Enhancing community engagement in geotourism: French Alpine interpreted landscapes as a model for an innovative participatory geotrail in the Sesia Val Grande Geopark (Italy)

Geotourism is one of the fastest growing areas of thematic tourism worldwide. Geology interpretation centers and trails (so-called ‘geotrails’) are often used as a tool to implement geotourism activities, also contributing to the sustainable development of a region. Well-designed interpretation centers and geotrails play indeed a significant role in linking geoheritage with informal geoscience education and diversifying tourism. Furthermore, the use of “citizen science” in Earth Science experienced a substantial rise in the last decade, with the goals of making research more relevant to society and increasing public awareness of environmental issues.

As part of this effort, a study was conducted on geotourism opportunities in the French Alps. Specifically, this case study includes (i) the "Glaciorium” interpretation centers at Montenvers / Mer de Glace in Chamonix (Mont-Blanc massif), a historical tourist attraction (the first visits by tourists to the Mer de Glace date back to the year 1741) which focuses on the history and the functioning of the main French glacier in the Alps; and (ii) the "Sentier des Maîtres du Mont Déserté" and "Sentier des Tannes et Glacières" in the Bauges massif (within the Massif de Bauges UNESCO Global Geopark), which focus on geohazards and deal with the effects of climate change on iced caves respectively.

The study evaluates the synergy between popular and scientific knowledge along these interpretation center and geotrails. This integration is particularly noticeable at the geotrail stops and within the interpretation center, where the significance of the various geosites is explained to visitors. The consistent integration of vernacular wisdom and scientific knowledge offers visitors a richer experience and enhances their understanding of the take-home messages.

Simultaneously, this research investigates the use of participatory approaches throughout the development of the geotrails, covering design, monitoring, and the creation of interpretive panels. A comprehensive examination of participatory methods reveals their effectiveness in enhancing community engagement and communicating geological insights to local residents, ultimately improving the dissemination of the key message to tourists.

This dual analysis highlights the importance of public participation in sustainable geotourism initiatives and provides a model for the development of a new participatory Geotrail (“The path to sustainability”) situated at the base of Monte Rosa within the Sesia Val Grande UNESCO Global Geopark (Italy). The geotrail will connect alpine landscape viewpoints, scientific observatories, geosites and cultural sites to the Walser culture interpretation center. The initiative will integrate popular and scientific knowledge, as well as active community participation. Consequently, studying existing geotrails not only serves as a valuable point of reference, but also facilitates international cooperation and networking, thus preparing the ground for the development of new and effective research initiatives.