Contenu du sommaire : La géographie de Maurice Le Lannou

The ideas of Maurice Le Lannou and particularly his concept of man as an inhabitant were not diffused as widely as might seem desirable because of his reluctance to bow to the fashions of his day. However, the greater part of his views on the links between man and his surroundings remain highly relevant and appear implicitly in certain contemporary (and perhaps future) currents of geographical thinking.

The works of Maurice Le Lannou are based on the notion of 'Man as an inhabitant'. This idea is indissociable from a particular scale of activity which encourages intense links between a space, which by definition is limited, and man who has both modified this space and been modified by it. Currently this notion has been challenged by a change of scale in favour of much larger areas and by the dispossession of man as an inhabitant. With respect to Europe it remains to be seen whether the definition of a new spatial organisation will enable a new equilibrium to be found.

With the publication of the book Géographie Humaine a controversy arose between the concept of 'man as an inhabitant' and the materialist view of man as producer and consumer. For Maurice Le Lannou the notion of inhabiting implied the ideas of permanence, occupation, creation and living in symbiosis with a given place. The notion might appear out-dated, given the global scale of exchanges and the lack of spatial constraints on production. However, it takes on a particular meaning with respect to the present conflict in Yugoslavia which is characterised by the high process of ethnic cleansing. This process of 'territorial cleansing', which is much older and more widespread that is generally admitted, highlights the right to inhabit as an antidote against totalitarianism.

Maurice Le Lannou, a geographer originating from Brittany, also studied amongst other things, the geography of this region. His geographical vision of Brittany was by his origins and by his conception of geography. The development and destiny of Brittany interested him until the end of his days. He always remained faithful to his conception of geography, although Brittany was being radically transformed. It is thus necessary to show that after an initial period of complicity between the author and his region, this was followed by of confrontation.

The links between Maurice Le Lannou and Italy were longstanding and continuous. The geographical ideas of this little known pioneer, which focused on the question of spatial differentiation and the notion of 'man as an inhabitant', have again become topical with the rediscovery of regional geography. Maurice Le Lannou adopted an historical-geographic approach : he considered space in its totality, only taking into account the main features and processes which explain the interrelationship between geographical and historical factors and which give a distinctive character to an area. In studying Sardinia and the eastern border area of Italy he sought to demonstrate what had modified the relationships between different groups and their spatial settings and what had influenced the division of geographical space. However, it is questionable whether Italy is well-adapted to such an approach. Similarly, why was Sardinia chosen, for it is the country's most atypical region ?

The Mediterranean is a constant theme in the works of Maurice Le Lannou. He studied numerous areas and aspects of this region, including Sardinia, the Islands, pastoral life, the towns, port activities, geopolitics and the question of the Mezzogiorno. Common to these different themes are the author's emphasis on a methodological approach, his mastery of the techniques of comparative analysis and above all his appreciation of both the elements of continuity and breaks in development which are essential characteristics of the Mediterranean world.

The question of Europe is at the heart of Maurice Le Lannou's work. This is evident in numerous publications, including the book entitled "Europe the promised land" which is the expression of his underlying interest in the area. It is also seen in his lectures, particularly those given at the Collège de France, on the geography of the European continent. In the context of a discipline with a feeling for place and in adopting a prospective viewpoint, Maurice Le Lannou aims to understand the paradox represented by Europe. As opposed to the official view of a united Europe, Maurice Le Lannou presents a divided, inward-looking Europe, dominated by America and increasingly absent from world political events. Its capacities of assimilation as well as its cosmopolitan character have rebounded against it. Europe has a long history of being favoured by its physical conditions, but at the same time has been constantly seeking an identity. Maurice Le Lannou believes in Europe, not as an illusion of growth, but rather as an area built on its cultural roots, having the ability to take a moral stance over the north-south dialogue and to respect differences other than those determined by commercial or institutional links.