This article contributes to the debate on sustainable rural development. It aims to better understand individual connections to rural places through an analysis of deconsumption practices and, conversely, their implementation from the perspective of the territory. The analysis of thirteen interviews conducted with women engaged in the challenge of reducing their consumption level – the ‘Rien de Neuf’ challenge of the Zero Waste association – shows that deconsumption is not only an urban issue, but also a major rural issue. The results call to reassess the simplistic representations of an idyllic rurality with intrinsic voluntary simplicity. Indeed, the findings suggest that rural deconsumption practices have specificities that deserve to be considered, especially with respect to the frequency of purchases, exchange platforms and local networks. We highlight the different challenges faced by the participants when they try to consume less. The implementation of deconsumption practices in rural places reveals two types of link to the territory: a commuting link that maintains the centre/periphery dichotomy and an involvement link that shows a willingness to establish a different anchorage to one’s place of residence in order to achieve deconsumption. These results are discussed in light of the literature on territorial development and deconsumption practices. We draw the attention of the stakeholders involved in sustainable rural development to the importance of local infrastructures, which are more likely to support the ecological transition of daily practices. Finally, we highlight the limits of this research and the avenues for future research.