Local authorities: expertise and quality of life: a winning combination

The Midi-Pyrénées region is booming. The latest statistics from INSEE class it together with the Languedoc-Roussillon as one of the only two regions in France to have seen its population grow by more than 1% a year since 1999. « This demographic growth represents 26,000 new inhabitants each year in the region, and 85% of it is the result of migratory movements », says Jean-Philippe Hanff, Director of Midi-Pyrénées Expansion. The region is evidently equally attractive to businesses. In 2004, French companies invested 271 million euro in 134 projects creating 4,360 new jobs, whilst foreign companies invested 284 million euro over the same period. It is true that the Region has considerable advantages in its favour. Its infrastructures are ideal.

Flights to Paris leave its international airport every half-hour, linking it to all the major European cities. Its capital, Toulouse, is situated at the centre of a vast network of motorways that lead directly to Paris, Bordeaux, Montpellier and Biarritz. Its geographical position in southwest France allows the region to convey a picture-postcard image of sun, mountains, gastronomy and festivals, backed up by its status as the second most important university town after Paris. This seductive image combined with its reputation in cutting-edge technology, expertise, and research has created a winning cocktail, since the increasing popularity of the Midi-Pyrénées is largely due to its economic and academic activities, led by several high added-value sectors, with aeronautics in the forefront of course, then space and onboard electronics; three sectors that formed the basis for the creation of a global competitive cluster, certified by the Government last July.

« Mecanic Valley »
« The Regional Council, together with the other local authorities has worked to make this the basis for European, and even world recognition of our expertise in the field », explains Martin Malvy, President of the Midi-Pyrénées Regional Council. « Above all, and this is very important, we have been able to raise awareness of the involvement not only of the Toulouse agglomeration, but of the entire region including Mecanic Valley, from Rodez to Souillac, and the area round Tarbes airport, to name but two employment basins that contribute to the dynamism and attractiveness of the region ».

Aeronautics alone employs more than 50,000 people who work for Airbus, for 560 sub-contractors, for big private and public laboratories, and in three of France’s four higher education establishments specialising in aeronautics. « It is perhaps the only real cluster that exists in France », says Jean-Philippe Hanff. The space and onboard electronics sector though of lesser importance, is nonetheless a significant presence with on the one hand the CNES, Alcatel Space and Astrium and the imminent arrival of the head offices of Galiléo, and on the other, the presence of Siemens and Alstom. Midi Pyrénées is also present in the fields of information technology, electronics, logistics and Life Sciences around which it has created another competitive cluster, Cancer Biosanté.