Sylvine Pickel-Chevalier

Professor Sylvine Pickel-Chevalier is a University Professor (PR) at the University of Angers, affiliated with the Angers - ESTHUA school under the Geography discipline (shs.geo). She operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI).

Her academic foundation was strengthened by her 2018 HDR (Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches) titled Tourism and Leisure: Agents of co-construction of the world through interculturation processes, which established her as a leading researcher in tourism geography. Her educational background reflects deep expertise in geographical approaches to tourism and intercultural dynamics.

Professor Pickel-Chevalier's research spans several interconnected domains with a strong geographic foundation. Her primary focus examines tourism as a vector for sustainable development, particularly in Indonesian contexts where she investigates community-based tourism models like the Desa Wisata Terpadu. She also maintains a distinctive specialization in equestrian studies, analyzing how equine culture intersects with tourism, heritage, and globalization. Her work consistently bridges theoretical geographical frameworks with practical applications in destination management and cultural preservation.

Her publication record reveals a clear evolution toward increasingly interdisciplinary work that connects tourism geography with gender studies, sustainable development, and cultural heritage. Recent publications demonstrate her growing focus on post-pandemic recovery in tourism destinations and the intersection of equestrian culture with Olympic sports and internationalization.

As a thesis supervisor, Professor Pickel-Chevalier mentors doctoral candidates working on diverse but related topics including community-based tourism in Raja Ampat, ecotourism in protected areas, and the globalization of tourism practices in Bali. Her supervisory approach emphasizes the intercultural dimensions of tourism development and sustainable territorial management.

She actively contributes to research teams focused on Indonesian tourism development and equestrian heritage preservation, particularly examining how traditional equestrian sites like the Cadre Noir de Saumur and Haras de Vendée serve as cultural tourism assets. Her ongoing research explores how tourism can serve as a tool for sustainable territorial development while preserving cultural identity.