The INCULTUM European action-research programme
INCULTUM (INnovative CULtural ToUrisM in European peripheries) is led by the University of Granada and brings together a consortium of academics and practitioners from nine European countries to experiment, by means of pilot actions, with new forms of cultural tourism based on a strong involvement of local players in 'peripheral' rural regions, which are not yet subject to much pressure from tourism but are heavily dependent on the residential economy.
The programme will run for 36 months, until spring 2024, with funding from Horizon 2020, the European Union's research and innovation programme. As a representative of the French pilot project, Bibracte has been given the task of experimenting, in collaboration with its partners, with the development of a visitor offer for the Grand Site de France area based on the heritage features that are most popular with local residents, in particular the network of rural paths.
For more information, visit the project website: https://incultum.eu
The programme's flagship initiatives as part of the Grand Site de France approach
In collaboration with the representatives of the various economic sectors in the Bibracte - Morvan des Sommets Grand Site de France area - tourism, agriculture, services, culture, etc. - Bibracte and its partners are developing an innovative tourist offer, combining outdoor leisure activities, discovery of heritage and gastronomy and cultural activities. - Bibracte and its partners are developing an innovative tourism offering, combining outdoor leisure activities, heritage and gastronomic discoveries and cultural activities.
The main actions undertaken as part of INCULTUM:
- A participative inventory and enhancement of the heritage of the 1100 km of rural paths that criss-cross the territory of the 12 communes of the Grand Site de France in partnership with the Morvan Regional Nature Park.
- The organisation of workcamps to learn about the heritage of the rural footpaths, in partnership with the Rempart association, involving young international volunteers
- The creation of a new cultural discovery itinerary, the Tour du Morvan des Sommets, a 140km route starting from 12 villages in the area
- Leading dedicated sectoral working groups (rural footpaths, tourism, agriculture) to encourage local entrepreneurship
- A cultural programme of sensitive walks along rural paths in partnership with the CHEMINS association, and the organisation of artistic residencies.
Les actions de Bibracte au sein du Consortium d’INCULTUM
Bibracte has been given the role of innovation coordinator for the INCULTUM consortium. This role involves identifying and coordinating best practice among project partners, which can be a source of inspiration and skills transfer between pilot projects. Every year the consortium organises a learning trip based on the innovations of the pilots, to which Bibracte participates and contributes. In 2022, this trip was organised in Spain by the Spanish pilot project in the Granada altiplano and in 2023 in Sweden.
Bibracte is also responsible for formulating policy briefs to guide the European Commission's future research programmes in the fields of cultural tourism, rural heritage management and the sustainable development of peripheral areas.
Read Policy brief on Sustainable tourism published in 2022.
