1) What is the main role of Périgord Développement? We are here to identify and assist foreign businesses or individuals who want to create, acquire or develop businesses in the Dordogne. We want to make sure they succeed. So we work in connexion with our partners to guide the businessmen through the process of settling in the Dordogne, mainly helping them to understand the way the system works and to find the proper contacts at the right time.
Because the British community is already well represented here, we focus a lot on helping British businesses: we launched a delegation of the Franco-British Chamber of Commerce & Industry earlier this year and we host numerous events with the British business community in mind. These events are in English, typically around a breakfast meeting or seminar, and we choose subjects we know will interest businessmen, like taxation, local rules and regulations, etc. We are currently developing a network of companies dedicated to working with the British business community.
2) What are the advantages for a British company to set up in the Dordogne ? The Dordogne is a place that lets you have a high quality of life and a successful business. The Dordogne is a well known tourist destination, but few people realise it also offers a lot of business opportunities. In 2005, 173 British entrepreneurs opened a business in the Dordogne, mostly as sole entrepreneurs. There are now over 450 British entrepreneurs in the Dordogne. A real boost has been given by the development of Bergerac airport, which is now connected to 8 destinations in the UK with low-cost carriers. Apart from the airport, recent developments in our infrastructure (opening of the A89 motorway linking Bordeaux to Lyon, wide coverage of High Speed Internet access) have definitely boosted the Dordogne’s competitive advantages.
On average, starting up a business costs 20% less in the Dordogne than in the main cities, mainly due to lower costs of real estate. But also, the cost of the work force in the Dordogne is about one fifth lower than the French average! Plus, with our rural background, businesses find the workforce exceptionally hard working and loyal. We are also close to Bordeaux and that can also help when businesses are looking for skilled professionals.
3) What are the main difficulties a British company could face when setting up in the Dordogne ? The main difficulties, British companies might face when they are coming to the Dordogne are: •The language barrier. •The different set of rules and regulations governing companies and the administrative system.
Obviously this applies to anywhere in France but that gets back to our main role-making sure British businesses succeed here.
4) Do you have examples of companies, which are successfully established in the Dordogne? The traditional strengths of our region are food, tourism and the service sector as well as the forestry/wood industry. One example I can give you is one of the leading producers of frozen pastries for professionals. They employ over 350 people and the parent company is the British group R.H.M. In less than a decade, the work force has tripled and they have made considerable investments to enlarge production capacity. Another example is a British company which has opened a structure called AGRILEC to produce fuel cells and testing equipment. But we see entrepreneurs every week with projects to take over camp sites or small hotels, to create their own companies in the building sector or in the tourism industry.
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