During the first third of the twentieth century in France, negative and stigmatising stereotypes of rurality, inherited mainly from the previous century, were used as arguments to justify recourse to pedagogical innovations in physical education and sport for people living in the countryside. The invention of rural vulnerability led particularly to the setting up of `agricultural athletics' meetings, `rural athletic trail runs' and `rural horse events' by vocational organisations and associations of educators. These initiatives, carried out mainly by economic and political interests, concerned mostly men and thus contributed to defining weakened rural masculinity.This analysis is based on evidence from articles in regional, national and specialist press, official texts and physical education manuals dealing with bodily training for country people.