HARET Project Study Visit – Fougères, Brittany

19–22 January 2026

Partners of the HARET project meet in Fougères, Brittany, hosted by one of the project partners, SPL Destination Fougères, for a four-day study visit dedicated to hospitality, territorial development and European cooperation. The meeting brought together organisations from across Europe for a mix of working sessions, local visits and collective learning experiences.

The programme began with an introduction session to get to know each other and establish the framework for the project: presentation of the partners, the HARET project, its objectives, its organisation and its governance. The participants then worked in two groups:

• the Steering Committee, focused on project management, the schedule, deliverables and coordination;

• the Scientific and Operational Committee, dedicated to conceptual and methodological issues and skills related to hospitality.

Throughout the following days, the partners explored the Fougères region through visits to local initiatives, meetings with regional stakeholders and cultural discoveries. These visits offered valuable insight into the realities of rural territories in Brittany, particularly the challenges linked to housing, attractiveness, tourism and social cohesion.

The highlight of the week was a symposium held at La Coursive. This morning event brought together European partners, local stakeholders and experts for two round tables:

• Hospitality and local governance;

• Hospitality, development and preservation of territories.

The Scientific and Operational Committee and the Steering Committee continued their work through the evaluation of the study visit, the sharing of lessons learned and the preparation of the next stages of the project. Partners also emphasised the importance of local territories as spaces for experimentation, cooperation and citizen participation.

The study visit concluded with evaluation sessions and discussions on the next stages of the HARET project, before ending with a convivial evening in Saint-Malo that reinforced the strong connections built throughout the week.