To liven up communities lacking shops and meeting places, the Chaumont metropolitan area has set up a partnership with the “mobile guinguette”, managed by the “1000 cafés” association.
“If you don’t come to Lagardère”… We know the rest of the formula which serves to establish the inevitability of the reunion. In the territory of the Chaumont conurbation, the reality of rural abandonment is based on this observation: “Most municipalities are small villages devoid of commerce and meeting places for the population”. However, during the community council of May 28, there was unanimity around a simple project: to bring new life to local life and develop times of animation, vectors of rural revitalization.
A great ambition which intends to rely on the “1,000 cafés” association and its proven know-how in terms of creating social ties around its “mobile tavern” whose aim is to “fight against the territorial divide”, assures Camille Sebeaux, innovation manager for “1,000 cafés” during a meeting with the city’s elected officials, Wednesday June 19. A format which proved its worth last year in fifteen villages around Saint-Dizier and which is based in this territory for 24 dates this season.
Organization between the tavern and local actors
Simple principle, but one that requires commitment: the van-bar arrives in the village of less than 3,500 inhabitants and sets up there for an entire evening, generally from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. “We offer these times to maintain an intergenerational atmosphere,” explains Camille Sebeaux.
For the evening to go as smoothly as possible, the host community must pitch in, in particular by providing furniture, a parking space and access to the village hall in the event of bad weather.
In terms of entertainment, the tavern only offers the refreshment area even if it can provide a music speaker or some games. The primary interest is to rely on local actors, whether the town hall or associations, to liven up the evening. Concert, dance, quiz, karaoke, broadcast of a sporting event… The range of possibilities is wide. And for catering, here again, “1,000 cafés” leaves it to the institutions and associations. However, it can provide a list of local food trucks and suppliers if necessary.
The “mobile tavern” offers a convivial space. The municipality and/or local associations enrich the proposal through an exchange of good practices in which everyone comes together. And that’s the goal. Naturally, the arrival of the “mobile tavern” is the responsibility of the agglomeration, for an amount of €35,000 spread over 30 dates between 2024 and 2025.
Five evenings planned this summer
Five meetings have been proposed for 2024 and 25 for 2025. For this season, four dates have been set: Marault on July 11, Riaucourt on August 24, Luzy-sur-Marne on August 25 and Brethenay on September 6. There is still one evening to be organized before the end of September in one of the towns in the metropolitan area to reach the imagined quota. For the mayor of Luzy-sur-Marne, Magali Gueny, the choice of August 25 was strategic. “There is already a market planned from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We say to ourselves, why not follow up the market with the tavern,” suggests the councilor.
If there is no rush at the moment, elected officials from the Chaumont area interested in the system must already look towards 2025 to reserve a date between May and September. “We must already organize ourselves for next year to reserve the village hall, in particular so as not to impact weddings,” shares the deputy mayor of Brottes, Patrick Viard.
Renaud Busenhard and Chloé Frelat
