Culture is driving development in the Seine Valley

Thursday, January 23rd: 10:00-11:45 a.m., Arcole room

Culture is driving development in the Seine Valley

 

The Seine Valley is a world-renowned ecosystem, widely known for the excellence of its economy and its tourist facilities. The authorities are aiming to further support these under the terms of a contract, signed in 2015, for an inter-regional plan that is backed up by a fund of one billion euros and a range of initiatives to be carried out by chambers of commerce and local communities. As part of this scheme, the year 2017 is to be marked by festivities planned to celebrate the five-hundredth anniversary of the port of Le Havre and by other initiatives and events.

This conference will explore the dynamic relationships that exist today (in the form of events, amenities or territorial activities) between this area and the cultural entities involved in it. The aim will be to increase its attraction for tourists but also to diversify its economy.

Following an introduction devoted to the Seine Valley’s attractive features, there will be three presentations, each of which will illustrate activities that are currently under way to support the tourist and economic development of the Seine Valley.

• Sylvain Amic, Head Curator of the Rouen Musée des Beaux-Arts and Director of the Réunion des Musées Métropolitains (Union of Metropolitan Museums), will provide us with a detailed account of the strategy that has been implemented in the Rouen metropolitan area and is intended to expand to a national and international level, in particular through its participation in the Seine Valley’s dynamic.
• Thomas Malgras, Director of the Le Havre 2017 Public Interest Group and responsible for the “Summer in Le Havre” operation, will speak about this outstanding operation and its medium-to-long-term impact, not only on Le Havre, but on the Seine Valley too.
• Julie Moreau, the Tourism – Culture – Leisure Pursuits consultant at SCET, will outline for us the requirements for success when developing a cultural and tourist offer to enhance an area’s power of attraction. She will also provide us with her views on the initiatives undertaken at the Seine Valley level.

This conference, jointly organised by SITEM and IAU, will be introduced and led by Vincent Gollain, Director of the Department for Economic Affairs at IAU and a specialist in matters of territorial attractiveness. It will be of interest to all those concerned with the Seine Valley but also, and more widely, to those who are interested in culture as an aid to developing an area’s attractiveness and influence.

Report of the conference (in French)