The program organized by UPPA (Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour) in partnership with the Pavillon de l’architecture de Pau is being led by Viviane Delpech, a master of conferences in contemporary art history and heritage, and Laurent Jalabert, a professor in contemporary history.
Over two days, on Thursday, April 2nd, and Friday, April 3rd, a series of conferences were held on the endangered heritage in rural and mountainous areas. The focus on Friday was on Eaux-Bonnes, with a visit to the thermal village that attracted around fifty people.
“The most striking aspect here is the immense richness of the heritage. The construction style of the buildings is of very high quality. It’s the emblematic thermal village of the 19th century,” described Viviane Delpech, who has been working in this area for almost ten years.
According to the researcher, the neglect of the buildings is “in total contradiction with the richness of the area. We have questioned how to revitalize a dynamic and change the perspective on the village.”
To achieve this, Viviane Delpech collaborated with the municipality. “This allowed us to assess the heritage and see how to enhance the historical buildings to adapt them to today’s challenges. For us, the most important thing is to maintain a connection between history and the present,” explained Mayor Jean-Luc Braud.
All these studies will be summarized by Viviane Delpech, providing the municipality of Eaux-Bonnes with guidance on how to revive itself once published.
“Everyone, from officials to the population, is aware of the wealth of this heritage. What is currently a burden for the municipality, with all these abandoned buildings, can be a lever for revitalizing an entire area,” emphasized the master of conferences.
To carry out this work, Viviane Delpech gathered a vast amount of information from archival documents, as well as through participatory workshops and surveys among residents. “For the municipality, this can become a decision-making tool,” she concluded.
