While migration studies traditionally focus on urban environments, recent events in Europe, such as the refugee crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic, the relegation of asylum seekers to the periphery, and localized rises in political extremism, have drawn attention to the settlement of foreigners, newcomers, and human diversity in rural and semi-rural areas. Understanding the human diversity linked to foreign immigration and other international and national mobilities is increasingly relevant in comprehending how changing rural and semi-rural territories face a variety of development challenges, and caution is required when defining them as rural areas. To demonstrate both the similar and unique aspects of local forms of common logics (e.g. globalization, individualization, diversification, urbanization) in rural transformations, this presentation will rely on two case studies of French “village” localities: (1) Durban-sur-Arize a rural village located in the department of Ariege in southwestern France, and (2) Sarrola-Carcopino, a semi-rural and periurban village located in South Corsica on the Corsican Island. It will focus on the perceptions of population change, rural and village transformations, and sustainability issues among a variety of residents in the two village municipalities. The paper draws on semi-structured interviews with a range of informants, as well as documentary sources, statistical data including an overview of recent international immigration in rural areas of France, maps, and photographs. Specifically, fieldwork was conducted in these areas from 2017 to 2022. This paper is based on part of the results of the CAMIGRI program on French rural areas in the dynamics of international migrations (see: https://camigri.hypotheses.org/), as well as postdoctoral research conducted at the University of Corsica on mobilities, migrations, and human diversity in middle and low-density municipalities.