ABSTRACT
Since France’s regional nature parks (PNRs in French) were created, they have shown their ability to manage and protect natural areas. Sustainable development has meant that they had to inject some dynamism into the territories that come under their management. They have done this notably by marketing PNR as a brand, based on valuation strategies, which has served as a lever for local development, and also emphasised the preservation and reasonable use of natural resources under their authority. Such is the case of Parc Naturel Régional de Camargue (PNRC) which, for several years, has implemented a strategy of sustainable development. The PNRC and its stakeholders are playing a strategic role as they take an active part in the protection and development of the Camargue nature site. Outside of the field of tourism, the French government over several decades has tried to encourage neighbouring villages and (small) towns, generally referred to as ‘communes’, to come together to share some of their tasks and activities (e.g. space management and economic development) and called this process ‘intercommunality’ (‘intercommunalité’) – with contrasting results.
