This thesis highlights certain aspects of the coexistence between agriculture and residential uses in the periurban via a sociologic study of new ways of managing wine growers' farm buildings introduced in the department of the Hérault (France). Named “agricultural hamlets”, these innovations take into account legal requirements related to sustainable planning introduced by the SRU law (2000), the implications for farmers' dwellings and issues of the coexistence between agriculture and residential uses. These new ways of managing farm buildings reveal the emergence of a public management of this issue. The thesis is organized around two principal axes which analyze: 1) the political conceptions of the coexistence between agriculture and residential uses which result in the varied interpretation of the SRU law and in the development of new management of farm building, 2) the real-life experience of “living together” as experienced by farmers and residents of the periurban villages concerned by these projects. The analysis of the political conceptions of coexistence reveals three ideal types of “living together”. The confrontation of political conceptions with the reality of social dynamics brings to light unexpected problems of social equity. The thesis concludes with the presentation of the numerous perspectives of research and action on the sustainable management of farm building.
