From Bordeaux (Gironde) to Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône) via the Dordogne, heading south for former Parisians Valérie, Marion and Lionel.
Valérie, training at 50
Not easy, when you have passed the milestone of fifty and suffered a long period of unemployment, to find work. Valérie, digital communication officer in Paris, looking for a new job, took the bull by the horns. She followed a support offered by Visiplus, an organization specializing in distance continuing education in marketing, communication and management.
“I wanted to unblock the situation, even if it means changing my life and going to the provinces. This eight-month training allowed me to add new skills to my CV and to update myself thanks to a diploma recognized by the State. This was decisive in bouncing back,” she explains. Farewell, Paris! “I quickly landed a new position in communications in Aix-en-Provence, where I have been living for a year. Valérie has no regrets today. “The living environment here is great. The TGV station and the airport are not far away, the real countryside is five minutes away… Of course, you have to move to meet people and start a new life in the small village of Eguilles. But I belong to a sports club, it creates links! “.
The dream of a house with a swimming pool is still far away. Here, the price per square meter is high. Valérie currently lives in an apartment. But no matter, her new region is above all an unexpected professional lifeline for her. This is confirmed by Regis Micheli, the founder of Visiplus: “Our clients are often Ile-de-France residents who are retraining between the ages of 35 and 45, at the time of a personal assessment. We support them in their mobility, summarizes the trainer. Many realize their dream of settling in the provinces by starting their own business. From this point of view, we can say that there was indeed a before and an after Covid. »
The lesson to be learned from Valérie’s experience: you can bounce back at any age, even unemployed, provided you take up-to-date and certified training to attract a new employer. And not to refuse, on principle, mobility away from home. Because you should not hesitate to explore job offers in the region. The province often harbors opportunities. But for that, you have to dare to change your life and your surroundings.
Marion, 31, professional love at first sight
Some leave Paris to change their living environment, others because they have fallen in love… with a company in the region! This is the case of Marion, married, two children, who nevertheless had a good career in the capital. “I worked for eleven years as a production manager in a large company, says the young woman. But I dreamed of joining Aphalte, a formidable Parisian company that designs and manufactures pre-order clothing to avoid waste, with a revolutionary, ethical and ecological approach. I had read press articles that talked about it and the state of mind seemed great to me. That’s why I approached them…”
After a missed first date, Marion stays in touch with William, the young founder of Asphalte. But the company is moving to Bordeaux! The second time will be good. “It was like a sign of fate, my husband got himself a new job… in this city. He left KPMG for a group of veterinary clinics. It was written ! », laughs Marion. Things came to a head two years ago. “Me, I left my old company in full confinement, I was returning from a professional trip to the end of the world. Everything was done in a few days, it was an epic moment! “, she recalls.
So, obviously, professional love at first sight also exists. Since then, the whole little family has become a Bordeaux resident, living in a charming little house, with an incomparable setting. “Life is more peaceful here,” admits Marion. As for Asphalte, his move to the Gironde capital brought him luck. “In two years, we have gone from 20 to 60 employees,” rejoices William Hauvette, the company’s founder. He himself was, however, a pure Parisian… “All the employees followed me to Aquitaine. I have a very young team, 25 years old on average. Bordeaux is a city with a human dimension and very energetic, confides the business manager. We recruit 10 people a year and half come from Paris. Some choose to work from home, we don’t impose anything…”, he concludes.
Marion’s lesson: you only have one life and the principle of pleasure in work is fundamental. You have to dare to step out of your comfort zone – a stable and routine job – if you come across the job of your dreams, one that makes sense to you, even in a different professional sector.
Lionel, 48, has put his company in the green
He dreamed of it, he did it. Five months ago, Lionel chose a small paradise in the Dordogne to develop his company Weebeego, which designs websites and tailor-made software. “In Paris, I could barely accommodate two computers side by side in my 3 m2 office,” he recalls. Here, I have a house of 155 m2 and a magnificent garden of one hectare. It took us a long time to find this gem, but what happiness today! It’s a change from my little apartment in the Paris region in Carrières-sous-Poissy! “His partner also preceded him by joining his native region in Toulouse (Haute-Garonne). “Our job allows us to work remotely, when we want and from where we want,” he says.
The province, Lionel made this choice with his wife, painter, for many other reasons. In addition to the pressing desire to change your living environment and leave the oppressive suburbs and its unpredictable transport times, professional reasons counted a lot. “It changes everything: I’m going to choose proximity by building a local network with elected officials, the department’s chamber of commerce, associations of entrepreneurs. I will start by starting the tour of the town halls, foresees the entrepreneur. Farewell, big shows and tiring and not always useful journeys…”. And if asked: why the Dordogne? He replies tac-au-tac: “But because it is the least polluted place in France! “.
Lionel’s lesson: you can combine business with pleasure. In this case, more comfortable working conditions often make it possible to launch or relaunch a liberal activity.
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