The aim of the article is to contribute to the analysis of path dependency mechanisms at territory level in old industrial regions. The paper presents the results of research into the processes of transition that have been at work over the past 25 years in two old French clusters. In these areas, the nature of the relevant resources has changed. They are no more material and associated with the physical space, but immaterial and associated with the organised space. This process of dematerialisation implies cooperation between local actors. But history leaves physical, social and cognitive imprints on territories which are of crucial importance as they play as catalysts or as barriers for cooperation.