The tourism potential of rural areas represents a source of opportunities for entrepreneurship that can enhance regional development. The impact of tourism is, however, complex, representing a combination of benefits and costs. Despite the necessity to evaluate and understand in depth the relationship between tourism, community life and regional development from a local perspective, many studies adopt a descriptive approach, focusing mainly on the perception and attitudes of local residents. Adopting a qualitative methodology, this article makes a comparative analysis of two rural communities in the south of France. Although the geographic distance between the two villages is only 12 km, the communities present unlike profiles in terms of attractions, entrepreneurial activities, community and regional development. The article provides a twofold contribution to the existing literature: first, it enriches the methodological perspective using an interpretative framework based on the specific functions of rural territories; and second, it applies this framework to explain the specific evolution of the investigated villages, as well as the existing tensions and challenges for regional development and management.