The emergence of places of retreat and reflection for creative entrepreneurs[L’émergence des lieux de retraite et de réflexion pour entrepreneurs créatifs]

Retreat and reflection spaces for creative entrepreneurs and self-employed workers are developing in remote areas. They differ from collaborative workspaces, such as coworking spaces, in their locations and the way they operate. This recent phenomenon questions the link between place of life and place of work for these populations. In the knowledge economy, the search for network and cluster effects appears paradigmatic and often related to high urban density. Therefore, what do these step-back places, located in peripheral and sparsely populated areas, teach us? Trying to escape the phenomena of conformity and imitation, they are intended to promote entrepreneurial creativity. Based on a monographic approach to one of these spaces located in France, the paper proposes to define an exploratory framework for what could be designated as fourth-places, with reference to Oldenburg's third-places, at the center of a triptych "home – workplace – holidays". In those spaces, we can observe a hybridization between the creative and recreational dimensions, i.e. a lack of separation between these two spheres for creative entrepreneurs. Results highlight a growing separation of living and working places, due to the development of digital networks. Our analysis shows that the environment and the quality of life of certain peripheral territories interfere positively in the process of entrepreneurial creativity. We conclude by supporting the idea that remote areas should be reassessed according to their contribution to innovation and creativity, in particular through the temporary mobility and hosting of creative workers.