Welcome

For those who come to visit or those who come to stay, Normandy shows itself as it is, welcoming and attractive. The welcome it extends to new Normans, be they students or entrepreneurs, is organised by public authorities, associations, socio-professionals and the Normans themselves, who, although not necessarily very forthcoming, remain welcoming and open to others. Investors benefit from support and coaching throughout their project's development: search for premises, funding, consultancy, networking, recruitment, etc. Normandy's media provides information on the area and on its many events.

Welcoming new Normans

Land and sea, town and country, nature’s best and a mild climate… head west, for a warm welcome to Normandy. Public authorities, state services, professionals and associations combine to facilitate the integration of new Normans: housing, childminding, lifestyle and home care services, schooling, mobility, employment, culture, sport and leisure. Organised in 5 départements and 73 intermunicipalities, Normandy’s territorial network is a genuine asset that enables the region to look after the needs and concerns of its new arrivals.

Welcoming students

The CROUS (Regional Centre for University and Academic Services) in Caen and Rouen, together with the external office in Le Havre facilitate the daily lives of our students: grants, welfare assistance, housing, catering, transport, cultural and sports activities. Welcome forums for new students contribute towards informing those who discover Normandy for the first time. Similarly, the Regional Council’s Pass Monde encourages Normandy’s students to travel. Since 1983, the OFNEC (Franco-Norwegian office for exchange and cooperation) has been a model of university and cultural cooperation.

Welcoming businesses

The region and its intercommunalities have seen their scope of economic skill reinforced within the context of the French NOTRe law: business parks, trade, tourism, etc. Consular Chambers (Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Trade Chamber, Chamber of Agriculture), ADN (Normandy Development Agency) and decision-makers in charge of economic development at local and département level, all accompany business project initiators.

Business parks

1,200 business parks in Normandy, the development, management and maintenance of which are principally ensured at intercommunal level. Among them, 200 have available properties. The property observatory developed by Normandy’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CCI Baséco) is an online Geographic Information System that identifies available properties within Normandy’s business park and helps businesses find the best solutions for setting up.

Business centres, incubators and collaborative workspaces

Essential tools for the economic development of businesses and territories, Normandy boasts a diversified offer in terms of business centres and incubators: Caen, Hérouville-Saint-Clair, Bayeux, Evreux, Vernon, Gisors, Cherbourg, Saint-Pair, Saint-James, Alençon, Flers, Damigny, Bellême, Rouen, Le Havre, Dieppe, Fécamp, Déville-lès-Rouen, St-Etienne-du-Rouvray, Petit-Quevilly, etc. Concurrently, increasingly mobile professionals can also benefit from workspace in coworking sites, fablabs or makerspaces.

Business services

Businesses benefit from support at each phase of their development: Creation, Acquisition, Employment-Training, Export, Transmission, etc. Support is available, in particular from the Regional Council: Normandie Participations, Impulsion Développement, Impulsion Conseil, Impulsion Export… In 2016 BPI France supported Normandy’s business for a total of €682M.

Recruitment

Employment agencies, social media and specialised or general sites put employers and job hunters in contact. With an unemployment rate of 9.5%, Normandy is in line with the national average: 8.8% in Calvados, 9.7% in Eure, 7.5% in Manche, 8.7% in Orne and 10.6% in Seine-Maritime. Around 50,000 temporary jobs and as many in re-employment (+8.8% in 2017). Employment subsidies facilitate the recruitment of many job hunters, depending on their age and qualifications.

Information and media

La Presse de la Manche. Other newspapers: La Manche Libre – La Renaissance du Bessin – Liberté – L’Orne Combattante – Normandie Magazine – Patrimoine Normand – Le Courrier Cauchois – Côté Caen – Tendance Ouest, etc. Television: France 3 Normandie – LCN La Chaîne Normande AFP French press agencies in Caen and Rouen. A number of local radios and informative websites.

Conference facilities

Normandy offers a vast range of facilities for event hosting: – A flagship: the CID in Deauville – Towns: Caen, Rouen, Le Havre Alençon, Lisieux, Evreux, Cherbourg, St-Lô… – Resorts: Bagnoles de l’Orne, Forges-les-Eaux, Granville… – Accommodation (Center Parcs, Groupe Barrière, charming independent hotels or chains) – Major tourist attractions: Cité de la Mer, Mémorial de Caen, Valasse Abbey Festivals, conferences, business meetings, etc… 3,600 events to be found on the Regional Tourist Board’s website.