Le Figaro Lyon
Very little human presence to disturb the tranquility of the tallest fir trees in Europe.
Less and less even.
At the far north of one of the most demographically dynamic departments, the borders of the Rhône tend to empty out.
Sparsely populated, the villages of Haut Beaujolais continued to lose inhabitants in the second half of the 2010s, according to figures recently published by INSEE.
Decreases of up to -2.6% per year in Claveisolles, the Rhone record over the period 2015-2021.
But also Saint-Clément-des-Vers (-1.8% per year), Cenves (-1.8%), Salles-Arbuissonnas (-1.3%), Meaux-la-Montagne (-1%), Saint-Vincent-de-Reins (-1%)... Of the municipalities experiencing significant demographic loss in the department, most are located in this sector.
A development largely linked to the natural balance of an aging population.
In these towns of sometimes a few hundred inhabitants, the mayors keep accounts of the latest deaths.
“In Haut-Beaujolais, we tend to lose inhabitants, with higher proportions, even if this represents little in absolute value.
These are variations based on ten inhabitants
,” analyzes Alexandre Portier (LR), deputy for Beaujolais.
The trend is similar to the west of the department, in larger towns.
In the canton of Thizy, Cours lost 5% of its inhabitants over the period, Amplepuis and Thizy-les-Bourgs 4.5%.
“
Studies show that we have the highest proportion of people over 65 in the department
,” specifies Patrice Verchère (LR), ex-MP now departmental advisor.
Covid effect
Concerned about the reputation of their municipalities, the mayors of the sector prefer to point out the arrival of urban dwellers following the confinements of 2020.
“I see new residents arriving, we have opened an additional class
,” argues Pierre-Yves Pellé -Boudon, mayor of the 376 inhabitants of Cenves.
We also issue additional building permits
.
“Many vacant homes have found residents since 2020
,” underlines Dominique Despras, mayor of Claveisolles and its 564 souls.
He is even building new ones to house the employees of the new specialized reception center which will soon welcome 60 patients leaving psychiatric hospitalization.
At the crossroads of Mâcon, Villefranche and Roanne, it is true that the sector is attractive for its land accessible for purchase.
“During confinement, 17 houses were sold in the town
,” says Sylviane Ternisien, councilor of Saint-Clément-de-Vers, 204 inhabitants.
These are people close to retirement who have bought houses to renovate, not always as their main residence, so we will have to see the figures from the next census
.
With a perverse effect, however, for young families.
“The park is not expandable
,” underlines Stéphane Parizot, mayor of Salles-Arbuisonnas-en-Beaujolais.
With real estate pressure being strong, our local young people are forced to emigrate because they cannot find accommodation
, analyzes the councilor of the town of 763 inhabitants.
We are depriving ourselves of the arrival of young couples because residents who leave the metropolis of Lyon are driving up prices, hoarding houses for sale.
And the few rights to be built, like the prospect of the ZAN law, do not allow us to hope.
Villages without nannies
“A new population has arrived post-covid thanks to the attractive prices of housing and land, but without compensating for deaths or departures
,” assures Patrice Verchère.
Especially since some have left.
“Improvising living in the countryside is not easy.
The back and forth goes on for a while”
analyzes Colette Darphin (LR), vice-president of the department in charge of territorial strategy, elected in the canton of Thizy.
“We have difficulty keeping families
,” recognizes Alexandre Portier.
The public service offering is not always sized to meet their needs.”
In Salle-Arbuisonnas, a class closed this year.
“We know very well that those which close never reopen
,” sighs Alexandre Portier.
However, the school map project presented for the next school year by the academy provides for four closures in the district of Belleville, eight for that of Tarare. Conversely, Dominique Despras highlights the opening of a crèche with 12 cradles in Claveisolles to prove the reversal of the trend in his commune.
“We have to anticipate things so that young people stay
,” explains Colette Darphin.
We need to maintain services, for young children for example.
Today, there are villages where there are no more nannies.”
The other leg is travel.
In the West, the A89 connection made it possible to connect Tarare to Lyon in 30 minutes, with a significant land advantage for buyers.
The department is today working to
“get to the other side of the mountain”
by improving the road to Amplepuis, Cours and Thizy, recalls Patrice Verchère, not without local opposition.
In Beaujolais, Alexandre Portier complains about the difficulties encountered by bus transport, particularly for school buses, in the face of a shortage of drivers.
“Living in the country, working in the country”
“We have to create the economy in our territories if we want people to stay,”
says Dominique Despras, taking the example of the 100 jobs created by his specialized medical center.
In the west of the department, where the dyeing activity in particular has been affected by the textile crisis, Patrice Verchère wants to promote the 2,200 jobs
“in Cours alone”
, a town of 4,352 inhabitants.
“There is work, these are not ultra-skilled jobs but companies are looking for people
,” says Colette Darphin.
“Living in the country, working in the country and eating in the country,
sums up the peasant common sense of Dominique Despras, former president of the Rhône Chamber of Agriculture.
We must transform our products to create the economy locally”
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In the wine-growing Beaujolais, moreover, the activity supports the demographics.
Paradoxically, Beaujolais also has the commune with the highest rate of demographic growth over the period.
In the south of the territory, Marcy gained almost 20% of inhabitants to reach 842.
“The Pierre Dorée community of communes has the 3rd highest increase in the region
,” praises Alexandre Portier, who is from there.
With the key to a sharp increase in real estate and land in this “little Tuscany” closer to Lyon and popular for its living environment.