze

Source: Charter of the Pays, 2004.

This map shows that second homes are mainly located in the less populated areas. It
poses problems since second homes and empty houses can reach 50 % of the
number of houses in some villages.

Second homes have positive impacts since they are not abandoned, they are restored
and it contributes to the preservation of local heritage. Moreover, they are a tool
for local development since their restoration gives work to local craftsmen.

However, negative impacts can not be neglected. Second homes are not open during
the major part of the year and it contributes to the lack of dynamism of the
villages. Moreover, ‘tourists’ occupy these houses during the summer whereas they
could be rented and occupied by inhabitants all along the year. There is an important
demand for independent houses but there is not enough supply.

79
 5.3.3. Activity suppliers

The majority of tourism activities are based on the natural and cultural resources of
the territory. Nearly every rural tourism activity can be found in Haute-Corrèze:
- Hiking
- Nautical sports, canoe, ‘gabares’
- horse riding
- Visits to cultural place (churches, museums, villages, castles)
- Steam train
- Hunting
- golf
- village fêtes
- Local animations such as flea markets, children animations, etc.

According to tourism professionals 32 and to the tourists 33 , the main problem is the
closure of most of the activities out of the peak season. On the one hand that is a
problem not to develop tourism out of the summer since people complain they have
nothing to do during the low season. On the other hand it seems to be impossible to
ask activity and accommodation suppliers to open at this period of the year whereas
they will not earn money, only to give a good image of the territory.

According to a regional study34 , 1/4 of the departmental tourist spots are located
in Haute-Corrèze 35 .

32
See Appendix 10: examples of interviews
33
BVA, “les séjours touristiques dans le Limousin: Enquêtes de fréquentation multi-sites», 2001,
Villofray.
34
CRT, “Eléments de réflexion pour le plan marketing 2005-2008 pour le tourisme limousin», 2004,
Limoges.
35
See Appendix 6 : List of cultural heritage in Haute-Corrèze

80
5.4. The demand

As confirm many studies and documents from the ministry of Tourism36 , at the
national level, the countryside is the first touristic destination. 33 % of the French
tourists choose the countryside as their holiday destination.

5.4.1. General trends of the rural tourists

In 2000, the firm Sociovision Cofremca realised a very detailed study37 on the new
trends of customers. The following paragraphs are based on the results of this study.

5.4.1.1. New expectations of the customers

The Cofremca study gives information about the expectations of French people
during their holidays. The results of this study show three main trends:
- Break with daily life, with urban life rhythm and stress.
- Reunion with family, couple or friends to enjoy this time out of the
constraints of daily life.
- Going back to the roots. Holidays represent the moment when people
want to develop and to take care of themselves.

Tourism service suppliers will have to compose with these new trends and to adapt
their supply to these new requirements.

5.4.1.2. New purchasing behaviours

è Customers have more requirements

Customers expect for their holidays a good value for money. As it can be notice
through the expansion of low cost airlines and last minute sales, they know that they

36
Permanent conference on rural tourism, AFIT, tourism ministry, etc.
37
Carnet de route de la montagne, de l’écoute des clients à l’action marketing. Paris : AFIT, 2000.

81
can play on competition to obtain the best prices. Customers are not shy anymore.
They know their rights and their power.

è New way of choosing the destination:

Tourists have now a great experience of going on holiday. That is why they will not
buy very early their tourism product. They prefer gathering information on
different destinations and finally, they buy the product that answers better to their
requirements. They do not choose a destination but a product. It means that it is
not because the communication campaign is very good that customers will choose a
destination. Products and quality have to meet their requirements.

è News types of customers

Two types of customers can be dis tinguished:

- Traditional customers that are organized, loyal to a destination and
anticipate their purchase.
- Modern customers that are looking for a good deal and are merely loyal.

Whatever type of customers it is, they do not want anymore to be considered as a

mass. They need to be seen as individuals with individual needs. However, tourists
can not be considered one by one. That is why new small segments have been
distinguished:
- Seniors = active retired people with high purchasing power
- Tribes = groups of customers that can be mono-parental families, groups
of families, etc.
- Juniors = young people travelling together, in individual or organised
forms.

People can also be segmented according to their area of origin. That is why the idea
of the average customer must be forgotten and a differentiated marketing has to be
developed.

82
 5.4.1.3. New socio-cultural trends

Socio-cultural trends express the main expectations of the customers to which

professionals are confronted. The Cofremca study, beyond the three major
motivations cited above has noticed several socio-cultural trends answering to strong
expectations of the tourists.

è Convenience

Tourists want to make a real break with their daily life and holidays have to be
100 % pleasure and 0 % trouble. That is why the information has to be accessible,
booking has to be simple, quality has to be certified by labels for instance. During
the holidays, everything must be easy. Tourists consider all- inclusive pack as too
strict. They prefer ‘A la carte’ ready to consume holidays.

Tourists do not want to be stressed by over- frequentation. They are attracted by

nature, rest, simplicity and authenticity. Rural and low mountains tourism is
completely adapted to these expectations.

è Non-market tourism

In a society where everything has to be paid, tourists are happy to have during
their holidays simple relationships with people and with nature, based on
money. Tourists do not want to be considered as consumers but as persons. Free
services and spontaneous relationships with local people are really appreciated, like
the free contact with nature or monuments. They also appreciate to have free access
to animations or specific services. Proposing a product in which everything is
included can be a solution.

è Importance of recreational activities

People want to entertain during their holidays, to relax and share good moments
with their relatives. It does not mean that people want to be entertained like in a

83
Club-Med village but that they want to be together with their family during a
relaxing moment.

è Soft vitality

For many people, holidays are a period to relax, to rest in order to recharge the
batteries. Those people do not want to practice many activities and to make efforts.
They do not want to do nothing either. They want to practice soft activities that
bring satisfaction, harmony and shared pleasure. Tourism professionals have to take
this into account if they want to seduce this type of customers.

è Need for well-being

During the holidays, people to take care of themselves. That is why thalassotherapy
and balneotherapy are so successful. Tourists are also attracted by the beneficial
effects of countryside or mountain air. These elements count in the choice of the
destination. Quality of accommodations are also taken in account since the
environment has to contribute to feel good and healthy. During the holidays is
noticed a negative sensitiveness to everything annoying: stress, noise, pollution. For
all these reasons, tourist are tired of being closed in small flats like during the
seventies. They wanted a higher quality than at home.

è Quality and aestheticism of life

This point is a bit similar to the one about well-being since it is linked to quality of
life. This need is expressed by the attention paid to details that create emotion.
People are not centred anymore on primary but more cultural secondary needs.

è Contact with nature

People want contact with nature. They need it. However, they do not want to be
confronted alone to wild nature. They need some intermediaries to give them

84
access to nature . That is why people are interested in practicing hiking with a guide
able to “translate” the nature.

5.4.2. Characteristics of the tourists coming in Haute-Corrèze

According to what the tourism agents said during their interview and to the statistics
found, the main characteristic of the tourists coming in Haute-Corrèze are the
followings.
- Families with young children
- Young seniors
- People that do not have a high purc hasing power
- People coming from Paris, the North of France and Bretagne
- Foreigners coming from England, Germany and Belgium.
- People coming by car since there is no real other means to get there.
- A lot of passing through people who stay one night or two.

The study realised in 2001 on touristic frequentation in Limousin confirms the

statements of local agents by exposing the following profile of the tourists visiting
Corrèze:
- 89 % of French people vs. 10.7 % of foreigners,
- People coming mainly from Paris (21.1 % of the tourists),
- 24.6 % of them are 30 to 39 years old,
- 67.3 % of senior executives,
- 43.7 % of couples or families with young children,
- 64.7 % of the people coming in Corrèze are coming during the peak
season.

Concerning the exclusivity of frequentation of the countryside, a study38 explains

that most of the tourists frequenting rural areas for their holidays are also
frequenting coastal, mountainous and urban areas: “In 1997, less than one

38
Conférence Permanente du Tourisme Rural, (2004) Bilan des trois années d’activités. Proceedings
from the Session Plénière, Paris , France, May, 2004

85
French person out of four that has spent holidays in a rural area had just frequented
the countryside.”
Concerning the loyalty to rural areas, this study reveals that one third of the people
having frequented rural areas for summer holidays are loyal to the countryside .
Mountainous areas are most of the time chosen in substitution to the countryside and
vice versa.

5.4.3. Characteristics of the stays in Haute-Corrèze

5.4.3.1. A majority of stays spent in non-market accommodations

The study on touristic frequentation in Limousion says that there is a majority of

stays spent in market accommodations (64.3 %). This is very different from the
national trends but it can be explained by the fact that the survey took place in
touristic sites. Indeed, people staying in non- market accommodations may frequent
less the tourist sites than people staying in market accommodations since they may
already know the region or prefer to give prior to relations with their friends and
family. Moreover, this theory is falsified by another regional study realised by the
TRC stating that tourism in Limousin is characterized by 73 % of the nights spent in
non- market accommodations 39 .

A departmental study shows that non- market accommodations are followed in

percentage of the nights by the camping sites that attracts 27.6 % of the market
nights and then by the holiday and gîte villages 40 .

5.4.3.2. Activities practised: nature, culture and idleness

39
Chocat, C., (2004) Chiffres clés 2003 du tourisme en Limousin. Comité Régional du Tourisme,
Limoges, France.
40
Observatoire Départemental du Tourisme, (2004) Bilan année touristique 2003. Comité
Départemental du Tourisme, Tulle, France.

86
The first activity practised 41 by people visiting the Corrèze département is ‘walking’
(72.9 %). It is followed by v' isiting monuments, museums' and 'natural sites'
(69.1 and 65.3 %). Visiting fairs, markets and flea markets are activities
practised by 49.6 % of the people staying in Corrèze. The fact that 39 % of the
people interviewed answered that they rest or do not do anything has to be taken
into account. It means that people like doing nothing. However, they can complain
because there is nothing to do. It shows that it is necessary to give them the
opportunity to participate to animations or activities even if at the end they do not do
anything. However, not every tourist is like this. The average number of activities
practiced during a stay is 5.5.

5.4.3.3. Low expenses

National studies say that rural tourism is not really remunerative since it represents
only 21 % 42 of the touristic expenses whereas it represents 33 % of the stays. It can
be explained by the high percentage of non- market accommodations. However those
data are national and it was impossible to obtain more precise information about the
behaviour of tourists visiting Haute-Corrèze.

5.4.3.4. An average length of stay higher than the national trends

The average length of stay in Limousin is quite long with 10.3 days. 1/3 of the
stays lasts less than 5 days and another third lasts more than 10 days. This average is
really higher than the national average saying that 61.5 % 43 of the stays last less than
4 nights and that people staying longer in rural areas are foreigners. It can be
explained by the fact that people coming in Limousin are coming in their family or
have a special attachment to the region, that is why they stay longer.

41
BVA, (2001) Les séjours touristiques dans le Limousin: Enquêtes de fréquentation multi-sites.
Observatoire Régional du Tourisme, Limoges, France
42
Secrétariat d’Etat au Tourisme, (2001) La demande touristique en espace rural. Secrétariat d’Etat
au Tourisme , Paris, France
43
Direction du Tourisme, 2001

87
On top of this, there is also in Haute-Corrèze a lot of passing through, mostly in
accommodations located around the motorway A89.

88
 5.4.4. Motivations of tourists coming in Haute-Corrèze

According to the PCRT 44 (2004), the general motivations for people to spend
holidays in rural areas are:
- Having quiet holidays,
- Having healthy holidays, even if the mountains keeps being the healthiest
areas for the tourists,
- Going to a destination adapted to children even if the sea keeps being the
favourite destination for children
- For authenticity
- For being with relatives
- For the feeling of freedom

According to the regional study lead in 2001 45 , the principal motivation for people to
come in Corrèze are the nature, the quality of the environment and their attachment
to the region. Cultural heritage and water (lakes and rives) are the other aspects that
attracted people in Corrèze, like the calm.

5.4.5. Satisfaction of tourists coming in Haute-Corrèze

Data about the satisfaction of tourists are difficult to obtain since tourists just say it
when there is something really wrong. That is why there is no local data about this
theme. However, as it appeared above, the regional trends correspond more or less
with the local ones. That is why a regional survey46 will again be used in this
paragraph to have an overview of the tourist’s satisfaction in Haute-Corrèze.

This survey reveals that the general rate of satisfaction reaches 83%. People are
particularly satisfied by the quality of natural environment (86 %), the quality of
reception (83 %), the cleanliness of the places visited (82 %) and the quality of

44
Conférence Permanente du Tourisme Rural, (2004) Bilan des trois années d’activités. Proceedings
from the Session Plénière, Paris , France, May, 2004
45
BVA, (2001) Les séjours touristiques dans le Limousin: Enquêtes de fréquentation multi-sites.
Observatoire Régional du Tourisme, Limoges, France
46
Ibid.

89
cultural heritage (82 %). However, the lowest levels of satisfaction concern the
animations (69 %) and the activities and leisure, above all for people coming during
the low season (72 %).

5.5. Competitors

According to the tourism agents of Haute-Corrèze, the main competitors are:

- The départements of Puy-de-Dome, Cantal, Dordogne and Lot: those
territories are considered as competitors since they propose the same kind
of products than Haute-Corrèze but their resources are more important
and more known. For the departments of Auvergne (Puy de Dome and
Cantal), they are proposing contact with the nature, soft vitality but they
can offer more specified landscapes: mountains and volcanoes.
Moreover, with the creation of the attraction park Vulcania, they increase
their notoriety and improve their image. Concerning the departments of
Dordogne and Lot, they are really famous even abroad. They propose an
important cultural and gastronomic heritage that can also be found in
Haute-Corrèze but is less developed and less famous.

- Brive-la-Gaillarde : it is the main city of the Corrèze département. It is

considered as a competitor because the tourism agents of the city
managed to develop tourism and quality. Moreover, the city benefits
from an image related to the south-west culture and to Périgord.

The territories considered as competitors by Haute-Corrèze tourism agents are

territories that can be identified clearly according to the products they propose. They
are more specialised than Haute-Corrèze and have been developing tourism for more
time than Haute-Corrèze.

90
Figure 18: Figures about the frequentation of Corrèze competitors

NUMBER OF NIGHTS
DEPARTEMENT
(in millions of nights)
Dordogne 47 26
Lot 48 10.3
Cantal49 2.13
Puy de Dome 50 6.14
Corrèze 51 ˜2
Source: author’s own

This table shows that competitors are really more frequented than Corrèze . A
solution could be to look how they work and how they promote themselves in order
to do the same in Corrèze. It also seems that they give more importance to tourism
than Corrèze does. Their websites and products, and even their organisation seem to
work better than in Corrèze. They have a real positioning. That is what is missing in
Corrèze.

Concerning Brive, political agents seemto be more aware of the importance of

tourism and are ready to fund it. The budget of the tourist office is higher than the
one of the TDC. This exp lains the success of tourism in this area.

5.6. Promotion and communication

5.6.1. Image

According to the tourism agents interviewed, the image of Corrèze and above all of
Haute-Corrèze corresponds to the image of the region, Limousin. That is why, in the

47
www.perigord.tm.fr/cdt
48
www.tourisme -lot.com
49
www.auvergne-tourisme.info
50
Ibid.
51
www.cg19.fr

91
following analysis, regional, departmental and local data will be mixed in order to
define the image of Haute-Corrèze.

When asked about the image of Haute-Corrèze, tourism agents answered the aspects
enumerated in the table below.

Figure 19: Focus on the image given by the tourism agents interviewed

General
Territory Strengths Weaknesses
image
Inhabitants that have a
Water, sources depreciated image of the
territory
Good level of comfort Not dynamic territory

Nature No strong tourist attraction

Not expensive Hard climate

HAUTE- Quietness Tough inhabitants
Green and
CORRÈZE Quiet place but sometimes
wild territory Beautiful landscapes
too much
Plateau de Millevaches
famous
Specific fauna and
flora
Troubadours

Natural Regional Park

Source: elaboration author’s own and data collected during the interviews

According to a regional study52 , the image of Limousin is linked to the countryside

and the nature but image often not clear and despised. If the south of the Corrèze
département is seen as the ‘South’ with sun and often assimilated to the Périgord, the

52
CRT, “Eléments de réflexion pour le plan marketing 2005-2008 pour le tourisme limousin”,
2004, Limoges.

92
image of Haute-Corrèze corresponds better to the image of the region. By this is
meant the fact that it is not really known, it is seen as a ‘green’ reserve but there is
not much to do there.

Moreover, the inhabitants do not carry this image. They are not proud of their
region and are not the ambassadors of their territory. They often feel inferior to
other areas in terms of wealth, climate, tourist spots, financial and human means.

It is also interesting to consult tourism guidebooks to know what image they give
of Haute-Corrèze. It also allows to check the tourism attractiveness of the region
through the focus of the guidebooks. Three guidebooks 53 have been studied.

Concerning the identification of the touristic region, the checking shows that the
identity of the region is not clear:
- One guidebook focuses on the Limousin region: Ici&là, le Limousin
grandeur nature,
- Another one mixes Limousin and Auvergne (Massif Central regions): Guide
du Routard Auvergne-Limousin,
- The last one only focuses on Corrèze: Petit Futé Corrèze.
Even if the three guidebooks are national editions, they do not have the same vision
of the touristic area around Haute-Corrèze. It means that the region does not have a
clear identity.

However, when consulting these books to know what they say about Haute-Corrèze,
it appears that the image given of the Pays is more or less similar in every guidebook
and refers to the same aspects than those given by the tourism agents and by the
regional study, even if it is more precise:
- Wild nature: forest and conifers, moor and heather
- Gastronomy: mushrooms, crepes, berries, etc.
- For nature lovers
- Wild, austere and tough as well for the territory as for the population
53
Ici & Là Magazine : Le Limousin grandeur nature, 1995 ; Guide du routard, Auvergne-Limousin,
2003 ; Petit Futé, Corrèze, 2003.

93
 - Warm welcome
- Water: sources, rivers, lakes, dams
- Hard climate with long winter
- Character
- Legends
- Unknown region

Some aspects of this image are really positive since it gives the image of a territory
were nature is preserved, of a region with character and legends . However, this
image can be negative and frighten some potential visitors with the evocation of
the ‘long winter’, the mentalities, the fact that it is unknown and that there are
not many inhabitants. This image positions the territory as an area that can attract
niches of customers since it is a really special territory that is not accessible to
everyone. This image does not correspond to the public that frequents the territory:
families. The territory would be more attractive if the image corresponded to the
markets targeted.

5.6.2. Communication and promotion

Different types of organisms work for the promotion of Haute-Corrèze. Tourist

offices (TO) representing the municipalities, TDC, representing the département,
TRC representing the region, are all playing an important role in terms of promotion
of the territory at different levels. The following paragraphs present the different
kinds of promotion actions that are developed by these different structures.

5.6.2.1. Edition of brochures

Nearly every tourism structure edits at least one brochure to promote its activity. In
this paragraph only the brochures edited by TOs and TDC will be presented.

94
 è Tourist offices:

The role of TOs is to transmit information to the tourists and to promote their
territory. Sometimes they give directly the brochure of each service supplier, but,
according to their financial means, they may propose their own brochure presenting
the territory and gathering all the information. These brochures can be general or
divided by theme. In Haute-Corrèze, each tourist office edits some general
documents.

They also developed a special structure for the promotion of all the Haute-Corrèze
area: The Haute-Corrèze ENOTSI (union of tourist offices). This structure only
works on promotion. They edit one general brochure to present the activities that
can be practiced in Haute-Corrèze all along the year. It gives an image of well-
being, calm and convenience. It also insists on local gastronomy and atmospheres. It
presents a map of the territory and the Tos contact list. This brochure does not have
the objective of selling anything, only to inform the potential customer and to give
him a positive image of the territory. A question can be raised about the interest of
promoting the territory for tourism all along the year whereas it is obvious that
tourists can not be welcome during the winter because most of the activities and
accommodations are closed and the climate is very hard. Moreover, in the brochure
there is no contact with any reservation centre where the tourists could book their
holidays.

è Tourism Departmental Committee

The TDC edits 12 brochures that present all the assets of the département. There is
a general brochure, a touristic map and thematic brochures:

- Hotels and restaurants, - Nautical leisure

- Camping sites, - Fishing
- Hiking - Summer animations

95
There are also territorial brochures:
- Vallée de la Dordogne
- Pays de Brive
- Pays de Tulle
- Vézère-Auvézère
- Haute-Corrèze.

The TDC also participates to many other departmental or regional publications that
contained information about: natural and built heritage (33 %), manifestations and
animations (15 %), outdoor leisure (12 %), general documents (10 %),
accommodations (9 %), gastronomy (9 %), art, handicrafts, industrial tourism (9 %),
statistics (3 %) 54 .

5.6.2.2. Creation of websites

Only Ussel and Bort-les-Orgues’ TOs have a website and the one of Bort is really
more attractive and modern than the one of Ussel. The positive aspect of Ussel’s
website is that it presents all the Haute-Corrèze territory. The frequentation of the
tourist office of Ussel is increasing every year: from 4 802 visitors in 2001 to 29 260
visitors in 2003 55 .
Concerning the TDC, a website 56 has been created this year and presents all the
activities that can be practiced and all the resources of the département. It is a
descriptive and general website where it is possible to order the brochures but not to
book.

5.6.2.3. National communication campaigns

To improve the notoriety of the département that was really unknown, the TDC has
realised national campaigns since 1999. They are composed of 320 bills in the

54
Comité Départemental du Tourisme, (2003) Compte-rendu d’activités 2002. Comité
Départemental du Tourisme de la Corrèze, Tulle, France.
55
Office de tourisme d’Ussel, (2004) Compte-rendu d’activités 2003. Office de Tourisme, Ussel,
France.
56
www.vacances-en-correze.net

96
metro in Paris, advertisement in the newspapers Figaro and TV magazine in
January and march. it is really successful since it generated in 2002 3 322 demands
for information and more than 10 000 in 4 years.

5.6.2.4. Participation to tourism fairs

The TOs do not have enough money to participate in tourism fairs, that is why they
created the ENOTSI. Thanks to this structure, they gather human and financial
means to participate to some fairs either directly or through the participation of the
TDC. Indeed, the TDC represents Haute-Corrèze in fairs where tourist offices can
not go. The list of the fairs can be found in appendix 11.
The TRC represents all the local professionals in international fairs.
The participation to tourism fairs allows to make the territory known and to attract
visitors. Indeed, the majority of the visitors are coming from regions where tourism
agents participate in tourism fairs.

5.6.2.5. Rest areas of the roads and motorways

The TDC created tourism information places located at the entrance of the Corrèze
département.. There are 3 areas in Corrèze :

- Rest area of the N89 in Merlines – Haute-Corrèze : this structure exists

since 1986 and information agents are present in July and August. When has
opened the A89 motorway in 2000 the frequentation decreased by 27 % from
4 600 visitors in 1999 to 3 400 in 2000 57 .

- A20 rest area ‘Portes de Corrèze’ in the north of the territory: 53 000
touristic brochures were distributet there in 2002. Information agents are
present in July and August and during the week-ends. The frequentation of

57
Chassagne N., Bilan du schéma départemental de développement touristique de la Corrèze, 2003.

97
 the tourism structure is increasing every year reaching 5 000 visitors in
200258 .

- A89 rest area ‘Corrèze’ in the east of the territory only opened in 2003.
That is why there is no statistics yet.

5.6.3. Marketing

There is no booking centre in Haute-Corrèze . The supply is sold at the

departmental or regional scale. Independent organisms like Gîtes de France also
have their own booking centre. The focus will be done on the activity of the SRLA
(booking departmental service) since they sell the majority of the products.

The SRLA is the organism in charge of “selling” the département. It is possible to

book by phone or on the website 59 .

The TDC with the SRLA edits some brochures presenting the tourism products
that can be bought. There are different brochures: juniors, groups, general products.
In these three brochures, 105 products are on sale and 27.6 % are in Haute-
Corrèze . 44 % of Haute-Corrèze products are dedicated to juniors, either for
holiday camps or for school trips.

5.7. Tourism organisation on the territory

Tourism is a complex sector linked to other sectors such as agriculture, craft

industry, environment, politics, etc. That is why a multitude of private and public
agents intervene in tourism development. This multiplicity sometimes make difficult
the identification of the role of the different structures and of the links between them.
This paragraph aims at clarifying the role of each structure and at showing the
interrelations that contribute to tourism organisation.
58
Ibid.
59
www.correze-vacances.com.

98
 5.7.1. Public structures

5.7.1.1. Departmental structures

è Tourism Departmental Committee

The TDC is in charge of implementing the tourism development strategy in the

département. It is in charge of the promotion of the territory and of the support of
tourism professionals in the realisation of their projects. However, the TDC of the
Corrèze département is suffering some organisation problems . For several months
this structure does not have any director. This situation slows the actions and the
involvement of the TDC in its missions . Moreover, the post in charge of
supporting tourism professionals is not filled and this mission of the TDC is not
achieved.

Another point that has to be highlighted is the fact that the TDC does not have the
financial means in respect of the tourism potential of the territory. Indeed, the
tourist office of Brive- la-Gaillarde benefits from a budget superior to the one of the
TDC.

èConseil Général

The Conseil Général is the administrative organism that runs the département. Its
role in terms of tourism is important since it is in charge of the realisation of the
TDDS (Tourism Development Departmental Scheme). This scheme defines the
tourism development strategy of the département. The service in charge of tourism
is the ‘local development’ department. At the départemental level, it seems that
agents are aware of the important role that can play tourism for local
development.

Concerning the TDDS, its role is to define the orientation of the département in
terms of tourism development. The former TDDS was not really known by the

99
local tourism agents and professionals. It had been realised in 1998 and it was the
first time that had appeared the awareness of the necessity of a tourism development
plan in Corrèze. It was an important step. For the elaboration of the new TDDS the
Conseil Général tried to consult the main tourism and political agents of the
département to collect their point of view and their needs in terms of tourism. It is
also a way to include them in the planning process even if they are not really
involved. After having finished its elaboration, the Conseil Général wants to
organise a meeting with local agents to present the TDDS and to involve them in its
implementation.

èEconomic Chambers

The economic chambers are the Chamber of Agriculture and the Chamber of
Commerce and Industry. Their role in tourism development is to support local
professionals. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry is supporting hotel
managers and the Chamber of Agriculture is supporting farmers.

5.7.1.2. Local structures

è Tourist offices and ENOTSI

TOs are in charge of the promotion and animation of the territory. They can
elaborate in collaboration with the municipalities a local development plan for
tourism. They are classified from 0 to 4 stars according to their ability to the
general organisation of the tourist office and to the services provided to tourists and
professionals.

In Haute-Corrèze, there are 11 TOs. Only three of them are 3-star offices. 4 offices
have 1 star and 4 offices do not have star. The TOs that have three stars are the
more frequented ones. The quality of the work of the TOs depends on the number
of stars since it means that they have or not permanent employees and financial
means.

100
The main problems of Haute-Corrèze TOs is that they have no financial, human
and material means to improve the quality of their work. There is no
development plan and there are only agents in charge of the reception of tourists.

Figure 20: Evolution of the frequentation of tourist offices in Haute-Corrèze

and Haute-Corrèze/Corrèze ratio

Frequentation Frequentation Number of

Cities Evolution
2002 2003 stars
Bort- les-Orgues 21665 22423 3,50% **
Bugeat 3413 3824 12,04% *
Lapleau 612 2390 290,52% 0
Meymac 10015 10089 0,74% *
Neuvic 6601 7431 12,57% *
Eygurande 1524 0
Peyrelevade 1067 701 -34,30% 0
Sornac 886 1147 29,46% *
Soursac 324 522 61,11% 0
Egletons 12929 13894 7,46% **
Ussel 9856 10548 7,02% **
Total Haute-Corrèze 67368 74493 10,58%

Total Corrèze 399929 385195 -3,68%

Ratio Haute-Corrèze
16,84% 19,34% 2,49%
/ Corrèze
Source: adapted from UDOTSI

101
Figure 21: Distribution of the frequentation of tourist offices in Haute-Corrèze
in 2003

USSEL
BORT
14%
BUGEAT
BORT
29% LAPLEAU
MEYMAC
NEUVIC
EGLETONS
19% EYGURANDE
PEYRELEVADE
SOURSAC SORNAC
BUGEAT
1%
5% SOURSAC
SORNAC
2% LAPLEAU
EGLETONS
PEYRELEVADE 3%
1% MEYMAC
USSEL
EYGURANDE NEUVIC 14%
2% 10%

Source: adapted from UDOTSI

There are also problems of education since there is no director in any office.
There are only presidents that are often retired people. Concerning the employees,
the majority of them have no tourism education. They nevertheless have the
opportunity to participate to training courses organised by the departmental
association of tourist offices (UDOTSI).

The tourist offices are mostly funded by the municipalities. Only the tourist office of
Neuvic is intermunicipal. The fact that they are not able to provide very professional
services is due to the lack of financial means coming from the municipalities. This
situation shows that the local councillors are not aware of the tourism potential of
their territory and of the importance of tourism development for the local
economy. In spite of the figures showing that frequentation is increasing, they do
not give more funds to develop tourism.

The tourist offices are gathered in a structure called ENOTSI that has mainly been
created to gather promotion means. No product are created and no information is

102
exchanged. The ENOTSI is a first step in the federation of the tourist offices since a
few years ago, they were not even speaking together. However, there is still a lot of
work to do before the ENOTSI reaches its goal of tourism coordination structure in
Haute-Corrèze.

è Intermunicipal structures

The territory of the Haute-Corrèze Pays is composed of 6 intermunicipal structures

called ‘Communauté de Communes’ (CC). These structures have been created by
the law ‘Administration territoriale de la République’ of 1992. Their aim is to
increase solidarity for economic, territorial and environmental development. They
have been created to reduce the effects of the important number of municipalities in
France. They take some of the competences of the municipalities. Some of those are
obligatorily exercised by the intermunicipality: territorial development and economic
development that concerns all the community. Other competences are optional.

In Haute-Corrèze, all the CC60 have the tourism competence. However, those
structures are very young. They have been created recently and have not developed
concrete actions yet. Most of them only instituted a partnership with the tourist
offices. Others have also decided to develop tourism projects or sites.

èFederation of the Haute-Corrèze Pays

The Federation of the Pays is the structure that corresponds exactly to the objective
of coordination of the territory. Its role is to work with other local structures and to
develop partnerships. The role of the Pays is to give a boost to the territory and to
stimulate projects. It has also been created to facilitate the federation of the different
types of agents such as private professionals, public agents, associations and local
population.

60
See Appendix 12: List of CC.

103
The problem are again the funds. The federation does not have proper funds or
employee. The person working for the implementation of the Charter is employed
by the Conseil Général and has also other tasks. This lack of funding shows that
even if the creation of a Pays means that local people are aware of the necessity to
engage a local development process, it does not mean they are aware of the
importance of giving means to this initiative. Local in- fighting still prevents people
from working together. However, it is difficult to analyse the results of the Pays
policy since it has been created very recently and everything is not organised yet.

Some elements can nevertheless be examined. The list of people that have
participated to the reflection and redaction of the charter 61 confirms the results of the
interviews: tourism professionals have not been included in the creation of the Pays.
Maybe that is one explanation of the fact that they do not feel involved in the local
development process. The problem is to know if they have not been invited to
participate or if they do not want to participate. It seems that they have not been
involved by the organizers since their representatives where invited.

5.7.2. Private structures and associations

The Haute-Corrèze Pays counts numerous tourist service suppliers. Often small- size
businesses scattered on the territory, they face problems of lack of cooperation and
coordination. In spite of their will to participate to the touristic development of the
territory, they often work alone, without partnerships. Moreover, many of them do
not have any tourism education.

Many associations are existing to federate them, such as Gîtes de France, Logis de
France, etc. These associations are often organised by sector like camping sites,
gîtes, hotels, etc. There is no common project to develop the territory.

It seems that there is no leader in Haute-Corrèze that could stimulate all the
professionals around a common development project.
61
See Appendix 13: List of people that participated to the tourism commission for the redaction of
the Pays’ Charter.

104
Shopkeepers’ and professionals’ associations are important for developing
animations and create a dynamic atmosphere. However, there is no association of
this kind in Haute-Corrèze. People are not used to work together and they are not
ready to involve themselves in such associations. There are in- fights between the
shopkeepers that are still in a mentality of working alone not to share the profit.
They do not understand the interest of working together or have difficulties to enter
in the process.

105
5.8. SWOT analysis

5.8.1. SWOT analysis of the supply

5.8.1.1 Strengths and weaknesses for the supply

Strengths Weaknesses
Resources: Resources:
- quality and preserved natural environment: beautiful - presence of too many forests that enclose the territory
landscapes, interest of flora and fauna - cultural heritage too diffuse in the territory, no strong element
- important presence of water: very positive for the summer, to - cultural heritage suffering from problems of accessibility and
attract families and to practice nautical sports => important clarity => not well developed
potential - history and image of the troubadours not enough exploited
- Numerous and quality built heritage well spread in the whole
territory
- Numerous animations during the summer

106
 Strengths
Tourism practices and products :
- Wide range of restaurants
- Good quality of the gîtes and B&B
- Second homes and gîtes give work to local craftsmen
- Good supply of products for juniors
- Numerous possibilities of activities related to nature: hiking,
fishing, swimming, horse riding, canoe, etc.
107
Weaknesses
Tourism practices and products:
- lack of local food shops
- lack of development of ‘Bienvenue à la ferme’ products in
Haute-Corrèze in comparison with other areas of the
département
- Limousin represents only 1 % of the national accommodation
supply
- No big hotel to receive groups
- Lack of three and four-star hotels => low quality of the hotels
- Occupancy rates are not very high for hotels
- Quality of the camping sites has to be improved
- numerous second homes that contributes to the lack of
dynamism of villages
- Lack of animations out of the peak season
- Not enough elaborated products ready to consume for the
tourists
- lack of organisation and promotion for water activities
 5.8.1.2 Opportunities and threats for the supply
Opportunities
- Gîtes and B&B correspond to the kind of accommodations
that customers want => opportunity for building other gîtes
and B&B
- Natural Regional Park = will create specific products oriented
toward nature
- Increasing motivation for rural tourism
- Trend toward a classification of the accommodations.
108
Threats
- Non sustainable use of natural resources
- Accentuation of the dispersion of the activity suppliers
- Disappearance of the cultural heritage: living heritage and
built heritage if it is not preserved
- No interest of the farmers for agri-tourism
- Low financial helps from the governments to renovate built
heritage, especially for gîtes and B&Bs
 5.8.2. SWOT analysis of the demand
5.8.2.1 Strengths and weaknesses for the demand
Strengths
- Haute-Corrèze characteristics correspond with the new
expectations of the tourists.
- Tourist are staying longer in Limousin than in other rural
areas.
- Increasing number of visitors in Haute-Corrèze
- Tourists are satisfied by their stays in the area
109
Weaknesses
- Attention has to be paid on the activities and animations
proposed for children
- A majority of stays in non-market accommodations
- People coming in Haute-Corrèze do not have a high
purchasing power.
- People do not spend much during rural holidays
- Limousin, less attractive French region.
- Insufficient knowledge of the customers at the local level
 5.8.2.2 Opportunities and threats for the demand

Opportunities
- Important potential of development since Haute-Corrèze is not
yet on the top of the rural tourism destinations
- Rural areas = 2nd touristic area in France and 1st destination in
terms of stays
- Change in the expectations of the customers that correspond to
the supply of Haute-Corrèze
- Opportunity to target the customers living in the neighbouring
département for short stays out of the peak season.
- a lot of passing through tourists that could be captured
Threats
- Tourists on holiday in rural areas are practicing free activities
not profitable for the area.
- wild nature that can frighten some tourists
- in a few years, the customers will change and it will not be
tourists originating from Haute-Corrèze anymore => efforts
will have to be done to keep them

110
 5.8.3. SWOT analysis of the positioning of the territory
5.8.3.1. Strengths and weaknesses for the positioning
Strengths
Image and promotion:
- Image linked to the countryside: preserved nature
- Notoriety of the corrèze département thanks to the promotion
campaign and to the fact the french president of the republic
is originating from corrèze.
- Notoriety of the millevaches plateau
- Creation of the enotsi to federate the promotion means
- Awareness of the tourism agents of the needs for promotion
and initiatives are taken: national campaigne, enotsi, etc.
111
Weaknesses
- Image and promotion:
- Green image sometimes too marked and image of a place
where there is nothing to do
- Image not clear since there is no strong product
- Image of a non dynamic territory
- Negative image of the territory for its inhabitants and for
other people of the département = lack of attractiveness and
impossibility to consider the inhabitants as ambassadors of
their territory
- Reduced activity of the ENOTSI
- Insufficient knowledge of the customers at the local level
 Strengths Weaknesses
Competition: Competition
- the competitors of the département are stronger than Corrèze
in terms of frequentation
- supply not as specific as the competitors
- image less strong than the competitors

5.8.3.2. Opportunities and threats for the positioning

Opportunities Threats
- Creation of the NRP: tool for image and notoriety of the area like - Pays do not always correspond to touristic entities. It may
are the other parks not be the good area to organise tourism promotion and
- Creation of the Pays: area to develop tourism coordination and positioning. .
organisation
- If the Pays is considered as a good scale to develop tourism, it
- As there are many other Pays that are developing tourism, it is
will suffer from an important competition from the other
possible to look at what they are doing in order to improve the
Pays.
development in Haute-Corrèze
- Haute-Corrèze proposes products and types of tourism that could
attract niches of customers that are not interested by what propose
the competitors

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 5.8.4. SWOT analysis of the tourism organisation
5.8.3.1 Strengths and weaknesses for tourism organisation
Strengths
- Improvement of the organisation and cooperation of tourism
stakeholders in haute-corrèze and in the whole département.
- Awareness of local agents of the importance of tourism for
local development.
- Awareness of local agents of the problems of haute-corrèze
- Territory entered in a local development process through the
constitution of the Pays.
- Awareness of the necessity to preserve the heritage and will
to do it => motivation for opening a gîtes: preserving the
built heritage.
113
Weaknesses
- Problem of mentality of local people that are not used and
maybe not ready to work together.
- Problem for local people of awareness of the tourism
potential and of its effect on the development of the territory.
- Problem of communication between the different organisms.
- No coordination structure in haute-corrèze = imbroglio of
structures that makes really difficult the organisation of
projects.
- People working in the tourism sector do not have any tourism
education
- Too many structures and administrative divisions of the
territory = lack of clarity for new inhabitants and for people
willing to develop new projects. It also makes the definition
of the territory identity difficult.
 5.8.3.2 Opportunities and threats for tourism organisation

Opportunities Threats
- Creation of the Pays that as the role of a coordination structure - The federation of the Pays will not be a specific structure to
- Development agents are changing: A new generation of coordinate tourism
development agents is arriving in Corrèze and Haute-Corrèze - Low financial helps from the governments to renovate built
and contributes to change the mentalities heritage

114
5.9. Conclusion

This tourism diagnosis allowed to understand the tourism potential of Haute-Corrèze

and to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the territory. This analysis is a first
step in the elaboration of solutions to improve the tourism sector in Haute-Corrèze.
The final goal of this diagnosis is to reveal if and how tourism is a tool for
development. It seems that tourism can be a tool for development in Haute-Corrèze
since the territory has got the natural and cultural resources necessary to develop
tourism. However, it seems that some aspects prevent this use of tourism as a tool
for development, such as coordination and partnerships between the tourism agents,
organisation of tourism strategies and products.
In the next and last chapter are presented some recommendations for tourism agents
and also for further investigations in order to change the current situation and make
of tourism a tool for development in Haute-Corrèze.

115
 Chapter 6. CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS

6.1. Conclusion

As explained in the literature review (chapter 2), the final objective of rural tourism
development is the increase of quality of life for local residents. In the case of
Haute-Corrèze, the possibility to attract new inhabitants is also very important since
it is the main objective of the creation of the Pays.

The territorial diagnosis of Haute-Corrèze (chapter 4) led to an understanding of the

assets (quality of the living environment, good quality of infrastructures, low
unemployment rate) and weaknesses (climate, depopulation, isolation, lack of
dynamism, lack of cooperation between the structures, etc). The tourism diagnosis
(chapter 5) pointed out that the tourism potential of the territory is important but has
to be more and better exploited.

The literature review has allowed to define some hypotheses (chapter 3) that may
allow the success of tourism as a tool for development. The conclusion of this study
being that tourism could be a tool for development in Haute-Corrèze, but only under
the condition of changing some aspects, it is a proof that the hypotheses were true.

The study shows that the territory and the tourism sector have to be in a local
development process in order to make of tourism a tool for development (hypothesis
I). Indeed, tourism is not yet a tool for development in Haute-Corrèze since the
stakeholders are not aware of the importance of some aspects such as co-ordination,
implication of local population, federation of the different stakeholders. These
aspects are still important brakes that affect the tourism organisation of the territory.

116
One key factor could be added to the sub-hypotheses. Indeed, the study revealed the
importance of giving human and above all financial means to develop tourism.

Concerning the second hypothesis, it is obvious that tourism can not be used as a tool
for development if there is no potential. The study demonstrates that Haute-Corrèze
has a great tourism potential. Even if some aspects are not sufficiently exploited, the
stakeholders do efforts and it seems that they are aware of the strengths and
weaknesses of the territory. Now, their mission is to give themselves the means to
go in the good direction.

The following paragraph is dedicated to recommendations that can be done to

tourism and development agents in order to achieve this mission. There are also
some recommendations for further research since some aspects of this study could be
deepened.

6.2. Recommendations for tourism agents

6.2.1 The creation of a coordinating tourist board at the destination level

The creation of a tourist board at the local level is something important for Haute-
Corrèze. Indeed, there is no coordination structure yet and no organism able to give
an impulse for tourism development. This tourist board would have different
missions in order to improve the role of tourism as a tool for local development.

6.2.1.1 Coordination and partnerships between the local tourism

stakeholders

The first aim of this coordinating tourist board would be to allow partnerships and to
make people work together. Its mission would be to make local population and
councillors aware of the importance of tourism for Haute-Corrèze and to convince
them of the potential of the territory.

117
Indeed, the main problem for tourism development in Haute-Corrèze is that people
work alone, so this structure has to initiate partnerships. All the tourism agents have
to be involved in this structure, at least through occasional meetings and promotion
or communication events. This board has to allow local agents to exchange
information. This board would go further that the ENOTSI that has only been
created for promotion, even if promotion would be one of the missions of the board.

Partnerships have also to be created between this tourist board and other structures
located in and outside the territory such as the Millevaches Limousin NRP, the TDC,
the SLA.

6.2.1.2 Creation of a local tourism development plan

The tourist board has to gather human and financial means to create a tourism
development plan for the territory. Indeed, there is no pla nning and no reflection in
Haute-Corrèze on the use of tourism as a tool for development. This plan would be
realised by the different agents in order to direct all the means to one direction.
Local professionals have to feel involved in the development and success of tourism
in Haute-Corrèze and have to be informed of the trends of the sector. This plan
would be the basis for a sustainable, long-term and organised development of
tourism. It is essential for tourism development. Moreover, this plan could be linked
to the objectives of the charter of the Pays in order to contribute to the fight against
the territory’s problems such as depopulation. In this process, tourism would really
be a tool for local development.

6.2.2 Finding a positioning for the territory

Finding a positioning is one of the major aspects of tourism development. Indeed, it

gives a clear image of the territory and allows to develop products and to target
markets that are related to this positioning.

118
 6.2.2.1 An image turned toward active na ture

The image of the territory has to be turned toward the preserved nature, since it
seems that it is what comes first when thinking to Haute-Corrèze. However, nature
has to be completed by activities. The image has to be turned toward a polyvalent
territory where everything can be done, but without any stress or pressure. Haute-
Corrèze is a territory accessible to everyone to spent family holidays but it is also a
place where it is possible to experiment strong sensations.

6.2.2.2 Making local population ambassador of their territory

One important problem for the image of Haute-Corrèze is that the local population
has a depreciated image of its territory. This mentality has to be changed since the
contribution of local population is essential to transmit a good image of the territory
outside. People have to become proud of their territory. This change in the
mentalities would improve tourist experiences on the territory and increase quality of
life for local population. To achieve this objective, it is necessary to open the eyes of
the local population on its territory by showing people all the assets of the place they
live in. The idea of Mrs Savary from the Haute-Corrèze Pays’ Federation of
organising a photo competition and exhibition for the inhabitants seems to be a good
way to start this re-appropriation of the territory by its own inhabitants.

6.2.2.3 Competition

The solution for competing with the current competitors is to give a positioning to
Haute-Corrèze. It is necessary to define a specific positioning for Haute-Corrèze that
could allow tourists to define easily the image of the territory and to know what to do
there. Some agents also suggest to create a tourist attraction center in order to
specialize the territory. Anyway, it seems that time is needed before seeing the
effects of promotion. Organization and cooperation of tourism agents is a key
factors for positioning the territory.

119
 6.2.3 Improvement of the tourism products

6.2.3.1 New target markets

è Working on proximity customers

Short stays are developing thanks to the decrease of working time, the easy
communication, the needs of people to have breaks. It represents a good opportunity
for Haute-Corrèze since the area could widen its touristic season.

People from the West, the North and the South-West could be attracted by the
mountainous aspect of the territory, by the rivers and by the forest since it is really
different from what they know, whereas people from the East of the region will be
more attracted by more southern aspects.

The problems are the lack of accommodations such as gîtes that are not rented for
short breaks and the activities that are closed out of the summer. However, these
customers could increase the occupancy rates of hotels and B&Bs if “à la carte”
products were proposed in these types of accommodations with activities linked to
the assets of the region (landscapes, gastronomy, mushrooms picking).

It seems to be necessary to develop a public awareness campaign in Haute-Corrèze,

to make sensitive the tourism agents to the necessity of making efforts to develop
tourism. They have to understand that tourism could be a significant part of local
economy if some little things were changed. An important promotion has to go with
this action in order to ensure its success and to support the activity and
accommodation providers.

èDeveloping niches of customers

Haute-Corrèze is a specific territory oriented toward nature. Products have to be

developed for niches of customers interested in those themes. The NRP of

120
Millevache is an opportunity to communicate on Haute-Corrèze to this type of
customers. Even if the whole Haute-Corrèze does not belong to the NRP, it is
possible to attract them in other parts of the territory through specific products.

6.2.3.2 Creation of new products

The development of tourism products is essential in Haute-Corrèze where there is

nearly nothing already developed. These products have to contribute by their form
(“à la carte”) to the satisfaction of the costumers’ needs and to the increase of
tourism activity in Haute-Corrèze (developing tourism during the low season to
allow tourism activities to open).

èReady for consumption products

As explained in the new trends of the touristic demand, tourists do not want to worry
during their holidays. Everything has to be easy. Moreover, they do not want to pay
for everything. That is why developing more products ready for consumption seems
to be a good idea. This is the role of the TDC and of the tourist offices to develop
these products with local professionals. They could develop thematic products based
on the assets of the territory. These products could be developed during the low
season in order to attract tourists for specific occasions such as mushrooms, chestnuts
and cooking, autumn landscapes and painting, hunting, etc.

èAnimations about the troubadours

The troubadours are part of an interesting period of Haute-Corrèze’s History and it

could be interesting to develop activities around this theme. It would contribute to
the animation of the territory, above all if animations are developed out of the peak
season.

121
 6.2.3.3 Improvement of quality

Tourism agents are already organising labels and quality criteria to improve the
quality of accommodations in Haute-Corrèze. They understood the necessity to
work on quality to satisfy the customers. However, nothing is done for the tourist
offices. It could be interesting to give them the opportunity to work together and to
define what are the things that they all want to improve.

6.3 Recommendations for further studies

Although rural tourism has already been explored by a lot of academic and practical
researches, at the level of a destination, it is not sufficient to look at these studies for
defining the good tourism strategy. At the level of Haute-Corrèze, further studies
could be lead since the research that has been done for this study is only based on
qualitative data collection. Quantitative research could be led on tourism demand
since it has not been realised yet. Additional studies such as financial studies would
also be necessary to establish an action plan. Concerning the positioning of the
territory, it would be necessary to deepen the research on the competitors and on the
possibilities of positioning for Haute-Corrèze to have a reliable basis to establish a
good positioning for Haute-Corrèze.

122
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131
 APPENDICES

Appendix 1 Distribution and densities of population in Haute-Corrèze 132

Appendix 2 Map of the rail network in Corrèze 133
Appendix 3 List of elements used by the INSEE to establish the landlocking level
of the territory 134
Appendix 4 List of natural heritage in Haute-Corrèze 135
Appendix 5 List of the most frequented sites of Haute-Corrèze 136
Appendix 6 List of cultural heritage in Haute-Corrèze 137
Appendix 7 List of summer manifestations in Haute-Corrèze 139
Appendix 8 List of restaurants in Haute-Corrèze 147
Appendix 9 List of accommodations in Haute-Corrèze 150
Appendix10 Examples of interviews 151
Appendix 11 List of tourism fairs to which the TDC participates 166
Appendix 12 List of communities of municipalities 169
Appendix 13 List of people that participated to the tourism commission for the
redaction of the Pays’ Charter 170

132
Appendix 1 Distribution and densities of population in Haute-Corrèze

Source: Charter of the Pays

133
Appendix 2 Map of the rail network in Corrèze

HAUTE-CORREZE

Source: Charter of the Pays

134
Appendix 3 List of elements used by the INSEE to establish the landlocking level
of the territory

post office
firemen centre tobacconist’s shop
tax office petrol station
police building contractor
bank plaster works
solicitor joiner’s workshop
veterinary surgeon electricity workshop
supermarket garage
grocery primary school
bakery high school
butcher’s shop hospital
hair dresser ambulance
clothes shop doctor
shoe shop pharmacy
ironmonger’s shop dentist
electrical goods shop physiotherapist
furniture shop analysis laboratory
book shop nursing staff
cinema

135
Appendix 4 List of natural heritage in Haute-Corèeze

Tourbière du Longeyroux èwhere can be found animals like otters, dragonflies, and
a carnivore plant, the drosera. It is a protected natural area

The roads of panoramic view points on the gorges of the Dordogne where can be
observed owls and falcons

The basalt columns of Bort- les-Orgues that offer a great view point on Massif
Central and on the lake of Bort.

A large range of conifers (larches, pines, firs, spruces, etc.) that constitutes the
forests of the territory

A great variety of lakes (Bort- les-Orgues, Neuvic, Viam, Meymac, Ussel,

Eygurandes, Egletons, Soursac, Tarnac, Lapleau) and rivers where it is possible to
swim, to practice nautical sports or to go angling

An important web of hiking paths

The gorges of the Luzège

The plateau of Millevaches with, according to the legend, a thousand of sources

The Bessou Mount that is the peak of the département

The Chavanon Valley that presents special botanic interests

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 Appendix 5 List of the most frequented sites of Haute-Corrèze
Number of entrances
Sites Municipalities Opening period
2001 2003
Leather and Tanning Museum Bort- les-Orgues 12 months 5 898 6020
Medieval Centre Egletons 3 months 3 633 3 000
Marius Vazeille Museum Meymac 5 months 2 379 3 502
National Centre of 12 months
Meymac 6 051 4 118
Contemporaneous Art
Henri Cueille Museum Neuvic 5 months 3 637 3649
Ussel’s Pays Museum Ussel 2 months 2 499 2 569
Val Castle Bort- les-Orgues 8 months 35 536 29 868
Bazaneix Castle Saint Fréjoux 3 months 500
Bort- les-Orgues Dam Bort- les-Orgues 10 weeks 3 325
Launches of the lake of Bort- 5 months
Bort- les-Orgues 29 168 20 649
les-Orgues
Rochers Noirs Viaduct Lapleau 12 months 10 000 15 000
Steam touristic train Millevaches Plateau 2 months 2 691 2 898
Arboretum Park Saint Setiers 6 months 455 726
Auvergne-Limousin 2 months
Soursac 6 728 9 489
‘Gabares’
Luzège Festival Lapleau 15 days 3 073 3 500
Millesources & Dordogne 2 months
Haute-Corrèze 1 715
Festival
Chélidoine Theatre Company Saint-Angel 38 days 5 054 2 869

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Appendix 6 List of cultural heritage in Haute-Corrèze

Sites, monuments and vernacular heritage:

the Val Castle on the banks of the lake of Bort

the Bazaneix Castle
the Mothe Castle
the ruins of the Ventadour Castle
the medieval city of Ussel
the medieval city of Meymac
the medieval city of Egletons
the gallo-roman site of the Cars
the Rochers Noirs viaduct
the viaducts of the motorway A89: viaduct of the Bergères, viaduct of the Barricade,
viaduc of the Chavanon.
the dams on the Dordogne river: Bort- les-Orgues, Marèges, l’Aigle
the Razel mills in Pérols-sur-Vézère
the wind mill of Valiergues
numerous vernacular buildings such as fountains, bridges, mills, wells are scattered
on the territory

Museum and exhibition centres:

museum of tanning and leather in Bort- les-Orgues

the medieval centre that recreates the medieval life in Egletons
the transcorrézian road that allows to discover the heritage of this train
the graphology house in Laroche-Près-Feyt
the National Contemporary Art Centre in Meymac
the house of fishing and water in Neuvic
the resistance museum in Neuvic
the heritage house in Saint-Merd-de-Lapleau
the Ussel Pays museum in Ussel

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Religious heritage:

Saint Martin medieval church in Ussel

The penitent chapel in Ussel
The Meymac Abbey
The various gothic churches of Limousin
The Manants Chapel in Confolent Port-Dieu
The ruins of the Priory in Saint Pantaléon-de-Lapleau
The churh pulpit in Lamazière-Basse
Numerous other churches scattered on the territory

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Appendix 7 List of summer manifestations in Haute-Corrèze

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141
142
143
144
145
146
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Appendix 8 List of restaurants in Haute-Corrèze

Municipalities Number of restaurants Name of the restaurants

Aix 1 La demi-lune
Hôtel le Rider, Central Hôtel,
Hôtel Le Bon Accueil, Hôtel-
Restaurant Dordogne,
Restaurant De La Mairie,
Restaurant Montbelet A La
Truite D’auvergne, Ristorante
Bort-Les-Orgues 14 La Mamma, Restaurant Chez
Yvette, Crêperie -Restaurant
Des Orgues, Crêperie La
Pradelle, Restaurant Relais
Du Lys, Outre Val, Relais Du
Château De Val, Snack
Restaurant Chez Yvette
Crêperie Le Millevaches,
Bugeat 2 Hotel-Restaurant Les
Touristes
Chirac-Bellevue 1 Hotel-Restaurant La Maillade
Combressol 1 Hotel-Restaurant Le Chatel
Couffy / Sarsonne 1 Restaurant Mrozicky
Darnets 1 Auberge Du Presbytère
Hotel-Restaurant Borie,
Auberge Des Messagers,
Hotel-Restaurant Ibis, Hotel-
Restaurant Aux Armes De
Ventadours, Hotel-Restaurant
Egletons 14 Le Relais D’Egletons, Hotel-
Restaurant Le Relais
Gourmand, Le Jardin De
Ventadours, Restaurant-
Pizzeria Bova Marina, Sucre-
Sale, La Corne D’or, Le

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 Bosphore, Les Remparts,
L’étape, L’arobar
Thiolas Café De La Mairie,
Eygurande 2
Chez Suzanne
Lamaziere-Basse 1 Auberge Du Chêne Vert
Liginiac 1 Hotel-Restaurant Chassac
Margerides 1 Auberge Du Moulin
Maussac 1 Inter hotel Europa
Merlines 1 Le Chavanon
Hotel-Restaurant le Limousin,
Hotel-Restaurant le
Meymacois, chez Françoise,
Meymac 8 Pizzeria la Gondole, les
Voyageurs, Restaurant-
Crêperie Liselotte, Grill de
Séchemailles, Snack le Bistrot
Hotel-Restaurant du Lac,
Hôtel-Restaurant L’escargot,
Restaurant Bellevue,
Neuvic 8 Château-Hôtel du Mialaret, le
New-Vic, Pinocchio, au Petit
Creux, bar grill Gérard
Broutin
Perols sur Vézère 1 Auberge du Puy Chabrol
Hotel-Restaurant la
Peyrelevade 2
Cramaillotte, la Fontaine
Rosiers d’Egletons 1 Les Landiers
Saint Hilaire Luc 1 Auberge de la Marguerite
Saint Julien Près Bort 1 Hotel des Gorges
Saint Remy 2 Les Charbonniers, le Franceix
Saint setiers 1 Auberge du Plateau
Sornac 2 Hôtel de France, Hôtel Tatet
Hotel-Restaurant le
Soursac 1
Soursacois

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 Les Gravades, le Grand Hôtel
de la Gare, le teRminus , la
Grignotte, Auberge de
L’empereur, L’orchidée, le
Flamboyant, le Parc, le
Marmontel, L’afrodite,
Montcourrier, Piaulet Jean-
Marc, Grill de Ponty, chez
Antoine, le Palais de Ly Ly,
Ussel 32 Pizzeria Bodrum, Istanbul
Kebab, la Bolée Creperie, Jim
Pizz’, Pizza Totor, L’arlequin
Pizzeria, Auberge de L’étang,
Café Restaurant Thierry
Berthonneche, Cafétéria
Festodine, Cafétéria Golden
Beef, le Drop, Le Paris, La
Taverne, Le Troubadour, La
Chope, Le Lucky, Le Tacot

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Appendix 9 Distribution of market accommodations per type in Haute-Corrèze
1998 2003 % of Haute-
Corrèze in
Total beds Corrèze
Type of accommodation Nber of structures Nber of beds Nber of structures Nber of beds the
département
non classified camping sites 8 579 8 579 1602 0,361423221
Bed & Breakfasts 12 66 19 120 624 0,192307692
Children Gîtes 1 7 1 7 61 0,114754098
Stopping Gîtes 5 69 9 129 430 0,3
Rural Gîtes 204 816 184 736 2996 0,245660881
village of gîtes 6 458 8 518 2053 0,252313687
Camping sites 28 6600 28 5991 19710 0,303957382
Hotels 22 914 25 798 4548 0,175461741
non classified gîtes 64 256 122 488 2140 0,228037383
polyvalent accommodation structures3 214 3 260 563 0,461811723
holiday villages 8 1815 8 1977 4592 0,430531359
TOTAL HAUTE-CORREZE 361 11794 415 11603 39624 0,292827579
Total number of beds Limousin 72716

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Appendix10 Examples of interviews

INTERVIEW CONSEIL GENERAL CORREZE

Organism : Conseil Général

Function : responsible for tourism department
Name : Valérie Bordes

First part: the territory:

Presentation of the territory: strengths and weaknesses

development perspectives for Haute-Corrèze : opportunities and threats
the specific charateristics of Haute-Corrèze in comparison with the département
è the answers to all that questions will be given in a separate document = secondary
data

Second part: tourism:

the role of tourism as a tool for local development in Haute-Corrèze

Local councillors consider tourism as a plus but not as a priority. They prefer acting
for their voters. However, tourism can be considered a tool for development, since it
is a cross-disciplinary activity: when houses are restored, it is an asset at the same
time for tourism and for the local population.

the place of tourism in Haute-Corrèze, in terms of economy, employment, revenue,

frequentation
don’t know

the image of the territory, its history

nature, water, sources

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what can bring the new departmental tourism scheme?
This new scheme is realised by the Conseil Général whereas the former one had been
done by an external consultancy. A lot of actions will be carried on from the former
scheme.
In this scheme the thinking is done in terms of territorial planning and not of sectors
(like accommodations, activities, etc).
120 interviews where done with local councillors and tourism service providers to
know their projects and points of view.
The new orientation will go towards the development of projects that are not purely
touristic, but that can be more cultural for example.

the balance of the former scheme

Most of the actions forecasted for this scheme were realised.

how are the specificities of Haute-Corrèze taken into account in the departmental
scheme
there is no specific sub-division in the scheme for Haute-Corrèze. However, when
there is a strong specificity that is not representative of all the département but only
of one part of it, this aspect is highlighted.

the supply:

what can expect the tourism service providers from initiatives such as the
constitution of the Pays or the tourism departmental scheme?
The Pays is an interesting scale for the development of projects on a territory. Local
tourism stakeholders can expect from this structure a help in the elaboration of their
projects. It is also interesting from the point of view of the dialogue that the structure
of the Pays can favour.
From the scheme, they can expect an answer to their needs in the future touristic
orientations of the département.

153
Do they take part in the elaboration of the scheme?
Local councillors and some tourism service providers have been interviewed for the
elaboration of the scheme. The goal of this action was to know their expectations
and to inform them about the redaction of the scheme. Apart from that, they did not
participate to the elaboration of the scheme

are actions lead to make the different stakeholders of the territory sensitive to tourism
(shopkeepers, associations, population)?
The major problem of tourism in Haute-Corrèze is the bad quality of reception, with
shop and even restaurants that are close during the peak season or that close at 8 in
the afternoon. They are not aware of those problems. Most of them, before the
interviews were not aware of the existence of a departmental tourism scheme.

is there someone that can be considered as a leader for tourism development in

Haute-Corrèze?
There is no real leader on the territory that could impulse the tourism development.

What are the tourism projects in Haute-Corrèze?

The ENOTSI is an informal group gathering all the tourist offices of Haute-Corrèze.
They have projects such as a brochure or a project around fishing but they have no
financial means.
There is no big tourism project on the territory.

In spite of the fact that the tourism departmental scheme is being actualised, can you
bring out the first trends in terms of evolution of the supply?
The national trends can be applied to Corrèze: shorter holidays, more often, etc.
Specific trends: no possibility to welcome groups, no structure for the coordination
of tourism, no leader, no awareness of the interests of touris m,…

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The demand:

frequentation: kinds of tourists, from where? when? Kinds of accommodation used?

Length of the stay?
No recent data available, only from the former scheme

Satisfaction in terms of welcome, of quality of the services in Haute-Corrèze

No recent data available, only from the former scheme

Motivations for coming in Haute-Corrèze

See documents from the departmental tourism committe

Third part: organisation:

Are there partnerships with the Departmental Committee of Tourism, the agriculture
chamber, the Regional Committee of Tourism, the regional natural park to organise
tourism on the territory?
Partnerships with the region for financial helps.
Partnership with all the departmental tourism associations: often for financing

What are the assets and brakes to tourism development in Haute-Corrèze?

No awareness of the importance of tourism, lack of professionalism, lack of human
and financial means to develop tourism.

There is no local coordination structure for tourism in Haute-Corrèze. What could be

done in the future?
What could be envisaged is that an intermunicipal structure gives importance to
tourism and that it have a good influence on the other municipalities.

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 INTERVIEW FEDERATION OF THE HAUTE-CORREZE
PAYS

Organism: Conseil general – direction of local development –

Function: in charge of the creation of the Pays Haute-Corrèze
Name: Nadège SAVARY

First part: tourism:

The main orientations for the development of the Pays is the attraction of new
inhabitants: what is the place of tourism?
Tourism is a tool for economic development and for the development of natural
heritage. However, tourism is not really a priority. Its place depends on the projects
since there are important needs in terms of accommodations.

Do you consider that tourism could be a tool for local development

Yes, since tourism is also done for the local population

Economic, employment, frequentation importance of tourism on the territory

No data

The image of the Pays, its roots

Problem of mentalities: inhabitants have a bad image of their territory. Idea of
organisation of an exhibition of photos of the territory taken by the inhabitants.
There is a dominance of water and of specific fauna and flora.
There is a culture of troubadours that has to be developed.

Touristic strengths and weaknesses of the territory

Problem of empty houses and second homes that are not really used. People are
keeping there houses for when they are retired since according to a national study,
Corrèze is a nice place to live for old people. It ca be positive for restoration of

156
building heritage but negative for the image and dynamism of villages. Moreover, a
lot of houses are not restored since the owners don’t want to invest or to sell.
The arrival of English people can have positive consequences since they buy and
restore houses. The bad aspect is that it make increase the price of land and of
houses.

Tourism assets are:

quality of the landscapes characteristic of low mountains.
The heritage: water, proximity of Cantal, presence of many houses that give
opportunities to develop quality accommodations.

Tourism weaknesses:
lack of animation
lack of professionals to organise animations
lack of restaurants proposing local menus
lack of activities
lack of direct sales of farm products to tourists
lack of quality in the welcoming of people

Tourism and farmers?

Tourism can give a job to the wife of the farmer. Tourism is a tool for the
diversification of their activity, it can allow to maintain the farming activity

Are local councillors aware of the stakes of tourism and are they ready to work for its
development?
Problem of awareness of local councillors that don’t see the opportunities offered by
tourism.

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The supply:

What can expect tourism service suppliers from the creation of the Pays?
They are not expecting federation and structuring since they are not aware of this
need.
They expect financial helps and the creation of a strong tourism product and tourism
communication.

Who has participated to the reflection for the redaction of the Charter?
See the list printed

Are there actions to make tourism stakeholders aware of the importance of tourism?
Not really through the exhibition “succeeding in Haute-Corrèze” that shows the
success of some hotel and restaurant managers.

Leader for tourism on the territory

Not really

Tourism projects?
Thematic hiking based on the specificities of the territory: mushrooms, gastronomy,
stag, etc.
There is a clog factory on the territory (Saint-Exupéry) and it could be transformed
for tourism.
Project of creation of a panoramic tower and of an observatory on the Bessou Mount.
Development potential around the lakes
Project of Bistrot de Pays that are Cafés that also offer a grocery service for villages
where there is no shop.
Project of welcoming scholar groups and seminars in former holiday camps.

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the demand:

frequentation: types of tourists, from where, when? types of accommodation? Length

of the stay?
No data
necessity to target camping-cars since they have a high purchasing power, they are
available for short breaks and they love local products.

Satisfaction of the tourists in Haute-Corrèze

No data

Motivations of tourists for coming in Haute-Corrèze

First motivation for coming in Limousin = hiking

Second part: tourism organisation:

partnerships
no real partnership with the tourism departmental and regional committees or with
the chamber of agriculture. There is a will of partnership with the natural regional
park but difficulties of communication due to a logic of competition and to the
problem of the superposition of the structures.

assets and brakes to tourism development in Haute-Corrèze

problem of awareness and implication of local shopkeepers and of tourism service
providers.
Problem of mentalities because people don’t like their territory and think that to have
success, it is necessary to leave Haute-Corrèze è the federation of the Pays is trying
to change this view through an exhibitions with the theme “succeeding in Haute-
Corrèze”.
There are many associations on the territory but a problem of coordination.
Problem of professionalism of tourism agents since there is no one able to work for
tourism planning

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coordination structure for tourism in Haute-Corrèze
Need for animation of the territory => role of the Pôle Local d’Accueil since there is
no animation structure. Another structure for coordination is the ENOTSI (union of
all the tourist offices of Haute-Corrèze) but problem of financial and human means.

Actions lead for the heritage, the culture, other services that could have an influence
on tourism?
Restoration of built heritage, cultural development with cinemas, theatres, sports.
Many associations in charge of culture and quality programme.
The intermunicipal structure of Ussel-Meymac did a survey to know the needs of
every municipality.

INTERVIEW TOURIST OFFICE OF MEYMAC

Organism : Tourist office of Meymac

Function : polyvalent agent and permanent
Name: Sophie Bonnelie

First part: tourism supply:

Type and quality of the touristic supply:

Accommodations:
The supply is not sufficient.
There are only 50 touristic beds in hotels, 4 beds and breakfasts.
The quality of the gîtes and of the camping sites is not good but it will improve with
the building of chalets in the camping site and the creation of a label for the gîtes.
There is also a problem of adaptation of the accommodations to the new
requirements of the tourists: they only rent the gîtes weekly whereas there is a new
demand for short beaks. That can be explained by the fact that tourism is not the ir

160
main activity, that is just a plus and some of the owners don’t want to invest more in
quality. This will change with the creation of the label.
There is a holiday village on the territory but they live in autarchy.

Are there enough shops?

There is a sufficient number of shops but they don’t adapt their activity to the
requirements of tourism. They did not understand the importance of the image of
dynamism of the village when tourists are there, even if they don’t necessarily buy.
It is an investment that has to be done. For the shopkeepers, the town and the plateau
are famous, tourists are coming, they don’t need to make efforts to welcome them.
Moreover, there is an important proportion of tourists that are coming in second
home and that are originating from the region, that is easy, shopkeepers think that
nothing as to be done to attract them, whereas it is now the third generation of
tourists and they are less attached to the region.

The natural/cultural resources and tourist attractions

Landscapes (Tourbière du Longeyroux, Bessou mount) and vernacular heritage
(ruins of the Cars) are well restored and protected, like the hiking paths. The only
problem linked to the landscape is the over presence of forests with too many
coniferous trees what give a monotone impression. Owners are not easy to make
aware of that problem because they think in terms of business.
In terms of museums and exhibitions:
contemporaneous art museum that has a national fame
exhibition centre
artists’ house that offers a good cultural programme

festivals and animations:

Luzège festival, Millesources and Dordogne Festival, Musicales of the Millevaches
Plateau.
è good cultural supply but nothing that really marks.

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Farm products: there are no accommodations in farms since farmers don’t have the
financial means and the time to invest in tourism. However, in some farms, it is
possible to buy directly the food products.

Second part: touristic demand:

Who?
They are young seniors, and young couples without children in June and September
In July, they are families with babies and they spend less than in august.
In august, they are families but the type of tourist is broader.

From where?
French tourists are the majority. They are coming from Pays de la Loire, Paris,
Bretagne, and this year, from Gironde (participation to the tourism fairs of Bordeaux)
and south of France.
Foreigners are mainly coming from England, Germany and Holland. English people
are starting to buy houses.

When?
Above all between June and September. Out of the peak season, people are coming
in may when there are long breaks. In October, some tourists are coming for the
mushrooms.
They are doing shorter stays but more often.

Why?
Quietness, nature.

satisfaction?
No data except for the hiking product since there is a satisfaction sheet to fill in.

evolution of the demand

tourists want to buy products ready for consumption.

162
There are more and more caravans.

Third part: the competitors:

Who are the competitors?

At the beginning, they thought it would be Vulcania in Auvergne, but in reality it is
not since people are still stopping in Meymac.
The competitors are:
Brive since it is a part of the département that is more known than Haute-Corrèze and
it is located at a cross-road between two motorways. Moreover, they have a 3-star
tourist office that work very well.
Auvergne since here are really the mountains and have a good image (volcanoes,
food, etc)

Strategy?
Cooperation with other tourist offices of Haute-Corrèze in order to propose more
products.

Strengths and weaknesses of Haute-Corrèze in comparison with its competitors:

Haute-Corrèze has got a diversified supply with many activities and heritage.
However, Haute-Corrèze does not have any strong attraction.

Fourth part: the territory:

Do you consider that tourism could be a tool for local development in Haute-
Corrèze?
yes, through for example the investment of English people in houses. It brings
dynamism for the local economy and contributes to the preservation of the built
heritage. However, tourism is not important enough to impulse dynamism on the
territory. It contributes to this dynamism.

163
importance of tourism in Haute-Corrèze?
No real data

Image and promotion

Before, they didn’t know how to make tourism.
è people had the image of the Plateau de Millevaches because they had learnt it at
school: sources and cows.
è they had a depreciated image of the territory
Today, thanks to the communication campaign of the Tourism Departmental
Committee in Paris, the image is improved. Moreover, the Natural Regional Park
will bring a good image.
In terms of promotion, the ENOTSI participates to tourism fares and edits brochures
They don’t have any website but want to create one.

Fifth part: the tourism organisation on the territory:

Role of the tourist office:

Promotion and animation of the territory.
No enough persons to organise animations even if there is someone for the town
council in charge of animation.

No coordination structure in Haute-Corrèze? What can be done for the future?

The Natural Regional Park can give orientations, but it won’t have direct funds, only
financial helps from the government, EU, the region. There is also the ENOTSI but it
does not have any financial and human means. Moreover, the tourist offices are not
ready for unity.

What is the level of quality for welcoming tourists in Haute-Corrèze?

The tourist office is a one-star office with a permanent employees. Would like to
move to a two-star office but need to hire someone else and don’t have the financial
means. To improve the quality of welcoming, adaptation of the opening hours
during the peak season.

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Objectives and future of the ENOTSI
The first objective was to make people meeting. It has also the objective of
communication for the Pays with participation to fares and creation of a promotion
document. The next steps would be to have a common website but it is not easy
because everybody hasn’t yet enter in a federation project. People still to work for
and by themselves.
In the end, it can become a structure of coordination but without financial means.

partnerships with tourism departmental committee, the agricultural chamber, the

tourism regional committee, the natural regional park, tourist offices, the fédération
of the Pays for the organisation of tourism on the territory?
With the other tourist offices, it was not easy but now, there is a communication
between the employees of the different tourist offices even if there is no real
cooperation except for the ENOTSI (tourism fares)

according to you, are the departmental and regional tourism agents taking into
account the specificities of Haute-Corrèze in their tourism strategies?
Département = OK
But nothing is done by the region. They don’t open the eyes on Haute-Corrèze.

Are there partnerships with local tourism service suppliers?

Yes, with one hotel and one B&B for the organisation of a hiking product. Nothing
with the others.

what is expected from the creation of the Pays, the PNR, etc.?
they are really recent structures, it is still difficult to say what they will bring since
they have not been associated to the procedures yet.

165
Are there actions organised to make people (shopkeepers, associations, population)
aware of the stakes of tourism?
only the people that are not from the territory are doing things for tourism. People
from the pays don’t see the importance of tourism. They see the tourist office as
representative of the local administration
the shopkeepers’ associaton doesn’t work very well.
è the tourist office works to make them aware of the stakes of tourism each
animation since it only works if everybody wants to imply a bit.

strengths and weaknesses of tourism organisation in Haute-Corrèze

no director for any tourist office in Haute-Corrèze
lack of political will
lack of formation even if formation organised for the tourist offices
too many structures: difficult to know who does what
no leader on the territory, no strong association
lack of an association for hiking
problem to welcome buses since there is not enough accommodations in one
establishment
the formation organised by the UDOTSI (departmental union of tourist offices) for
tourist office is very good.

Specific expectations in terms of tourism organisation and development:

Financial means

166
Appendix 11 List of tourism fairs to which the TDC participates

167
168
169
Appendix 12 List of communities of municipalities

Name of the intermunicipal structure Tourism competence

CC Ventadour Doustre Luzège
CC Pays d’Eygurandes
CC Bugeat Sornac Millevaches au Coeur
CC Gorges de la Haute Dordogne
CC Plateau Bortois
CC Ussel Meymac
Partnership with the tourist office
Financial help to the tourist office
Development of tourism sites, heritage
development scheme, recruitment of one
person to develop actions
Creation of an intermunicipal tourist
office
Creatio n of a hiking trail and partnership
with the shopkeepers to develop tourism
Actions that participate to tourism
development and promotion of the
territory. No specific action yet.

170
Appendix 13 List of people that participated to the tourism commission for the
redaction of the Pays’ Charter
NAME TITLE
Valérie Bordes Conseil Général, direction of local
development, tourism service
Isabelle Bistos Representative of the Chamber of Commerce
and Industry of Ussel
Jacques Champy Vice-President of the Gorges de la Dordogne
Association
Henri Chassagne President of the ENOTSI
Félix Chaussade President of the UDOTSI
Jean-Luc Cheyssial CC Bugeat Sornac
Laurent Crémont President of the tourist office of Neuvic
François Desproges President of the tourist office of Bugeat
M. Eymard Tourist office of Bort-les-Orgues
Gilbert Fournial Representative of the Gorges de la Dordogne
Association
Pierre Gathier Conseil Général and Ussel city hall councillor
Jean Jacques Labesse Watersports centre of Voilco
Pierre Lainé Fisher guide
Jean-Pierre Lauby Equestrian farm of Saint-Setiers
Michel Lefai Mayor
Anne-Marie Mossolin Manager of the TDC
Georges Nadalon President of the tourist office of Sornac
Alain Normandon Manager of the Chamber of Commerce and
Industry
Gérard Nussac IMAREL of Liginiac
Jean-Marie Roche Manager of the rural gîtes structure
Patrice Seuniac President of the tourist office of Eygurande
Georges Sully President of the tourist office of Bort
Paul Teullet Headmaster of the Forest High School of
Meymac
Jean-Pierre Valade President of the departmental committee of
hiking

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