- Pays (France)
In
France , a "pays" is an area whose inhabitants share common geographical, economic, cultural, or social interests, who have a right to enter into communal planning contracts under alaw known as the Loi Pasqua or LOADT ("Loi d'Orientation pour l'Aménagement et le Développement du Territoire"; English: Directive law concerning territorial planning and development), which took effect onFebruary 4 ,1995 .It was augmented on
June 25 ,1999 , by the Loi Voynet or LOADDT ("Loi d'Orientation de l'Aménagement Durable du Territoire"). The LOADDT enables the citizens of a community to form a legally recognized "pays" after deciding to do so by mutual consent; its aim is to help bring the inhabitants of urban and neighboring rural districts into dialogue and agreement.The Council of Development in each "pays" assembles together the elected officials and the economic, social, and cultural actors, and their associates, into a deliberative forum to discuss the development policies which should be followed by the community. While the Council can give advice, submit proposals, and monitor development projects, it does not have the authority to make official decisions.
The Charter of the "Pays" makes it possible to fix the stakes and the objectives of the community. Few structures are recognized as "pays Voynet", meaning nation-wide, because the recognition criteria are sometimes far from what the "pays" are. Then again, several "pays" are recognized by the Commission Régionale d'aménagement et de développement du Territoire.
The Contract of the "Pays" can be signed among the members of the "pays", or between the "pays" and its surrounding area, the department, the region, or with the national state when the stakes are well-identified.
In this context, the French term "pays" is not used in the modern sense of "
country " but preserves the original meaning of theLatin word from which it was derived, "pagus", which designated the territory controlled by amedieval count . The majority of "pays" are roughly coextensive with the old counties (e.g., county ofComminges , county ofPonthieu , etc.)"Pays" of Brittany
Brittany , consisting of 4 departments, is also subdivided into 21 "pays".* pays de Brest
* pays deCornouaille
* pays duCentre-Ouest de Bretagne
* pays deMorlaix
* Pays deTrégor-Goélo
* pays deGuingamp
* pays deSaint-Brieuc
* pays deCentre-Bretagne
* pays dePontivy
* pays deLorient
* pays d'Auray
* pays deVannes
* pays dePloërmel-Coeur de Bretagne
* pays deBrocéliande
* pays deDinan
* pays deSaint-Malo
* pays deFougères
* pays deRennes
* Pays deVitré-Porte de Bretagne
* pays esVallons de Vilaine
* pays deRedon et Vilaine , note this "pays" straddles 3 departments, including one located outside Brittany, theLoire Atlantique ."Pays" of Franche-Comté
La
Franche-Comté , consisting of 4 departments, is also subdivided into 16 pays :
* pays del'Aire Urbaine (Belfort-Montbéliard-Héricourt-Delle )
* pays duDoubs Central
* pays duHaut-Doubs
* paysHorloger
* pays deLoue Lison
* pays dePierrefontaine Les Varans
* pays desVosges Saônoises
* paysDolois
* pays duHaut Revermont
* pays de laHaute Vallée de l'Ain
* pays desLacs et de Petite Montagne
* paysLédonien
* pays duHaut Jura
* paysGraylois
* pays desSept Rivières
* pays deVesoul et du Val de Saône
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