Entre naturalisation de la montagne et patrimonialisation identitaire : l’ambivalence des représentations du Cantal dans les topoguides de randonnée

• Main Author: Mauricette Fournier
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Société Royale Belge de Géographie and the Belgian National Committee of Geography 2013-03-01
• Series: Belgeo
• Subjects: guide; hiking; patrimonialization; mountain; representations; local development
• Online Access: http://journals.openedition.org/belgeo/7178

The present article suggests analyzing the representations of Cantal (which is a rural, low mountain range department, located in Massif Central), in various published topographical, in particular Chamina who was one of the major actors in the development of hiking and green tourism in the area. Chamina also focuses on the valorization of local heritage sites in the Massif Central. Thus the topographical guides do not only suggest itineraries, they also supply users with detailed documents explaining the local natural as well as cultural heritages. They thus play an ambivalent role, contributing just as much to “naturalizing” places by the construction of images of a mountain life essentially intended for tourists as to reaffirming identities anchored in the local culture and history.