Concours des villes et villages fleuris

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Concours des villes et villages fleuris
Classification 1 to 4 “Flowers” ​​trophies and prizes
General description Municipalities should be encouraged to make their locality pleasant so that residents and tourists feel comfortable.
organization National Council of Villes et Villages Fleuris
country
Flag of France.svg
France
founding 1959
website www.villes-et-villages-fleuris.com/

The Concours des Villes et Villes fleuris (German: Competition of cities and towns decorated with flowers ) is a competition that was launched in France in 1959 to encourage municipalities to develop their green spaces . In the beginning, the competition was run directly by the state institutions. From 1972 the Conseil national des Villes et Villages Fleuris (from 2001: Conseil National des Villes et Villages Fleuris ) took over this task. In the first year 600 municipalities took part in the competition; this number increased rapidly, from 5,300 in 1972, 10,000 in 1993 to 12,000 in 2005. In 2010 alone, 3,842 municipalities were awarded the symbol and they were given the right to post the sign Villes et villages fleuris at the entrance to the village ; 211 of them received the highest award with "4 flowers". The trophy “Fleur d'Or” ( Golden Flower ) could be assigned to a small number of parishes from the group with “4 flowers”.

So the recognition goes from 1 to 4 flowers. The municipalities with 1 to 3 flowers then determine via a regional committee which location can be promoted to the “4 flowers” ​​and “Fleur d'Or” categories.

criteria

Over time, the criteria have evolved ; thus environmental aspects ( biodiversity , the extent to which cultivation methods take the environment into account, etc.) and the sustainability of the decoration are included. The last regulation gives precise instructions. Candidates can acquire some eco-labels in advance (use of wood with the FSC mark , certification of Espace verts écologiques , use of biological or alternative pesticides, etc.)

The currently valid rules are:

  • the community must be motivated to want to receive the award;
  • the municipality must apply for the Végétal and Concours des villes et villages fleuris assessments for its entire territory ;
  • the efforts of the municipality to improve tourism and supply in this area must be supported by the inhabitants;
  • the performance of the entire planting (gardens and flower arrangements) is assessed;
  • the resources available for the preservation of the cultural heritage are examined in terms of their biological diversity and the protection of natural resources :
  • further efforts to beautify are on the list: maintenance of the streets , the facades , the street furniture , the general cleanliness ;
  • the general maintenance of the landscape and how far does the municipality influence it.

Participating municipalities

Aix-les-Bains (73), ville fleurie awarded 4 flowers since 1974.

organization

National Council of Flower Cities

The competition organization is directed by the Minister of Tourism and administered by the Council of Flower Cities, which is an association under the 1901 Act . Representatives of various ministries, local associations, tourism organizations and other qualified persons (horticulture, landscape maintenance, etc.) sit on the administrative board.

rating

Fleur

The evaluation process takes place in three stages:

  • At the departmental level , a departmental jury sifts through the candidates proposed by the municipalities and selects those who could be awarded.
  • At the level of Régions a Region jury visited the reported communities to give them one, two or three "flowers". In addition, it selects the municipalities that are eligible for “4 flowers”.
  • At the national level (i.e. for all of France) a jury is responsible that can award or withdraw the 4th flowers. It is also this jury that can grant a community special recognition if it is already at the highest level, the “4th Flower ”has arrived. It also awards the “Fleur d'Or” trophy.

"Fleur d'Or"

The Fleur d'Or trophy is only awarded to a small number of municipalities with “4 flowers”, which show a special degree of floral decoration. The award is initially valid for one year, but the municipality can register it again every 6 years. This award is the highest that can be achieved in this competition. This prize also replaces the Grand Prix National du Fleurissement .

Special awards

There are other recognitions that can be awarded: Prize for the improvement of the rural area of ​​the municipality, prize for the diversity of plants, prize for the care of the local history, national prize of the tree, prize for private participation in the design of private gardens, etc.

National and European competition

Plaque commemorating the 2006 victory in Eguisheim

Entente floral

There is a European competition, the Entente florale , in which several countries (2017) participate: Germany , Austria , Belgium , Hungary , Ireland , Italy , the Netherlands , the Czech Republic and Slovenia . France no longer takes part in this competition. In this competition, the small community of Felsberg on the German-French border (sub-community of Überherrn ) was the first German community to receive the sign "Ville Fleurie" in 2004.

European recognitions

In France, the municipality of Aix-les-Bains received the “Grand prix européen du fleurissement” award and in 1992 the “Capitale européenne du fleurissement” award.

In the 2004 European competition, France won two gold medals for Cahors ( Lot ) in the city category and Cayriech ( Tarn-et-Garonne ) in the village category.

In 2003, France won two gold medals for Hyères ( Var ) in the city category and Bormes-les-Mimosas (Var) in the village category.

Switzerland

A similar competition exists in Switzerland.

More information

Articles on the topic

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ How a congregation has to proceed that wants to apply is on the official website .
  2. ↑ a b Le Conseil National des Villes et Villages Fleuris | Direction Générale des Entreprises (DGE) on www.entreprises.gouv.fr
  3. ↑ a b Courbvoie is awarded the “Fleur d'Or” award on www.leparisien.fr
  4. ↑ Aix-les-Bains is labeled as "Ville Fleurie" on the Aix-les-Bains website (www.aixlesbains.fr)
  5. ↑ Concours Villes Prix speciaux (special prizes in the flower cities competition )
  6. ↑ (en) "Entente" on the website www.entente-florale.eu
  7. ^ Site internet de la mairie d'Aix-les-Bains: Ville fleurie ( fr ) Accessed on March 4, 2019.
  8. ↑ Tourisme à Aix-les-Bains (Savoie), informations et actualités ( fr ) Accessed on March 4, 2019.
  9. ↑ Villesfleuries.ch - Le portail horticole des villes Suisses .