"Entreprise et Découverte" brings together tours focused on savoir-faire
Since 2012, the association has been developing, promoting, and organizing the network of French companies that open their doors to the general public. This successful initiative helps build trust with visitors—and even turn them into ambassadors—while also raising awareness about various professions. This has not gone unnoticed by fashion brands and manufacturers looking to recruit.
“We are a French cultural and economic exception. No other European country has managed to develop such a rich array of offerings across its entire territory,”, says Marie Cario. With 4,000 companies opening their doors to 22 million visitors a year, the association Entreprise et Découverte—where she serves as communications and events director—has already achieved its first goal: fostering the emergence of a genuine corporate tour industry in France.
Before founding Entreprise et Découverte in 2012, Cécile Pierre and Anne Aubineau—the national delegate and deputy delegate of the nonprofit association—were experts in this niche field at a specialized engineering firm.
““At the time, this sector was in its infancy, even though companies had already been offering tours since the 1990s,” explains Marie Cario, “but an essential element was missing to organize these initiatives on a national level.”
Faced with this reality, Anne and Cécile turned to private and public partners, such as EDF, Fragonard, and the Ministry of the Economy, to create Entreprise et Découverte, with the goal of “raise awareness of and develop this offering, and turn it into a genuine tourism sector of the future that benefits local communities and businesses.”
The only go-to website
Following this, two tools were created, starting with a website launched in late 2012. Today, it remains the only go-to site for exploring tours by region and sector.
Following this initial milestone, which demonstrated “an extremely rich offering across the region that is accessible to the general public” and “positively impacting all public and private stakeholders”, Marie Cario highlights the decisive role played by the 2013 publication of the first Observatory of Company Visits, which included quantitative data (number of companies, visitors, and regions involved). “Public authorities were able to recognize the importance of the sector. This allowed us to generate significant momentum across regions to support the development of offerings, which have doubled since 2013”. The companies involved have varied profiles, though 90% are microbusinesses and SMEs, “while large companies still face some obstacles to overcome”. The fashion and cosmetics sector accounts for 9%, a slight increase (+2%) compared to 2020 (7%).
Backed by a “modest but dynamic and committed” team of ten employees in Paris and its regional offices (Northwest, Southwest, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Hauts-de-France-Grand Est, and the South), Entreprise et Découverte has three main missions. In addition to communication and promotion—via its website, press relations, and collaborations with travel publishers such as the Guide du Routard and Michelin Maps, which led to the creation of France’s first “Savoir-Faire” map dedicated to corporate tours— it provides support and development services through audits of companies (such as Petit Bateau) and their factories, as well as regional areas (tourist offices, intermunicipal communities, etc.). For the latter, it can organize open-house events, such as the “Graulhet, le Cuir dans la Peau” event scheduled for October 21 and 22 in the Tarn department.
Finally, as a federation, it brings together all stakeholders (companies, professional federations, public authorities, tourism professionals, etc.) in the sector. It thus facilitates meetings to foster collective initiatives, while also engaging in lobbying efforts, particularly to secure funding for the design of tourist routes.
A New Relationship of Trust with the Public
For their part, companies see the tour “as a wonderful tool for touching visitors’ hearts—an invitation to step into a little-known world and discover the machines, savoir-faire, and the men and women behind the manufacturing in France of everyday objects,” emphasizes Marie Cario, referring to the establishment of “a new relationship of trust” with the company. “The tour proves to be an educational tool—easy to set up and inexpensive—with a very strong impact compared to marketing campaigns requiring heavy investment.”
In the short term, there is a sharp increase (an average of +40%) in the average shopping cart value at the factory outlet following a visit, compared to purchases made without a prior visit. But Marie Cario also observes “a very lasting connection that forms between the visitor and the company, which can influence future purchases. Visitors often become brand ambassadors, or even influencers”.
In terms of brand image, the benefit is significant, as the visit allows the company to reposition itself relative to its competitors around key, differentiating messages, such as the origin of the raw materials used. But it’s also about introducing people to different professions—a particularly important issue in a fashion industry facing labor shortages. “If you don’t have the opportunity to immerse yourself in this world and interact directly with company employees, it can be hard to imagine working there,” notes Marie Cario. Company tours are therefore a highly effective educational tool for young and old alike, allowing them to envision a future in an industry that is hiring.”
Following the example of the Maison du Savoir-Faire et de la Création, which operates primarily in the B2B sector, Entreprise et Découverte raises awareness of and showcases the professions of French manufacturing, sometimes even inspiring future careers. “The co-founder of the Routard guide, Philippe Gloaguen, liked to cite the example of an American family who came to visit the Fragonard perfume house. The workshop organized for the occasion revealed their young daughter’s highly developed sense of smell. She has since become a “nose” at a perfume house!”, says Marie Cario.
Memorable moments
Among the most memorable visits in the fashion sector, Marie Cario cites Manufacture Bohin, Le Minor, and Le Slip Français.
Regarding Bohin, the last needle manufacturer in France—and perhaps even in Europe—located in L’Aigle (Orne), she describes a “a wonderful family outing in a very impressive building, with superb machinery and fascinating explanations”. She also highlights the fact that organizing this tour helped save a company that nearly disappeared when the textile industry was in the midst of massive offshoring. “There was such high visibility and such positive feedback from visitors and in the press that Bohin returned to the forefront. Given the enthusiasm it generated, public authorities could no longer ignore this iconic company…”.
Other noteworthy tours: Le Minor, the oldest Breton textile mill still in operation, or, more recently, the Slip Français factory, which opened last year in Aubervilliers! “The various stages of manufacturing a pair of briefs are presented, starting with the raw materials, moving on to cutting, and then the various assembly stations. People really enjoy it”. The site was also chosen for the official launch, in early June, of the Michelin Guide to Savoir-faire.
Organizing tours: a new skill
"Organizing tours is, however, a challenge, as it is a secondary activity for a company primarily focused on production", points out Marie Cario, who recommends consulting an expert such as Entreprise et Découverte early on to “to clearly define the project and get it off to a good start”. Careful consideration of the company’s objectives, the message to convey, and the implementation of various measures to ensure a professional reception are essential to reap the full benefits in terms of revenue, brand image, and engagement with visitors… In the age of social media, it’s best to avoid negative criticism in favor of positive feedback!
For Entreprise et Découverte, there’s no shortage of challenges either. “The goal is to ensure the long-term viability of our mission in an economic climate that is complex for everyone, admits Marie Cario. We must continue to engage public authorities on this issue, as a call for proposals for “tourism of savoir-faire”—launched in 2023 by the Directorate General for Enterprises— which received 5 million euros in financial support from the state and the regions, is coming to an end. Without it, many businesses would not have been able to organize these itineraries. “Our goal is to keep the spotlight firmly on the sector so we can continue to secure funding—which is sometimes essential for microbusinesses and small and medium-sized enterprises to weather the storm.”
