Heritage Spaces and River Imageries: The Case of the Guinguette

Abstract

This article explores the “guinguette”, a river heritage that is both rich and discreet. The guinguette has a long history of cultural practices associated with its peculiar location. In collective memory, the guinguette is a lively place of leisure, entertainment and popular conviviality. The history of the guinguette is tied to the varied trajectories shaping the cultural and economic development of urban river spaces. Numerous stakeholders in riverine culture have exploited this cultural imagery of an art de vivre by the water and have contributed in re-enchanting it in order to create new brands and new sites.