France - Paris Region Represented by: Comité d’Expansion Économique du Val d’Oise (CEEVO)

The Val d’Oise area is part of the greater Paris Region, located only a few kilometers northwest and adjacent to the City of Paris. Val d’Oise County includes the following larger cities ( Argenteuil, Cergy-Pontoise, Sarcelles), and Paris Roissy-Charles de Gaulle International Airport.

Its 1.1 million residents, the New City of CERGY-PONTOISE with nearly 200,000 residents, and 32 towns with over 10,000 residents all give the department a two-fold aspect:

• An urban area along its entire southern fringe, from the Argenteuil-Bezons district through the southeastern municipalities ( Sarcelles, Gonesse, Garges-lès-Gonesse),
• Vast rural areas maintained in agricultural production zones: mixed farming and breeding in the Vexin français (in a regional natural Park), with large-scale agriculture procuring high added value in the Plaine de France area.

The Val d’Oise department, located in the North and Northwest periphery of the Paris urban area, truly enjoys a privileged location as both “gateway” to the Paris metropolis (15 min from Paris-La Défense), and as an area open to Northern Europe (Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, etc.).

Its international character is strengthened by the presence of the ROISSY CHARLES-DE-GAULLE Airport on its territory, with an integrated TGV high speed train railway station providing remarkable connections for plane and train passengers.

With the youngest population of all departments in France (average age of only 36.4 years), the Val d’Oise benefits from a well qualified work force whose level of education gets higher each year.
The strong economic dynamism is linked to the strong influence of SME-SMI’s , which develop their activities in dynamic and innovative sectors, among which one finds industries linked to advanced technologies , computer hardware, industrial equipment, aeronautics, automobile, space exploration, pharmacy and cosmetology, biotechnology and electronics that are particularly well represented.

Val d’Oise also accommodates many large firms, headquarters and industrial groups of national and international renown. Over 800 international companies have set up offices in Val d’Oise, notably in Cergy-Pontoise and in the area of Roissy-Charles de Gaulle. In the last 30 years, this expansion has fuelled the creation of 90 industrial and business parks covering more than 10,000 acres.

Economy

In the last thirty years, industries have expanded outside of Paris to the outlying suburbs. The expansion has fuelled the creation of no fewer than 90 industrial and business parks covering more than 10,000 acres. Given its strategic location in Europe, Val d’Oise is the natural choice for many of these industries, especially small to medium sized companies. Cergy-Pontoise and Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport area remain the largest industrial areas.

Val d’Oise is home to a diverse range of complementary industries, based in a variety of established and emerging centers. Some of the dominant industries are advanced technology, computer hardware, industrial equipment, biotechnologies and cosmetics, electronics, metallurgy, chemicals and plastic processing operations.

Val d’Oise region itself has created over 373,839 jobs (private sector only). While industry is a net source of job creation, growth has been fastest in services, especially engineering, consultancy and insurance. Most of the new jobs created were in the heartland of Val d‘Oise, further strengthening its role as a coherent economic whole fuelling activity across the board.

Foreign Investment

More than 800 international companies are already located in Val d’Oise.  Leading the group is the United States with 166 companies, followed by Germany with 130 companies.  The United Kingdom has 100 companies in Val d’Oise, followed by Japan with 63 companies.  

Population

Val d’Oise has more than 1,105,224 inhabitants, distributed in 185 towns and villages.  It grew by more than 55,000 inhabitants since 1990.  The larger cities being Argenteuil with 93,932 residents, followed by Sarcelles with 57,851 people, and Cergy with 54,816 people.  

The area of Cergy-Pontoise has more than 200 000 inhabitants. Val d’Oise counts the youngest population of all the departments in France with an average age of only 36.4 years.

Contact Information:

Jean-François BENON
Director
Paris Region (Val d'Oise)
Val d’Oise Economic Expansion Committee (CEEVO)
2, Avenue du Parc
95032 Cergy-Pontoise Cedex
France
+33-(0)1-34-25-3242 Tel
+33-(0)1-34-25-3220 Fax
www.ceevo95.fr

Emmanuelle DESTHIEUX
Paris Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle Interational Airport Office
Espace information entreprises Val d’Oise
SNCF Aéroport Charles-de-Gaulle
BP30042
95716 Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle cedex
France
+33-(0)1-48-79-61-12 Tel
+33-(0)1-48-79-61-13 Fax
www.ceevo95.fr