European rural areas have experienced deep socio-spatial mutations since 1950 (Diry, 2004). After years of economic decline, some rural areas have observed a population growth which fuels a rural rebirth, called “renaissance rurale” (Kayser, 1990). These new populations are characterized by a life style specific to detached house areas (Bourdieu, 1990) which has been detrimental to the refurbishment of old buildings. This phenomenon has led to an important vacancy of old dwellings in village centers and small towns in rural surroundings. Likewise, the shopping mall surge has been responsible for the demise of local stores. The villages and small towns in rural areas which have known a loss of interest for their housing and shopping buildings, now rely on residential economy (Talandier, Jousseaume, 2013) or economically depend on tourism (Madeline, 1996). Through the analysis and characterization of the dynamics of the real estate market, this thesis, to a greater extent, questions the decline of villages and small towns in rural areas, not only as regards structural dynamics (demographic and economic) but also in relation to political strategies of revitalization. Three fields of study have been selected, each of which corresponding to three steps of rural revitalization: Galice, Normandy and the South West of England.