Revival of a French Village through Community Engagement
Connexion meets Régis Defraye, a Dordogne mayor who has brought a dying village to life using collaboration and apolitical thinking.
Nearly a year ago, Régis Defraye stood on stage at the Folies Bergères in Paris to deliver a 20-minute talk, highlighting positive outcomes from his work as mayor of Verteillac, a Dordogne village of 600 residents.
"I did not want to be mayor,"
he said, having originally hoped to stand as councillor in the 2020 municipal elections. However, upon returning to his native village in 2019, he witnessed decline: shops were closing, and cultural events were no longer taking place.
Thanks to strong local mobilisation, the commune has regained its charm and vitality. Author's summary: Mayor revives village.
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