On October 17–18, 2025, the 19th edition of the Entretiens de Bibracte–Morvan brought people together in the heart of the Morvan to explore an inspiring theme: “Landscapes as Commons.” This edition was organised as part of Bibracte's pilot project for the Secretour programme.
In the face of rising ecological challenges and the limits of conventional agricultural and industrial models, new ways of inhabiting, managing, and valuing territories are emerging. Among these, the “commons-based approach” has been gaining ground in France and across Europe as an alternative to exclusive ownership. It offers a different way to organize the collective stewardship of territorial resources—whether natural, cultural, or social.
Rural territories—often weakened by agricultural decline, demographic shrinkage, or the disappearance of public services, but also sustained by the strong attachment of their inhabitants—offer fertile ground for experiments in social innovation. This is particularly true of the Grand Site de France Bibracte–Morvan des Sommets, where an original project is taking shape, rooted in a landscape-based approach and in territorial commons as drivers of collective action and expressions of local identity.
What does it mean to think of a territory through the lens of the commons? How can landscape become a lever for civic engagement, shared governance, and renewed hospitality? How can citizen collectives organize themselves to act and reinvent their territories around shared resources and their attachment to the landscape?
For its 19th edition, the Entretiens de Bibracte–Morvan offered an immersion into the lived experience of rural territories in transition, through lectures, walks, and moments of dialogue. Several local initiatives illustrated this approach:
- citizen mobilizations around rural pathways,
- the Mont Beuvray Forest Laboratory, rethinking the future of Morvan’s woodlands,
- and innovative forms of shared management led by groups of farmers (GIEE, AFP) and water users (ASL).
All these examples show how residents, scientists, artists, elected officials, and visitors come together as a heritage community committed to preserving their living environment and their shared landscape.
Each year, the Entretiens de Bibracte–Morvan serve as a special occasion for collective reflection on the challenges facing the Morvan region. The event is the result of a partnership between BIBRACTE EPCC and the Morvan Regional Natural Park.
The 19th edition was supported by:
- the French State (Regional Directorate for Cultural Affairs of Bourgogne–Franche-Comté),
- the European research project SECRETOUR, which studies the role of heritage commons in rural development,
- and the association Chemins.
Speakers at Friday 17 October conference and round tables:
- Marie Cornu, research director at the CNRS
- Vincent Balland, historian of the environment
- landscape illustrators Lily Wanat, Emilie Sauveur and Ninon Bonzom
- Pierre Thomé, author
- Vera Vidal, La Coop des Communs
- Mathieu Battais, Grand Site de Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval
- Sophie Mobillion, Bibracte
- Clément Simonneau, Les Oiseaux de Passage cooperative.
- Yannick Blanc, president of Futuribles International
- Laurent Bouit – director of the documentary Des chemins en commun (France 3, 2024).
On Saturday, October 18, participants set out on a walk between Bibracte, Villapourçon, and Larochemillay, guided by the association Chemins.
The day combined observation, conversation, and connection—with opportunities to meet local producers on a market, discover examples of collective organization around shared landscapes, and enjoy music and artistic performances.
