the solidarity company that brings together services, support and social ties in villages

At the end of her tour of the room, Geneviève is delighted: “I learned that the Numeric’Aid association can come to my home to solve my computer problems or help me with my online procedures. But also that the hospitals of Péronne and Ham still offer many specialties, which I did not know. » The activities of the two neighboring hospitals, also a surprise for Laurent and Marie-Christine, who came to the village hall of Curchy – 293 inhabitants – on October 3, after receiving a leaflet in their mailbox.

“We thought Ham Hospital was just a retirement home. From now on, we will think twice before driving more than an hour to Amiens. Especially since we can get appointments in Ham much more quickly.” Discovering services that we don’t know exist, either because we never knew anything about them or because we simply forgot, is one of Ville à joie’s struggles.

The solidarity company takes over the towns for a few hours, mixing a forum of services and associations with a more festive time. A fight against non-recourse due to lack of information and support which particularly affects citizens living in the countryside. Since 2020, 700 villages of less than 1,000 inhabitants have seen teams from the company founded by Marius Drigny pass through, some several times. In 2025, 380 dates were organized, from Pas-de-Calais to Lot-et-Garonne via Cher or Haute-Marne.

All-round services

The panel of speakers varies depending on the territories covered. Local businesses can join the solidarity company’s stands. Thus, visitors sometimes carry out vision and blood sugar tests, preludes to more in-depth appointments. In Becquigny – 252 inhabitants -, another village in the Somme, where Ville à joie had set up shop on September 24, an association offered to learn mosaic and pottery while praising its intuitive dance activities; another presented its new professional integration service; a third promoted the practice of flatball, while a fourth specialized in personal services. Agents from the Grand Roye community of communes responded to questions from the public on sorting rules or the responsibility for maintaining watercourses.

Everyone underlined the interest of such an initiative, allowing them to become known but also to interact with residents who would not necessarily have come to meet them otherwise. “When you have a loved one with Alzheimer’s, you sometimes don’t know where to go, even more so in the countryside,” note Brigitte Demarcy and Élisabeth Valke, for the France Alzheimer association. By coming to meet them, we allow these people to realize that there is help that they know nothing about. » That day, visitors could also hear about BusCitoyens, a unique departmental carpooling service. “I put new users in touch,” summarizes David Descamps, “and not just workers. The device is used by elderly people to go shopping. »

Restoring social connections

The originality of Ville à joie lies in going beyond the simple forum of services and associations. On each date, she invites those interested to leave their contact details if they want to participate in walking, knitting, board games, etc. groups. “A few days ago, during the last meetings in the Somme, we organized a short five-kilometer hike with eight registered,” confides Cyrielle Mas, employee of the team. It is up to everyone to perpetuate this group of intercommunal walkers or not, but the connection will have been made.

A way to participate in the restoration of social ties, just like the tavern side. In addition to the refreshment bar, entertainment, such as a charentaise throw or a musical quiz, always punctuates the end of the afternoon and the beginning of the evening. Extremely effective, since in Curchy, the blind test around Johnny Hallyday, Michel Sardou or Christophe Maé ended with… a caterpillar in the party room! “A way to end the evening in style,” rejoices Geneviève, leaving with information useful to her daily life and a big smile!