The development of a migration route
The Valleys of Stura and Ubaye, in Italy and France, have always been at the heart of economic migration movements; from the Italian side, people moved to France to find seasonal work, and from France, itinerant traders arrived in Italy. From Barcelonnette, many went as far as Mexico to seek fortune.
Hence the idea of the project has been to trace the ancient migration route, developing a route dedicated to visitors on foot and by mountain bike, linking Caraglio to Barcelonnette. This route traces migratory movements by alternating outdoor walks and breaks to visit exhibitions and cultural places at emblematic cultural and environmental sites of the territory. One can also find places of restoration and animation. The project aims to enhance the remarkable architectural and cultural elements of the territory, making them cardinal points of a route in the heart of nature, which benefits from the countless existing paths along the two valleys. In this way, different places become places of tourist reception (information point, forest, food and wine centre) and stories of the migration and return of these emigrants (artistic installations, performance halls and temporary exhibitions).
Promoting the return of young people to the mountains
The route provides an opportunity to reflect on the theme of migration, understood both as a movement to discover places characteristic of a living memory, and as a movement to return to the mountains for young people who want to take up this challenge and undertake new professions in the field of tourism, crafts, conservation of environmental and cultural heritage.
This discovery trail promotes tourism in the Stura and Ubaye valleys and at the same time generates concrete and sustainable local development. This is achieved by both by creating new jobs but also by enhancing public investments already made in the past on the Filatoio Rosso, Paraloup, Fortification of Vinadio and Museum of Barcelonnette.
Several tools and events to develop tourism
The social and productive development of the territory is promoted through educational laboratories, training courses and meetings with the local population and traders. The “Young Mountain Farmer School” contest is also a promotional tool which selects 5 young people to follow specific training to support the establishment in the mountains of new sustainable productive activities.
The project partners are currently working on a detailed map with the migration routes “Migracard Circuit Map” that will be ready by 2019.
Aspect innovant
Le projet MigrACTION développe son tourisme à partir de l’itinéraire migratoire des anciens habitants de la région. Ce développement régional permet donc d’attirer non seulement les touristes, mais aussi les anciens et les nouveaux habitants de ces zones montagneuses.
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6 December 2018
