DINAMO Erasmus+ project: the return trip from Bad Hindelang to Chartreuse

Exchange study visit, part 2, heading for the Chartreuse massif!

After meeting for the first time in snowy Bad Hindelang in April 2024, both pilot territories rapidly realised that the topic of mobility was deeply integrated within their local strategies for a sustainable development, and that mobility was interlinked with the provision of services of general interest, with the question of youth and the attractiveness of mountain areas, with tourism, with nature conservation, and with the activity of specific mountain economic sectors such as forestry and pastoralism.

Therefore, after a panorama of the mobility projects in Chartreuse – such as supporting car-sharing (between individuals or through a public-private partnership with the Citiz company), by carrying out educational activities in schools, by developing a biking scheme and dedicating some budget to electric bikes, or by working with the regional authorities to expand and strengthen the bus network – the Chartreuse hosts chose to put in the spotlight the management of forests, the tourism strategy, and the valorisation of local food products.

• Forestry-wise, the Chartreuse territory can boast one of the only non-food related Protected Designation of Origin – i.e. the « Bois de Chartreuse » PDO which is a major asset for the local forestry value chain. The Chartreuse forest is also recognised as one of twenty « Forêt d’exception », a national label recognising remarkably well-managed forests in France.

• In terms of tourism, the Chartreuse destination has a motto « Fewer but better ». Their whole strategy is based on improving the quality of the tourist experience without impacting the quality of life of local inhabitants. To do so, the Chartreuse methodology is to work on cross-sectoral and multi-level cooperation every step fo the way : forest-keepers, pastoralism stakeholders, environmental experts, local authorities, tourism stakeholders … All are used to working together and do so regularly to guarantee the reasonable management of natural areas, the valorisation of local know-how, and the coordination of different activities on the same sites.

• Concerning the valorisation of local products, the visit of the dairy cooperative topped off the day with a tasting of local cheese and some explanations about the delicate balance of keeping a small cooperative open in a mountain village: while if here are too few producers, the cooperative cannot produce enough to stay open; if there are too many and/or the cooperative tries to match a growing demand, the facility will have to expand and might have to delocalise elsewhere.

The exchange study visit ended on a very positive note, with the prospect of a long-term partnership on the horizon, and of further exchanges on the topics of forestry management and of public-private mobility partnerships. A side-effect of the exchange is a better comprehension from both sides of the administrative organisation of each country!

To read about the first study visit in Bad Hindelang, click here

To find out more about the Erasmus+ DINAMO project, click here