Paris Mont Aiguille: a local initiative with national impact

Best Practice

Topics

• Mobility
• Governance capacity, New forms of decision-making

Short description

The "Paris-Mont Aiguille" operation was launched by the Communauté de communes du canton de Clelles, along with a group of local political representants and inhabitants of the area, wishing to make the Trièves better known and to stimulate this area. The aim is to promote the existing train connection from Paris to Gap, which crosses the Trièves. This region, with its rich fauna, flora and landscapes is only 4 hours away from Paris by train.

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Project executive

The Communauté de Communes du Canton de Clelles is a cluster of 8 rural communities, couting 1400 habitants. Among it's missions it is in charge of the touristical development of the region. It is in this frame that it took the initiative of this project.

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Participants

- Communauté de Communes du Canton de Clelles(politicians and technicians) - Tourisme Office of the Canton de Clelles - Information service of the Vercors Natural Parc - About 10 engaged citizens

Objectives

- Develop "green tourism" by using a soft mobility system (train). - Promote the Trièves : its landscapes (part of the Vercors Natural Parc), the Mont Aiguille (2000 m high sandstone summit), its touristical offer (camping sites, bed and breakfasts, "gîtes", etc...), the warm welcome of it's inhabitants, its mountain fauna and flora). - Attract people who can not move around by car by showing them that the mountains are not inaccessible and that they can reach te Trièves, from Paris, in 4 hours by train.

Activities

A study was done to identify the potentials of the Trièves. This led to the preparation of an information brochure, ment to inform a large public on the good accessibility (with soft mobility means) of the Trièves. This brochure also includes information on the activities (by foot, horse, bike, etc) and services (lodging, food, etc.) in the Trièves, including around the train station (the foot of the Mont Aiguille is 5 km away from the station). 8000 brochures were edited and distributed to numerous organisations (local and regional tourisme offices, Mountain information centers, Information center on Isère in Paris, mountain guides, etc.). They were also distributed in the train.

Process

The 8000 brochures have been distributed. It is now being distributed by e-mail and other information circuits are being searched. A web site is in preparation, including the information in the brochure. This tool will help to maintain this action and allow it to evolve.

Results

Tourists have been attracted by this Paris-Mont Aiguille offer and have come specifically from Paris to visit the Trièves. Surveys done in the tourisme offices have given the Communauté de Communes some data on the success of this operation. However, it is difficult to quantifiy the increase of visitors due to this operation because the surveys are insufficient. There is indeniably an increase of visitors thanks to this offer, but it does not exceed 10%. As for the transfer of visitors from car to train, it is not evaluated yet.

Evaluation

An evaluation is planed in 1-2 years.

Difficulties

A lot of the work was done by volunteers, enducing various problems including time management, professionalisme of the work done. The communication between the project participants was difficult and not always sufficient.

Budget

10000 euros (Euro)

Financial backer

Communauté de Communes du canton de Clelles The budget was used to finance the publication and distribution of the brochure. The rest of the work was done by activitists.

Source of information

Competition

Participant at the 2005 Future in the Alps competition

Homepage

http://http://www.alpes-trieves.com/canton-clelles/index.html

Publication

- "Les potentialités du Trièves", rapport de stage disponible sur www.alpineawarness.net - Revue de Mountain Wilderness France n°x

Comments

Impact on nature and environment

This project contributes to the development of soft tourisme, where nature is in the center. Further more, it contributes to a sustainable form of development, since it promotes an alternative mobility system, reducing the use of cars and inviting to a different way of discovering nature. The quantification of the imapct on nature and environment is not yet possible since the project is very recent.

Economic value added

The "Paris Mont Aiguille" project has created an important economic value added in the field of tourism. The economical consequences of the project are important for lodgers (gites, campings, hotels), commerces, professionnals of the mountain (guides).

Socio-cultural value added

The project sticks closely to the territory, it promotes a form of tourism adapted to the Trièves and the life of it's inhabitants. Developing soft tourism activities can lead to new jobs, an important challenge for this territory which has a limited economical dynamic. The project has also led to an improvement of the accessibility in hotels, restaurants, train station, etc. for handicapped persons.

Innovative content

This is an innovative project since it was carried out in an original partnership between an institution (the Communauté de communes) and citizens who freely contributed to the technical aspects of the project. These partners wished to work together to promote an uncommon way of using the train and to promote their territory. In addition, this project promotes the use and the image of the train, as a modern and attractive mobility system.

Good governance

The tourisme work group of the Communauté de communes is open to all inhabitants. It is during one of it's meetings that the project came up. Further open meetings were organised to prepare the "Paris - Mont Aiguille" brochure. About 10 people took part each time. Aside the meetings during which the project was carried out, information and presentation meetings were held.

PR impact

To this day the quantified results have not been published. However, the professionals from the tourism sector have noticed positive impacts. For a more detailed evaluation, the Communauté de communes intends to wait 1-2 years.

Multiplier effect / networking

No networking has been organised till now. Only communication on the project is being done to tourisme professionals outisde the Isère departement.

Transferability

The concertation process between different actors, around a motivating and federative project, could be transfered.

Further information