This tour will address a strong characteristic of the city of Rennes, whose urban policy has protected the agricultural land near the city for more than 40 years. The visit will allow us to leave the city on foot to go to the oldest farm shop in Rennes, the Brin d'Herbe association. Indeed, the history of the protection of agricultural land and the history of direct sales of agricultural products is closely linked. Today, Brin d'Herbe brings together some twenty producers. Before visiting this shop and discovering its wonderful products, the walking tour will allow you to discover the traces of citizen and peasant struggles for the protection of agricultural land, to meet some of the key actors, and to note that these struggles remain very active today. The visit will be led by Gilles Maréchal, himself one of the main pioneers of these dynamics.

Departure and return place and time: 9:30 AM from building 24 of the Institut Agro / Return: 12:30 same place

Lunch: served in the building 24 of L'Institut Agro after return

Walking time: 1h30 to 2h

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This tour will address a strong characteristic of the city of Rennes, whose urban policy has protected the agricultural land near the city for more than 40 years. The visit will allow us to leave the city on foot to go to the oldest farm shop in Rennes, the Brin d'Herbe association. Indeed, the history of the protection of agricultural land and the history of direct sales of agricultural products is closely linked. Today, Brin d'Herbe brings together some twenty producers. Before visiting this shop and discovering its wonderful products, the walking tour will allow you to discover the traces of citizen and peasant struggles for the protection of agricultural land, to meet some of the key actors, and to note that these struggles remain very active today. The visit will be led by Gilles Maréchal, himself one of the main pioneers of these dynamics.
Morning tour:

Departure and return place and time: 2:30 PM from building 24 of L'Institut Agro / Return: 5:30 PM same place

Lunch: served in the building 24 of L'Institut Agro from 12:30 to 2:00

Walking time: 1h30 to 2h

Contact: Gilles Maréchal, +3362452068

This tour is offered twice in order to allow more participants: once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

The city of Rennes has implemented a long-term policy to protect agricultural land from urban expansion. However, these dynamics are sometimes contradictory and compete with each other. Starting from the proximity of the campus for a half-day walk, you will enjoy an explained reading of these landscapes and their socio-political history. The tour will be led by Yvon Le Caro, a rural geographer with a deep knowledge of these places and issues, and an excellent storyteller! Be prepared to walk around 10 km. Way back by urban public transportation (bus).

Morning departure

Departure place and time, and return: 9:30 AM from the metro station KENNEDY, line a. Return 12:30

Walking time and distance: 3h, 10 km

Lunch: on the campus after return, building 24 of L'Institut Agro (same building as WG sessions)

Afternoon departure

Departure place and time, and return: 2:15 PM from the metro station KENNEDY, line a. Return 5:15

Walking time and distance: 3h, 10 km

Lunch: on the campus after return, building 24 of L'Institut Agro (same building as WG sessions)

The city of Rennes has implemented a long-term policy for the protection of agricultural land against urban growth, accompanied by a weaving of green spaces and nature in the city. In particular, the wetlands linked to the expansion of the Vilaine river combine these spatial policies, social uses of nature, and ecological services linked to rainwater management. While walking through these beautiful urban and peri-urban spaces, you will benefit from an in situ presentation by Emmanuelle Hellier, a geography professor who has been studying these socio-spatial dynamics over the years.

Departure place and time, and return: 1:00 PM in front of Rennes Youth Hostel (access: Metro stations Sainte Anne or Anatole France; Bus 12 stop "Auberge de jeunesse") - Picnic and coffee provided on the place; departure of the walk at 2:00 PM - Return: 4:45 PM

Walking time: 2h30. Flat walk in pathes, good shoes needed

Lunch: picnic provided on the place at 1:00 PM

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No rural Brittany without a bocage landscape! However, this heritage is deeply threatened by contemporary land, production and demographic dynamics. An ambitious programme mobilising Europe and the Region finances and supports replanting, with contrasting results depending on the profile of the farms: today the bocage is barely maintained. Meet some farmers who are replanting the bocage, and discuss these dynamics!

Departure time and place, return: 12:00 at Rennes main train station, next to the horse statue (outside). Return 6:00 PM at the train station

Transportation: by train to Montfort-sur-Meu (15 mn), then 35 mn walk to the farm

Walking time: 2h altogether, mainly in flat pathes. Good shoes needed.

Are you looking for a relaxing, yet stimulating visit? Are you interested in rural history? Then this half-day tour about local heritage is for you. You will start with a visit to the incredible historic campus library (nicknamed "Harry Potter's library" here!), which contains precious old books on the educational and scientific history of agriculture and the rural world. Then you will go by metro to the Pays de Rennes Ecomuseum, which draws a stimulating thread between Breton rural history and contemporary rural issues. Both sites are former agricultural estates, the ecomuseum site is also a nice walk through its large and pleasant countryside landscape.

Departure time and place, and return: 1:30 PM at the library on the campus (bottom level of the main historical building, in the center of the campus, back side when coming from the street) - 2:30 walk to the bus 4 + metro station République >> station Italie, then walk to the ecomuseum (1,9 km, 25 mn). guided visit of the Ecomuseum - Walk back and return to the city center (metro) expected around 6:30 PM

Total walking time and distance: 3 h, 7 km. Flat and comfortable

Lunch: served on the campus from 12:30 to 1:30 at the building 24 of L'Institut Agro -same building as WGs.

Field trip on energy citizenship in Rennes :
a real dynamic fostering alternative productions and local consumptions

In a world that is moving into the post-carbon era, citizen energy is booming. In rural areas, these dynamics are active around Rennes. We will travel to the Rennes region to meet these actors of the reappropriation of energy production by citizens.

Rennes and its surroundings are experiencing a real dynamic in terms of energy transition and community-centered transition. This supports people to take ownership of energy issues, to get involved in the community and to produce and use alternative energies.
We will be delighted to welcome Vincent Vanderhaghen, president of the association Énergie en pays de Rennes” who has created few years ago this association and more recently a socially responsible cooperative. Mainly involved in Rennes, the association has also developed projects in rural areas. Mr. Vanderhaghen will present his activity and we will visit an area where such citizen energy’s  project achievement enable to propose short circle energy consumption.

Presentation of the Association by V. Vanderhaghen. (1h30), with already existing projects including those related to rural areas. On-site visit of a place (in Rennes) where a short-circle energy has been created : travel by subway (30 min) and visit and discussion with local resident beneficing of the energy (1h15).

Website (in French) : https://energiesdupaysderennes.fr/

Lunch: served on the campus at 12:30, building 24 of L'Institut Agro (same building as WGs)

Departure time and place, and return: 1:45 PM from the building 24, by bus 4 + metro. Return time to the city center by metro around 5:00 PM

For several years now and in the context of the energy transition, animal traction has been the subject of a certain craze in France. In the city, in the forests or in the fields, horses are making a comeback. Through a day at the National Stud of Hennebont, we propose to discover the history and the re-emergence of the utility horse.

Place and time of departure and return: 8:30 AM by bus from the campus - Main gate 65 rue de Saint-Brieuc (parking inside) - Return same place, late afternoon

Lunch: picnic provided

Walking time and distance: limited (just visiting the place)

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The arrival of a group of residents with a lightweight dwelling project supported by the local authority, participated to revitalized the village. This has resulted in the local shop upholding under original cooperative status. The hameau léger du Placis is now an area for transmission through the creation of an eco-center offering spaces for exchange and training about participative and ecological dwellings.

Departure place and time, and return: 9:15 AM by bus from the campus, main gate 65 rue de Saint-Brieuc (parking inside) - Back on the campus same place in the early afternoon

Walking time and distance: limited (all on the place)

Lunch: restaurant offered on the place, included in the visit

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Around Rennes, no popular festival, no market, no football match without a saussage&galette. This very simple dish is made up of a spicy grilled sausage rolled in the traditional Breton buckwheat galette. This dish combines two of the main historical productions of the region. However, despite its image as a local product, the galette-saucisse is often not very sustainable: pork production is the emblem of mass agro-industry, and buckwheat is usually imported (from China, Mongolia...). With this visit, you will discover how local public and private actors are working for sustainable charcuterie and buckwheat production: in connection with the issues of water quality and landscapes and the relocation of production.

Departure time and place, and return: meeting at 9:30 AM at the building 24 of the institut agro (same as for WG), room "Salle de cours 1" for a conference (history of buckwheat). Departure by bus at 10:30 from the campus (main gate 65 rue de Saint-Brieuc, parking inside) - Farm visit (buckwheat production)- Lunch in the city center.

Lunch: Restaurant Crèperie (for a galettes experience!), included in the visit

Walkin time and distance: limited

Green algae tides are one of the major environmental problems of the Brittany region. As they settle on the beaches and ferment, they release highly toxic hydrogen sulphide gas, which has already caused human and animal deaths, as well as many serious illnesses. These algae proliferate in certain warm bays with little tidal movement when the river water is too rich in nitrates. This nitrates are of agricultural origin, due to the presence of intensive livestock farms upstream. Good animal husbandry practices and a shift towards more pastures are not enough to solve the problem, which would require more radical changes. A better understanding of these issues, the position of the different actors involved, and the difficulty of public action, provides a better understanding of the rural issues specific to all European regions marked by agribusiness.

The visit will be held in the Saint Brieuc's bay and around. Morning: presentation of the regional green algae plan (local coordinator and elected representative) - Noon: picnic close to the Saint Brieuc's bay - Early afternoon: mechanical collection of algae and presentation by the local coordinator - Late afternoon: interview of farmers representative.

Departure time and place, and return: Departure at 8:15 by bus from the campus, main gate 65 rue de Saint-Brieuc (parking inside). Return: late afternnon

Lunch: picnic close to the bay (hopefully with a view!)

Walking time: limited (short walk on the bay)

This field trip is now full.

Many local authorities are now working to support the installation of new entrants into agriculture. Farms based on organic farming and oriented towards direct sales are encouraged. In this way, local authorities are pioneering the European agricultural transition. The Breton islands appear as active laboratories of this reterritorialisation of agriculture because they concentrate political, land, food and demographic issues in a closed and limited territory. Come and discover such an agricultural installation on the beautiful island of Arz in the Gulf of Morbihan. You will leave from Rennes by bus to Vannes (2 hours), then reach the island by a 15-minute crossing.

Depatrure time and place, and return: Departure by bus at 8:30 AM from the campus, main gate 65 rue de Saint-Brieuc (parking inside) - Return same place in the late afternoon.

Walking time and distance: 3h in the island with stops, around 10 km, on small roads and pathes. Good shoes needed.

Lunch: picnic provided. Bring your own water