Approche géographique de l’intentionnalité paysagère dans les vallées de l’Ouest de la France

Abstract

The water mills constitute ordinary landscape heritages which have structured the small and middle valleys (Strahler rank 1 to 7) in West Europe. The geo-historical analysis of this recurrent and residual landscape pattern has enabled us to reconstitute the landscape trajectories of several valleys in West of France. This article aims at exploring the processes, which apparently have allowed the maintaining of water mills beyond their initial economical allocation and political exploitation mode. In order to understand the evolution of these valleys, we propose a model of interpretation of the landscape intentionality from the industrialization period (beginning of 19th century) until the current development of landscape projects.

Keywords

• landscape
• valley
• hydraulic planning
• resiliency
• heritage