France ruralités: for territorial equity
June 2023
Agence nationale de la cohésion des territoires (ANCT)
The France ruralités plan, announced on 15 June 2023, aims to provide a tailored response to the needs of rural areas. The plan is the result of an evaluation and assessment process launched in July 2022 around the Rural Agenda. The results of this evaluation led to the creation of France ruralités, the fruit of collaboration between the Government and local authorities. Its ambition is to improve the daily lives of French people living in rural areas.
To download : 15.06.2023_dp_france_ruralites_.pdf (2.7 MiB)
A 4-pronged plan for rural areas
Providing greater support for rural communities in carrying out their projects through the launch of a new ANCT programme called « Villages d’Avenir » ("Villages of the Future").
This engineering programme will be based on the recruitment of 100 project managers, based in the prefectures and sub-prefectures of the most rural areas, with the task of helping the mayors of small villages to move from an idea to a project. Mayors will be able to apply to their departmental prefect, in groups of 2 to 8 communes, to form a group of small villages united by a collective project focusing on housing, transport, heritage or health.
Rewarding environmental amenities
Rural areas contain 90% of France’s protected areas and possess many resources that are essential to the ecological transition (forests, water, soil, biodiversity, etc.).
Remuneration for rural amenities, worth €100 million (biodiversity endowment), will enable rural areas to protect and develop their natural heritage.
Providing solutions to the day-to-day problems of rural dwellers through a series of concrete and immediate measures
Deployment of 100 new « medicobus » throughout the country, continuation of the support fund for rural businesses with an additional €60 million over 3 years, creation of a €90 million fund over 3 years to support and invest in last-mile mobility (cycling, transport on demand, social mobility, etc.), and around fifteen other measures detailed in the press pack.
Overhaul of the rural regeneration zones (ZRR)
The overhaul of the ZRRs will make it possible to update the priority geography map for rural areas in order to boost and continue to revitalise small communities through economic aid to support the establishment of businesses, healthcare professionals, etc.
A new method for implementing regional planning policies
The France ruralités plan is being drawn up and implemented in partnership with local authorities (communes, intercommunalités, pays, départements, régions).
In order to evaluate and adjust the deployment of the plan, a barometer with measurement indicators will be set up.