Abstract
In a context of urban growth in one side and rural demographic decline in the other, the balance between urban and rural areas is being a major land planing. The "small cities network", which is the backbone of the country, is being fragilized for over 40 years now. In the "south Languedoc" this network (with cities between 2000 and 15000 inhabitants) is highly structuring, in spite of their apparent decline. From the 60s the local authorities have been promoting the region through its larger cities - "Montpellier la surdouée" – or its touristical aspects - "La nouvelle Floride" - however the small cities aren’t getting the benefits of those policies. Their trajectories are various and many of those cities are struggling to come out of recession. The "Ales area" study case is showing the prequels of a new revitalization strategy that goes beyond the city scale.