What are the best regions in France for employment outside of Paris ?

[theodore bagwell]

What are the best regions in France for employment outside of Paris ?

I have looked across the web and have been surprised how LITTLE information there is on the best areas to find work in France if you exclude Paris

Specifically I am looking for areas where there are large number of multi nationals , global blue chips and manufacturers where perhaps English is spoken as a main language or at least alongside French

From the limited information I have drawn up I have shortlisted several cities Toulouse , Rennes , Laval and Le Mans but any information would be greatly appreicated

thanks

[NormanH]

[quote user="theodore bagwell"]What are the best regions in France for employment outside of Paris ?

I have looked across the web and have been surprised how LITTLE information there is on the best areas to find work in France if you exclude Paris

Specifically I am looking for areas where there are large number of multi nationals , global blue chips and manufacturers where perhaps English is spoken as a main language or at least alongside French

From the limited information I have drawn up I have shortlisted several cities Toulouse , Rennes , Laval and Le Mans but any information would be greatly appreicated

thanks[/quote]

Try Spanish for Toulouse, and Breton for Rennes..

English? Have you any idea of how silly that is?

[theodore bagwell]

NORMAN H--Thankyou for your reply

I have worked all across Europe ( incl France) for major multinationals for the last 15 years and in my experience English is the MAIN langauge spoken during normal working hours ( even in France believe it or not)

These multinationals tend to function on global basis where Englilsh is the main lanaguage and why not .

---I never assumed that French would not be spoken( I am in France after all ) and indeed I am becoming quite fluent now and learning -

My question was a genuine one and certainly not silly

[Âme]

I know quite a few people who work around Toulouse and who use English as the first language at work. They tend to work in IT or aerospace and are employed for specific skills/qualifications rather than, for example, on the reception desk.

Also, there used to be a big Hewlett Packard presence in Grenoble; engineers from all over Europe were trained there (in English).  I'm not sure if it still exists as I was there 15+ years ago.

Grenoble is not too far from Lyon, another big city... It might be worth looking at Lyon, Bordeaux and Marseille. I would also check out Strasbourg.

I hope that helps a bit and encourages others to add their experience. Good luck with your search. I'm sure you'll find plenty of leads with this kind of proactive research.

[NormanH]

"I have worked all across Europe ( incl France) for major multinationals

for the last 15 years and in my experience English is the MAIN langauge

spoken during normal working hours ( even in France believe it or not)

These multinationals tend to function on global basis where Englilsh is the main lanaguage and why not "

If you want to work anywhere where English is the main language, you might consider using a spell-check when you write in that language.

You question makes me wonder why you want to find work in France.

The problem is not that English isn't an important language in certain businesses, but that working in France you might actually have contact with people whose main language is French, and the Anglo-Saxon arrogance of assuming that you can use only the language you are personally comfortable with doesn't go down very well.

[andypandy]

Theo, a wurd ov warnin, Norman is one of the 'in crowd' on this site, his word is final. Apologise or be treated like a leper.

[mint]

Au contraire, in my experience Norman is the one who is often treated like a leper; sometimes unfairly, IMHO.

There, I've done it again; I have sworn I will NEVER come to Norman's defence ever again but I guess I get seduced by his impecable taste in music!

Sometimes, I think he gets bored with the rest of us and says things just to provoke a reaction.

[Benjamin]

He's a miserable old cuss. Ignore him.

[velcorin]

I concur Theodore.

We're a big German multinational, and the company language is English, which means all work related stuff is in English whatever country you are in. The drinks cooler gossip might be in French, but that's where it ends. Having said that in order to apply for a job, locally here in France, you would have to get past our local HR Dept. In 3 years I have never seen a CV from a non-white, non-native French person.............something which would not be tolerated elsewhere is just accepted as normal. No Africans, Maghrebis, etc. The only non-natives, are people like myself who have been seconded here, that's 8 out of 1550. Germany or the UK it is not.[;-)]

 

[mint]

It is as I suspect, Velcorin, and now I have had it straight from the horse's mouth.  Thank you for that nugget of info; even though I wasn't happy to hear it.

[cooperlola]

I have a friend who works for an American company based near me but she's employed because she can speak good French and thus act as liaison between the locals and the head honchos back home.  We have another American company in our village - Alcoa Fastening Systems (which provides most of the employment in this area) and only a couple of the employees speak English - the rest are villagers who only have a smattering.  The ACO employs loads of English speakers as both permanent and casual staff (during the big race meetings like the 24 hours and the Classic) but they are all French, (or at least those whom I know are).

I do get the feeling that LM is doing quite well at the mo' as there are loads of new big sheds and housing developments popping up all round the city but I don't know for sure what the employment situation is like.  But the few Brits I do know have all found work.  Apart from us and one other retired couple they are the lady mentioned above, an IT professional, two farmers, a builder and a language teacher but all are virtually fluent French speakers.

[velcorin]

This is just a personal opinion, but over the last few years have had to answer questions many times to colleagues as to what my academic qualifications are for my job. Sometimes when the person is wound up, sometimes when they are genuinely curious. I know that the French love their bits of paper, but I think it goes deeper than that, I think there is a genuine lack of knowledge of education outside France in HR Depts, the generally poor level of French secondary/tertiary education, and genuine xenophobia.

I get parachuted into a country when it is failing in my particular speciality, I have a Law Degree from a UK Uni, ranked 23rd in the world (there isn't a single French state Uni in the top 100), 5 top grade A Levels and 15(?)top grade GCSEs. To people here that means absolutely nothing. I haven't got a BAC+4! Ergo I can't do the job. I never had this problem in the UK/Spain/Germany. Hence my conclusion it is a French reaction. None of the BAC+XXX highflyers I've come across would I allow to price up in Tesco. They just refer to Page Y of the text book, zero lateral thinking, and SO ambitious as to be dangerous to the company. Fortunately the results continue to role in, and they can't touch me..........yet!

Various newspapers have tried to highlight the racist angle. Indentical CVs submitted using "French" names and "Maghrebi " names. Zero responce to the "foreign" CVs, lots of interviews for the French names. I would suggest that unless you were being spefically employed to deal with clients, in English, face to face the response maybe would be the same. Having said that, my wife did it, though French she has an English surname, which no French person can actually pronounce, as there is a "TH" in it[:D]

 

[NormanH]

[quote user="Benjamin"]He's a miserable old cuss. Ignore him.

[/quote]

An excellent point by point refutation of my post.

I would respectfully suggest that it is such posts as yours that add nothing to the discussion and should be ignored.

I also managed to find work in France for 12 years, and run a business for two.

I await with interest the credentials which permit you to treat my posts with such contempt

[NormanH]

[quote user="velcorin"]

I concur Theodore.

In 3 years I have never seen a CV from a non-white, non-native French person.............something which would not be tolerated elsewhere is just accepted as normal. No Africans, Maghrebis, etc. The only non-natives, are people like myself who have been seconded here, that's 8 out of 1550. Germany or the UK it is not.[;-)]

 

[/quote]

So in fact you are agreeing with me, not Theodore..

It is silly to think you will get a job in France if you are non-native (even European) without at least a totally fluent level of French, and more significantly being able to write French which is grammatically impeccable..

[mint]

Norman, I am in despair:  how am I going to be able to defend you if you carry on being so intractable and saying things in this irrefutable manner?

 

[NormanH]

Is there any thing in this thread which contradicts my assertions?

for example

"he few Brits I do know have all found work.  Apart from us and one

other retired couple they are the lady mentioned above, an IT

professional, two farmers, a builder and a language teacher but all are

virtually fluent French speakers.

[Sunday Driver]

for example

"We're a big German multinational, and the company language is English, which means all work related stuff is in English whatever country you are in. The drinks cooler gossip might be in French, but that's where it ends."

 

[NormanH]

 So that describes the situation at work, but to get to that you have to be recruited..

Have you ever worked or done  anything in France (such as get a job)  except pontificate on theses fora, and have road accidents?

[Sunday Driver]

Sorry, Norman - never had it as rough as you have....[8-)]

"The torments of martyrdom are probably most keenly felt by the bystanders" (Emerson)

 

[Benjamin]

Norman

I'd rather cut off and eat my left ear before I'd waste an ounce of my breath engaging in a debate with someone with such bigotted ideas as yourself.

I would however like to modify my posting from yesterday. I don't know you so I aplologise unreservedly and withdraw the word "old" from my comment.

[velcorin]

NormanH. One day I aspire to be you. Keep telling it like it really is for us wage slaves. Don't let the b*stards grind you down.

[Boiling a frog]

[quote user="NormanH"] So that describes the situation at work, but to get to that you have to be recruited..

Have you ever worked or done  anything in France (such as get a job)  except pontificate on theses fora, and have road accidents?


[/quote]

 

You are awfull

 

But I like you [:D][:D]

[NormanH]

[quote user="Benjamin"]Norman

I'd rather cut off and eat my left ear before I'd waste an ounce of my breath engaging in a debate with someone with such bigotted ideas as yourself.

I would however like to modify my posting from yesterday. I don't know you so I aplologise unreservedly and withdraw the word "old" from my comment.

[/quote]

I believe that a primary symptom of someone who is bigoted (I believe that is the usual spelling, but as you do not wish to engage with  me you won't be able to take advantage of the  facts I could offer) is the refusal to engage in debate.

You have just admitted to it, and because you can't answer my arguments you resort to simple bluster.

[Tony]

Dear Theodore bagwell

http://www.easyexpat.com/en/paris/job/adverts-recruitment.htm

The British embassies and consulates are much more informed on this topic.

There are many opportunities, obviously, for French alignment with English native speakers. My wife is trilingual, Spanish, English English and French. She has worked in both the UK (and world) and France using her along side skills.

Import and export areas of companies are often a home!

The wine, including hard liquor, is also a home.

Working with a company working out of the UK into France is also a possibility!

Sorry it is only some help!

[Lollie]

Nantes, and St Nazaire, both have companies where English is the language used during the working day.