The "Diagonale Aride" is a geographical region in France that stretches from the Ardennes to the departement of Cantal at the foot of the Massif central.
The expression was inspired by the geographer Roger Beteille, who used the phrase "la Diagonale du vide" in his book "La France du Vide" to refer to a group of regions that have been strongly affected by rural desertification.
My work in the territory of the "Diagonale Aride" has been guided by the need to verify that term refers to a real phenomenon.
I have chosen to focus on certain historic and geographic sites that are evocative of the region.
In experiencing this journey, i have come to understand the distinctiveness of this "dry zone" as compared with the rest of France.
