International symposium "European Rivers and Towns"

This scientific event is organised by the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and Val-de-Marne Tourism Board.

L’objectif est de mettre en lumière cette idée fondamentalement européenne de la conquête des loisirs et du droit aux loisirs, en rapport avec la progression du temps libre dans les sociétés industrielles et contemporaines, dans le contexte des rivières urbaines.

The objective is to highlight this European fundamental belief of the right to leisure activities and the right to acquire new ones. This is in relation to the increased leisure and free time given in society yesterday and today in the context of urban rivers.

This international meeting aims to elucidate the many ways that city dwellers have striven to appropriate rivers and riverbanks for leisure purposes from the 19h century to today: how were new practices, which one assumes connected the individual to the town, created ? How are present and future issues defined concerning the protection, heritagization or the modernization of water-related activities? How are modern-day conflicts and demands defined (in front of legal regulations, against privatization of riverbanks, for the preservation of the environment and biodiversity, the quality of water, for the safeguard of a certain “art de vivre” (art of living), for the acquisition of surface space on or beside water for leisure-based activities)?

The goal-perspective approach to the conference will be a pluridisciplinary task, seeking to understand the complex circumstances that intersect with several areas and disciplines.

This conference contributes to the collective discussion to create a European network that could be certificate as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe. The network topic should be the development of leisure in European metropolis riversides.

Préliminary programme

>> Download the complete programme

Friday 1st July
09:00-09:30 : Arrival and registration. Amphithéâtre Descartes, Sorbonne
09:30-10:00 : Welcoming speeches
10:00-11:00 : Metropolis, tourism and water leisure. International experiences
11:30-13:00 : Tourism and Leisure Programs for the Urban Rivers // The History of Leisure and Sports of the Urban River
13:00-14:30 : Lunch
14:30-15:30 : Reusing and appropriation of the river by the river’ inhabitants // Representation and Intangible Heritage of the Urban Rivers
15:30-16:30 : Panel discussion - European Riverside Stories, a European Network of cities to promote Leisure and Recreation along urban rivers
17:00-22:00 : Evening at the invitation of Val-de-Marne Tourism Board : boat cruise on Seine and Marne rivers, guided tour, water activities, dinner and bus to hotels

Saturday 2nd July
9:00-09:30 : Arrival. Amphithéâtre Descartes, Sorbonne
9:30-10:30 : Reusing and appropriation of the river by the river’ inhabitants // Heritage, Leisure and Tourism development
11:00-12:00 : Equipment for the Development of River Uses // Heritage, Leisure and Tourism development
12:00-12:30 : Conclusions and Network guidelines

 Registration fee includes:
- Documentation
- Simultaneous translation (FR/EN)
- Friday lunch and coffee breaks
- Evening at the invitation of Val-de-Marne Tourism Board : boat cruise on Seine and Marne rivers, water activities, dinner and bus to hotels

Accommodation
About the accommodation, we could advise you 3 hotels with reasonable prices :

-    Ibis Paris Place d’Italie : 142€ per night for a single room and breakfast.
This hotel is situated just 20 minutes from the conference place by tube.

-    B&B Paris Italie Porte de Choisy : 78€ per night for a single room and breakfast.
30 minutes from the conference place by tube.

-    Ibis Budget Orly Chevilly Tram 7 : 60€ per night for a single room and breakfast
40 minutes from the conference place by tube.

We advise you to book as soon as possible to obtain these prices.

Bank transfer

You can also pay by bank transfer. In that case, please fill this questionnaire.

<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Med