Turystyka w lasach francuskich. Przykład projektu Retrouvance®

Abstract

Forest tourism, called silvatourism, has been present in human life for centuries. Kings, princes, prime ministers and other high officials always rested in hunting lodges or residences built near forests. Today tourists also gladly visit forests. There are forested areas which tourists have known and been exploring for years, but there are also valuable natural areas which are rarely visited, although they are not under formal protection. The lack of tourists at a given place is frequently caused by the shortage of proper tourist infrastructure or effective promotion. However, we may find examples of tourist projects based on smooth and effective cooperation between local, state and private entities, which are looking for financing sources together, and jointly work on a plan to develop tourism in forests and on its implementation. The French Retrouvance® project is a perfect example here. The Retrouvance® project was initiated in France, in 1996, by the Office National des Forêts (ONF) (the National Forestry Department), which decided to make the forests available for tourist purposes and at the same time to increase the economic activity of local communes. The project was first introduced in the Hautes Alpes region, between Provence and the Southern Alps. A one-week hike was planned, full of nature-related and cultural attractions. According to Jean-Luc Rouquet, a French forester and the author of the whole idea, “Retrouvance® is a brand, which means that its products meet specific requirements and follow established guidelines, guaranteeing a high quality of all the services” (www.retrouvance.com). The information given by the Office National des Forêts in Paris to Anna Lisowska, who visited the ONF as a representative of the Polish State Forests in December 2004, shows that “about 60% of the turnover generated by Retrouvance® returns directly to local budgets (income from one project reaches 200,000 Euros annually). During a season, Retrouvance® guarantees 85 weeks of work, including about 50 weeks for tour guides, as well as the sales of about 6000 meals. All the projects so far have been implemented in rural areas, mainly due to the ONF foresters’ and local communities’ initiative. At present, regions willingly and energetically take part in creating their own image and preparing a clear and recognizable range of tourist offer. Consistent tourism marketing and promotion policy helped to create a complementary offer, based on steady development and ecotourism, which remains in contrast to mass tourism. Retrouvance® is presently a form of trekking, in which all the tourist’s costs are included in the price, e.g. the forester’s (nature warden’s) assistance, accommodation, board and the transport of luggage. It is the first brand of the “all inclusive” hiking tourism type. In most cases, it offers accommodation in authentic, revitalized foresters’ houses. For the duration of one week, tourists walk through areas full of natural attractions, taste regional food (suppers, picnics prepared by local restaurants from local products), as well as visit interesting historical monuments (www.retrouvance.com). To satisfy the tourists’ needs, the ONF published two guide-books: one presents the Retrouvance® offer, and the other one presents the range of tourist accommodation in French forests, administered by the ONF. In 2011, there were seven working projects, including Retrouvance® Haut-Alpes and Haut Verdon– Val d'Entraunes. In the first years, until 2002, the number of hiking tourists was gradually growing, then it slightly decreased but is stable now and ranges between 30–40 people. One season in 2011, from the second half of May to the end of Septemeber, included about 24 six-day-long hikes. In 2006–2009, the tourists taking part in a hike in the Haut-Alpes were asked to fill in a questionnaire, which allowed the organizers to know their clients better, as well as their satisfaction with the event in which they took part. The responses obtained in the survey show that the project is interesting mainly to mature persons; about 80% of the tourists were above 45 years of age. The study of the respondents’ opinions showed that the majority of them were very satisfied every year. The hiking trail was planned in such a way that it did not cause problems for the participants; they described it as easy though it ran across a mountainous area. The positive responses to the majority of the questions regarding individual aspects of the project organization, such as accommodation, reception, meals or picnics, show its high quality. The project has not only a purely tourist dimension, but it may also result in the economic growth of the region, and the protection of environment, historical monuments and regional traditions. This can be done through revitalizing the buildings in forests and small rural destinations, directing tourism to the areas where it has not been present before, reviving regional traditions, as well as organizing out-of-ordinary activities by foresters and hunters, involving the inhabitants in economic activity and using renewable energy. We can also notice here an educational aspect, as the organizers do their best to make the tourists remember that the area across which they are moving is wild and has been isolated from civilization for ages. The project has aroused interest in Poland as well. Its idea was presented in Poland by the co-author of this article who as a worker of the State Forests Development and Implementation Centre in Bedoń made a direct contact with the Office National des Forêts, was the first project manager in Poland (the project was provisionally called ‘Let’s Discover the Rychtalskie Forests’) and the person responsible for the contacts with the representatives of French forests. The Polish equivalent of this undertaking is being introduced in Wielkopolska (‘Let’s Discover the Rychtalskie Forests‘). Will Poles make the use of the experience and help from their French colleagues? It remains to be seen. There is no doubt that Polish forests are hospitable, willing and ready to receive guests, which can be proved by the re-editions of the ’The Forest Tourist Guide’ (‘Leśny przewodnik turystyczny’), published by the State Forests, which present a very rich tourist development offer.