The label was created in Brittany in 1976 by Jean-Bernard Vighetti, a Breton geography professor, worried about the decline of France's heritage, particularly the heritage of small towns in the country, which were in decline during the 1960s, as people and industry moved to larger cities.[3][4]
In 1979 the label then spread to other neighbouring areas, with the label being used in the Lot-et-Garonne and Landes.[5]
In 2009 a national Charte de Qualité, which formalised the criteria and objectives, was established.[6]
