Source: French to English Tester Published on: 2026-03-30
Source: The Conversation – France (in French)– By Guillaume Denos, Senior Lecturer, University of Angers
Despite the cuts in subsidies, third places continue to enjoy enthusiasm. Because these social spaces appeal both for their conviviality and for their numerous manual and intellectual activities. Explanation supported by testimonials from users of La Cocotte solidaire, Agis, and the “makerspace” L’Établi.
ÀDigne-les-Bains, in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, the cultural third-place project, supported by the outgoing left-wing diversified mayor Patricia Granet, was at the heart of the municipal campaign. AtCarquefouin Loire-Atlantique, the far-right candidate Jérômine Da Prat wanted to create a “third place for youth aged 11 to 25”.Arras(Pas-de-Calais), the centrist Frédéric Leturque made his campaign official at the Perchoir, an inclusive third-place.
The term “third place” finds itsoriginin the works of the American sociologist Ray Oldenburg, who published in 1989The Great Good Place. He describes there thethird places, spaces that are neither home nor work, but athird essential place for socializing.
In France, there are more than3,500 third places, 62% outside metropolitan areas, one third in rural areas.
In a different social and economic contextof that described by Oldenburg, marked in France, the characteristics of third places must be re-examined. Indeed, the latest 2026 finance bill confirms theelimination of direct aidin third places, decreasing from 12 million euros to 1.20 million euros. However,49% of the fundingthird places come from public subsidies.
So, do contemporary third places still respond to the same motivations? And what exactly attracts their users?
Understanding users’ motivation
To answer these questions, we conducted research within the framework of the projectEVATLESSwith the University of Angers. The latter is interested in the evaluation of third places of the social and solidarity economy (SSE), based on a simple principle: to understand their value, you have to listen to those who frequent them.
We studied three third places operated by associations located in the city center, in the suburbs, and in a rural municipality:
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The Solidarity Cocotte, offers participatory and solidarity meals aimed at combating social isolation;
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The Workshop, functions like a tool library and organizes DIY workshops focused on sharing and reuse;
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At the germinator of solidarity initiatives (Agis)animated on a municipality of local initiatives related to ecological and social transition.
In total, 65 users participated in the survey. The objective was not only to find out if they liked the activities offered, but also to understand what these places represent for them and what motivates their attendance.
A methodologyimmersive and participatorywas developed to make this research accessible to everyone and to provide associations with testimonies. This methodology involves association partners at every stage of the research and deploys theQ methodology. The challenge is to facilitate the expression of personal opinions on a given question, such as “What motivates you to (re)visit this third place?”
Social space
In our study, we find that coming to third places means easily accessing an atmosphere that you don’t find elsewhere. A warm place, but also practical and accessible. You can come on foot, at any time of the day, even some evenings and weekends.
“On Friday evenings, at the same time as I come to get my vegetables, I find a space that is pleasant, friendly. It’s nice to come here and it’s just next to my home,” says a user of Agis.
This conviviality rests on what users expect to find in third places: regulars who are sometimes friends, employees who coordinate activities and provide reassurance by their presence, or, in a more secondary way, a cultural program.
Varieties of activities
Users appreciate the simplicity of their involvement in the studied associative third places. An annual membership often suffices to actively participate in the operation of the space: DIY, cooking, organizing events, etc. A variety of activities that allows one to feel useful through “doing.”
“And what made you want to come?”
“First to cook together and then to offer this meal afterwards. And also by forcing myself to be with people I didn’t know. When I don’t know people, I tend to hold back, but here, I dive right in,” emphasizes a user of La Cocotte solidaire.
Engagement in “transition” activities allows respondents to concretely realize what can make sense or to align with their personal values: being advised during aRepair Café, cook a vegetarian meal or facilitate the collection of aCommunity-supported agriculture.
Social interactions without judgment
Third places are “resource” places. The respondents appreciate the environment and the means put in place (human resources in particular) to welcome and listen to them unconditionally. In this sense, they primarily come to seek social interactions and encounters.
“I know this is a friendly place. I come to have a good time and to get out of isolation because, even though I have a husband at home, I don’t know many people in Nantes. It’s also to meet people here,” recalls a user of La Cocotte solidaire.
Beyond the need for social connection, users are attracted by the possibility of discovering other organizations that form a network around the third place. The possibility of accessing new knowledge and skills attracts them:
“Since I started coming here, every time I do something, I learn, and I love that. I can clearly see that when I ask someone for advice, they are happy to explain it to me,” enthuses a user of L’Établi.
Third places attract people from all walks of life because they implicitly implement a logic of reciprocitygift and counter-gift. They create informal spaces that value the possibility for everyone to give as well as to receive.
Thanks to conviviality, already central in Oldenburg’s writings, this barter is facilitated and encourages users to give their time, skills, and meaning to their actions — while receiving attention, new knowledge, goods, or eco-responsible services.
Guillaume Denos received funding from the University of Angers and the Pays de la Loire Region to conduct this study as part of the PULSAR funding. He is a volunteer member of the association La Cocotte Solidaire.
–ref. What leads the French to push open the doors of a third place –https://theconversation.com/what-drives-the-french-to-push-open-the-doors-of-a-third-place-277413