Partnership gathering in Louvigné-du-Désert
In April, all partners gathered in Louvigné-du-Désert for our 4th Annual Partnership Conference.
Our hosts, Guillaume Foucault and Mayor Jean-Pierre Oger, warmly welcomed us to Louvigné-du-Désert. We were thrilled to finally visit the SIRR hub Arobase in person, following its journey online up to the grand opening in March '24. Arobase serves as an open space, emphasising digital skills, fostering innovation, and encouraging entrepreneurship. It includes small yet well-appointed offices, a spacious common room with a kitchenette, and a large multi-purpose room that also hosts digital art exhibitions.
During our stay, the mayor invited us on a guided tour, and vividly told about Louvigné-du-Desert's rich history in granite and agriculture. Despite being a small community in Brittany with only 3,431 inhabitants, it boasts a vibrant community and thriving SMEs in artisanal, agricultural, and industrial sectors.
The programme featured a field trip exploring local initiatives. We visited Le Tournevis, a Work Integration Social Enterprise and a shared workshop fostering social connection and sharing around the values of the circular economy, sustainable development, and the transmission of artisanal skills. The programme is designed to help re-integrate the users to the workforce.
Next, we toured a local accomodation and cultural venue, La Rivée. The building belongs to the town, and its management is delegated to a non-profit association whose purpose is the development of the territory and the creation of social connections. A shared garden helps to develop community spirit and raise awareness about healthy and sustainable food, and is part of an overall permaculture approach..
We stopped at a charming grocery store, Fleuri' Délices , sampling local specialties like Cidre Brut and shopping for wine, cider, rillette, and marmalade—all locally produced. Fleuri' Délices is a community grocery shop dedicated to serving the local population.
Local art & Culture
We had the pleasure to experience drum painter Franck Marco. He takes artistic expression to a whole new level, seamlessly blending his two great passions: painting and drumming. The result is a mesmerising fusion of rhythm and color—an ever-evolving art form that stirs the senses and makes the heart skip a beat.
Through an inspired, improvised dialogue between sound and gesture, Franck Marco has created a unique and continually evolving concept. Using brush-sticks and an array of tools—some found, others invented—he transforms each performance into a living canvas. A unique performance !
Afterwards, it was our turn to perform! Led by the mayor and his wife, local folk dancers taught us how to dance like a Breton to the sound of bagpipes.
When we gather at the partnership conferences, we do a lot to strengthen our internal relationships, which has a positive effect on our collaboration. And there was plenty of opportunity for that on the trip – all accompanied by local dishes, the famous galettes and cidre brut.
