"WTCA Tour de France" - WTCA Visits French WTC Businesses

This article is part of a new series, "WTCA Member Spotlight," a series of articles written by WTCA team members to give readers a glimpse into the diversity and dynamism of the global WTCA community.

Penned by Chanelle Dimalanta, WTCA Senior Communications Manager; and Adele Zhang, WTCA Senior Regional Services Manager, Asia Pacific

Following the success of the 2025 WTCA Global Business Forum (GBF), hosted by WTC Marseille Provence, we had the privilege to visit WTC businesses in France. Our meetings explored the relationship between the various Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie (CCI) chapters and the local WTC businesses, how the business models work within their specific regions to serve small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), their WTC Business Clubs, and how WTCA can help to promote their daily activities and coordinate partnerships with the Chinese WTC businesses.

First Stop: WTC Paris Ile-de-France -  Where History Meets Modernity

Our “WTCA Tour de France” (as we fondly called it) immediately started on Thursday, April 10, at a meeting with WTC Paris Ile-de-France (associated with CCI Paris Ile-de-France). WTC Paris Ile-de-France/CCI Paris Ile-de France has played a key role in empowering local business communities since receiving its WTC license and WTCA membership in 1987. During our meeting with the team, we discussed their decades-long growth journey and the importance of the WTC brand to both the organization and the local community. With over a million companies accounting for 30% of France’s GDP, WTC Paris Ile-de-France, together with the Paris Region Chamber of Commerce, help entrepreneurs raise funds, improve their HR capabilities, participate in digital and ecological transformations and develop their international activities.

For over ten years, WTC Paris Ile-de-France has also been developing a range of services dedicated to foreign companies wishing to do business in the Paris region – they help them understand the French business environment and find potential French trading partners. Depending on the needs, WTC Ile-de-France can turn to any of over 100 international trade specialists covering various domains such as regulation, formalization, export capacity assessment, business matching, and support for foreign markets and fairs. A dedicated team of five people located in the International Trade Department of the Paris Region Chamber of Commerce oversees coordination with the global WTCA network. Thanks to their WTC license, WTC Paris Ile-de-France/CCI Paris Ile-de France expands its global connectivity and strengthens its position as a key player in fostering multilateral trade and economic relations. Following our meeting, we participated in a networking happy hour with local Parisian SMEs and some of our WTCA Members who also traveled to Paris after the GBF in Marseille.

Second Stop: WTC Rennes Bretagne -  Gateway for EXIM, Cradle of Chefs

The second stop on our journey was to visit WTC Rennes Bretagne (associated with CCI Ille-et-Vilaine). During our meeting with the team, we toured their new downtown offices, located within the restaurant L’Hermine at Ferrandi Paris – Rennes Campus. Although the students were on Spring Break, we enjoyed touring the facility, and learning how WTC Rennes has supported local companies seeking international development and rising culinary talents for the past 15 years.

With about 100 members across various sectors (agribusiness, cosmetics, IT, broadcasting, banking, transportation, industrial manufacturing, etc.), WTC Rennes Bretagne hosts workshops, conferences and networking events on a regular basis to create connections between local companies that share common goals to grow abroad. Since 2016, WTC Rennes Bretagne has created 5 clubs/expertise focusing on 5 different countries/regions: Quebec/Canada, the Middle East, the UK, Morocco and the United States. Their local Chamber of Commerce’s four main pillars are Business Creation, Business Support (including business networks: local and international) Education/Training and Infrastructure (airport, convention centers and innovative co-working spaces).

At its center, the city of Rennes is home to approximately 225,000 residents. Expanding into its secondary zone — which includes the 43 municipalities of Rennes Métropole — the population reaches around 460,000, including nearly 70,000 students, of whom 10,000 are international. Known for its dynamic and rapidly growing population, Rennes is a thriving hub for education and innovation. Among its standout institutions is Ferrandi Paris, a prestigious culinary school with a 100-year legacy and five campuses across France — including the one in Rennes, home to over 300 students. Renowned for producing more Michelin-starred chefs than any other culinary school in the country, Ferrandi’s Rennes campus is now expanding its international reach, supported by WTC Rennes Bretagne, in attracting students from around the world.

Third Stop: WTC Nantes Atlantique -  Connection, Incubation and Beyond

The third stop on our journey was to visit WTC Nantes Atlantique (associated with CCI Nantes-Saint-Nazaire). Located close to the airport, with connections to more than 75 international destinations, WTC Nantes Atlantique is located in a metropolis of 800,000 inhabitants, with 1 million estimated by 2030, and is the 3rd largest industrial region in France with an economy built around shipbuilding, aeronautics (after Bremen, Airbus chose Nantes for its R&D initiatives on hydrogen zero emissions), food processing, agro-business, mechanical engineering, composite materials, health, biotechnology, marine renewable energy and electronics, with leading international companies and a myriad of startups. The region also has competitive clusters in the biotherapy, plant and advanced manufacturing and production industries with many internationally recognized research centers and a very important digital sector. Run by the local Nantes Saint-Nazaire Chamber of Commerce, WTC Nantes Atlantique focuses on supporting foreign companies within the region (i.e., international business center, partners network, local network of businesses and corporate events).

In their Business Club, “International Ouest Club," they host more than 30 events per year for conferences, workshops, company visits and working groups; and provide their 160 members with access to meetings rooms, the WTCA network and a platform referencing all club members. Their goal for the next year is to develop WTC Nantes Atlantique to welcome foreign companies to Nantes and the Loire Valley region. They already have 40 firms and 200 tenants in their business center, which are SMEs and startups in emerging sectors. Every year in October, they organize the "International Week" in Nantes with over 1,200 participants to allow their members to connect with each other and promote the WTC brand to participants – it is the most important event dedicated to international development in France.

Fourth and Final Stop: WTC Poitiers Futuroscope -  Home to French Cuisine and Wine

The fourth and final stop on our journey was to visit WTC Poitiers Futuroscope (in association with CCI Vienne). Also located near the airport, WTC Poitiers Futuroscope is the only WTC in the southwest region of France, in the famous region of Cognac and Bordeaux. It is connected to 1,500 local export companies and has a Business Club (FuturExport) comprised of 75 members. The facility offers office space and meeting rooms for rent, in addition to an on-site student facility to train future retail and restaurant professionals.

They are currently building an amphitheater ahead of their 20-year celebration. After touring the business facility, we toured their retail training facilities, and concluded our visit with a student-operated dining experience. These students, ages 18–22, receive hands-on instruction from industry veterans. The training showcased the importance of preparing the next generation of culinary leaders in French gastronomy.

Throughout our “WTCA Tour de France,” we learned why France is a leading destination for foreign development investment projects in Europe. France is open for global business and accessible through local French WTC licenses that maintain strong ties with regional chambers. Exporting remains a challenge, but the openness to partnerships is strong. 

We thank the teams of WTC Paris Ile-de-France, WTC Rennes Bretagne, WTC Nantes Atlantique, and WTC Poitiers Futuroscope for their generous hospitality and insights.

If you’re interested in connecting with any of these French WTC businesses, please reach out to our WTCA Headquarters team, or Anaïs Jan, Membership Development Lead, Europe.