Bonjour!
Today we had our first business visit. We started the day bright and early on our way to the non profit company Les Restos du Coeur. As we made our way to the company we stopped by the July Column which is a famous monument in the center of Bastille. We also saw one of the most famous capital buildings in France called the Place du Pantheon which is pictured below.
We then met with an employee of Les Restos du Coeur that provided us with a detailed overview of the company operations. This company was founded in 1985 by a famous french humorist named Michel Colucci. The mission of the company is to serve the public good by helping to provide assistance to those in need and give them access to a steady meal supply. They provide approximately 130 million meals per year to those in need. We visited their headquarters in Paris but they also have 11 regional offices, 117 departments, and 2,067 centers throughout France. The company core values are to give free help, welcome all, promote religious and political independence, non judgement approach, and have both an action and volunteer approach to doing business. We learned that the food distribution allows enrolled people to collect groceries, they provide served meals that are opened to all people, and they have centers for babies needs. We were able to have an open discussion and ask the employee all about their financials and way of running a business. The discussion was filled with great detail and we were all very interested in this unique company.
After this business visit we headed out to the Latin Quarter for a very delicious lunch!
Then we headed over to our second business visit called Station F. This was an extremely unique experience and all of the students were excited to be exposed to such an interesting company. Station F is an innovation hub that allows startups to have a "home" to grow. It allows upcoming companies to have the resources to grow and work together to truly get a great product or service.
We were given a tour of the company and its facilities. A fun fact about this technology campus is that it stretches as far as if you were to put the Eiffel Tower on its side. On our tour we learned how companies get involved and that they welcome all start ups to come in and become members to use the facilities to better their visions. We were given a tour of the tech lab where they are equipped with extremely advanced technology. We saw examples of the 3-D printing results and were amazed with how much can be done with a 3-D printer.
Today we had our first business visit. We started the day bright and early on our way to the non profit company Les Restos du Coeur. As we made our way to the company we stopped by the July Column which is a famous monument in the center of Bastille. We also saw one of the most famous capital buildings in France called the Place du Pantheon which is pictured below.
After this business visit we headed out to the Latin Quarter for a very delicious lunch!
Then we headed over to our second business visit called Station F. This was an extremely unique experience and all of the students were excited to be exposed to such an interesting company. Station F is an innovation hub that allows startups to have a "home" to grow. It allows upcoming companies to have the resources to grow and work together to truly get a great product or service.
We were given a tour of the company and its facilities. A fun fact about this technology campus is that it stretches as far as if you were to put the Eiffel Tower on its side. On our tour we learned how companies get involved and that they welcome all start ups to come in and become members to use the facilities to better their visions. We were given a tour of the tech lab where they are equipped with extremely advanced technology. We saw examples of the 3-D printing results and were amazed with how much can be done with a 3-D printer.
At the end of our tour we were able to go visit the creativity environment which was a cafeteria filled with unique decor and an extremely fun environment. Overall we were all so excited to see how innovative this company has become and right now it is extremely relevant to learn about considering the advances in technology many companies are making.
Learning about the not-for-profit, Les Restos du Coeur was one of my favorite businesses we have visited on the trip. It is amazing to see an organization that is so large, run so smoothly and offer so many opportunities for the homeless and lower class individuals of France. As in America, we have many shelters and organizations that help homeless people but I believe this organization is much more structure because it is not only a place where the homeless can be shelter but they offer many different activities like providing assistance to find jobs, providing budgeting assistance, providing nursery and assistances for newborns and babies. I believe this company is amazing and will continue to grow throughout France's economy.
ReplyDeleteThe second visit was Station F. Station F was definitely my number one business visit on the trip. This company was probably one of the most advanced and revolutionary companies I have ever seen. From the availability to access any type of technology to help commercialize the business to meeting rooms to rooms to relax and nap. This facility is the heart and the top tier to anyone that is in the process of a start-up. It is one of the greatest things I've ever seen and I hope to see it expand to the United States in the future.