Le commerce alimentaire de proximité dans le centre-ville des grandes agglomérations : l’exemple de Toulouse et de Saragosse

摘要

Commercial activities are key indicators of social and urban changes. Studying the evolution of grocery stores located in city centers, we concentrate our work on the geographic and social analysis of these commercial mutations in two different metropolitan areas. We compare and analyse these dynamics in Zaragoza (Spain), described as a compact city, and  in Toulouse (France), considered as a critical example of uncontrolled urban sprawl. The weaknesses, forces and sustainability (in a social and environmental way) of these two urban morphologies are confronted. The contemporary idea of impulsing a perfect urban model, in a sense where all part of cities would be "close" in space and time by controlling the location of commercial activities, emerge as another urban utopia. Even if national and local authorities produce planning documents to reduce commuting related to shopping, consumers habits explain the major part of the urban recombinations observed. Finally, using a common indicator such as grocery stores enhance the usual social and spatial segregation our urban societies have to deal with.