On 25 November 2024 in French Besançon took place the conference “Crossroads of Cultural Routes”, jointly organised by the European Association of Via Francigena Ways (EAVF) and Grand Besançon Métropole, with financial support from the Ministry of Culture.
This event brought together eight European cultural routes — such as Via Francigena, St James ways (Camino de Santiago), Transromanica, Destination Le Corbusier, Destination Napoleon, Cluniac Sites, Columban Way and Via Salina— with over 40 participants representing institutions and civil society from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Region. The working sessions featured presentations focusing on sustainable tourism, and key topics included communication tools, events, trail maintenance and waymarking, visitor statistics, and sustainable initiatives along the routes.
HIKE was presented by the EAVF team, emphasizing Via Francigena’s commitment to sustainable tourism and healthy lifestyles through outdoor activities open to everyone. It was also highlighted how the project unites well-being, health and sports across three routes in Italy, Greece, and Türkiye, enhancing the exchange of best practice and intercultural dialogue among the route managers.
The Cultural Routes programme was set up by the Council of Europe in 1987 with the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim’s Way, and currently includes 48 certified routes. The Via Francigena was certified in 1994 and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. In France, the French Federation of European Cultural Routes (Fédération Française des Itinéraires Culturels Européens, FFICE), which was set up in 2010 and re-founded in 2022, brings together certified routes and non-certified routes that are currently applying to set up projects with the support of the Ministry of Culture to promote these routes in France.
[Pictures via EAVF]