Working in an international company…

in Aix-en-Provence

 

At Voyage Privé, our employees work in an international environment where 23 nationalities are represented. We are present in 9 markets in Europe and manage all our business from our head office, the Campus in Aix-en-Provence. Some of our employees have chosen to leave their country of origin to join our teams and live a great experience under the mild sun of Provence.

Many professional opportunities are available for those who also wish to take the plunge and join us! Travelling is our common passion – let’s hear why they have chosen to settle down in south of France and share their tips if you want to move!

Meet Paige, UK Content Editor who join us in 2021!

Tell us who you are and where you got the idea to come to Aix-en-Provence? 

My name is Paige, I am 30 years old, and I am from the sunny state of California. I have been living in France for seven years now. I first came to France for a study abroad exchange program for just one semester at Kedge Business School. Like all the typical clichés you see in the movies about people moving to other countries, I fell in love with a French guy and decided to move to Marseille to be with him.

I spent many years learning the language, teaching English and finally, decided to do a master’s degree at Aix-Marseille Université. When I graduated, I saw the opportunity to work for Voyage Privé!

I really like my job as a content editor. I love reading and writing and most of all, I love that I can do it in English. This is not exactly what I studied for, but I absolutely enjoy what I do and prefer it much more over negotiating (what my master’s degree is in). I already had a first job in marketing, I was writing blogs, creating social media posts, and more… so it’s a great opportunity to do this at Voyage Privé!

 

“I love living in the south of France.

It’s a very pretty and relaxing place to live.”

 

How was your onboarding at Voyage Privé?

I was the first person hired in 2021! To be honest, those were weird times because of covid. A lot of people were working from home, and the company was working directly from the rugby stadium of Provence Rugby as we were waiting to move to our new campus.

It was difficult because there were not many people in the office and the people in my team were still working in the UK. I felt lonely. However, in March, when we moved to the Campus, I was able to join an onboarding and training program. I was able to get to know my colleagues, meet new people, and enjoy a much more comfortable space to work in.

 

What do you like about this international company in Aix ? What do you like most about French culture? 

I like that so many of us come from different countries: United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Colombia, Netherlands, Germany, United States, etc.

I really enjoy interacting with my coworkers and learning from them about their culture! I also get to practice my French and Spanish daily which is amazing.

The office is an open space which makes it easy to meet new people. If I am writing about a country or a certain place that I know a co-worker is from and have questions, all I have to do is get up and go ask them – I know that what I am writing about is coming from a local and it makes my job even more rewarding.

I love living in the south of France. It’s a very pretty and relaxing place to live. Here, you can take your time and just enjoy the day. I live in Marseille, the second largest city of France yet, it feels nothing like a big city – no rush, the streets aren’t crowded, and nature is close by. People dedicate their free time to just living the moment.

What advice could you give to someone who want to take the plunge ?

Coming to France is a great experience to learn about a new culture. For all those who would like to take the step of leaving their country of origin and coming here, I would give the advice to try to learn some French first. This will open many more doors for you and people will be much more willing to help you out once you are here. However, if you come to Voyage Privé, this isn’t something you have to necessarily worry about since my work is all done in English and I can speak with my many international colleagues in English, Spanish or other…

And of course, immerse yourself in the French culture – don’t hold yourself back or be shy. Try to make French friends, listen to the music, eat the delicious food, watch the TV, and learn, learn, learn!  Enjoy this beautiful region as much as you can!