Tell us about your journey after graduation: what roles did you hold, and what did they teach you?
I started my career in Marketing in London at a financial placement consulting firm. When I returned to France, I joined the retail sector as a Sales Manager at Orangina-Pampryl. I quickly realized that I was more interested in human relations than pure sales. So I joined a subsidiary of the Adecco Group as Recruitment and Planning Manager. Two years later, I wanted to deepen my knowledge of HR, so I went back to school and joined the Master’s in HR at IAE Aix. After that, I spent six months at GRDF working on the launch of the new LNG terminal in Fos.

I then joined EPA Euroméditerranée, where I stayed for 10 years as a generalist HR professional. Finally, three years ago, during a four-month family experience in French Polynesia, I tried working as a tour guide—and it was a revelation! I couldn’t wait to go to work and make my clients happy. When I returned to mainland France, I decided to leave HR behind. I wanted a job that truly aligned with my values and skills. I’d long wanted to learn more about the world of wine, so I went back to school to study it.

I built my project step by step. It took about four months to define exactly what I wanted to do, and six more months to organize everything before registering the business. I’m originally from Provence, I love nature and wine, and I love making people happy and sharing my passion—so becoming a wine tourism guide in Provence became an obvious choice. I started prospecting vineyards within an hour’s radius of Aix-en-Provence, from Châteauneuf-du-Pape to Bandol. In January 2018, I officially launched my new venture: Vignévasion, a wine tourism agency in Provence. Thanks to the experience I’ve gained throughout my career, I’m able to take the necessary perspective on the daily challenges faced by entrepreneurs.

What is your current project/situation? How did the idea and desire to do what you do today come about?
I started organizing small group tours (max 8 people) in April 2018. In June 2018, during a KEDGE networking event, I met Sophie Paradis, also a KEDGE graduate. She’s an event project manager and had been thinking about starting her own business to organize events in Provence. She’s passionate about gastronomy. We hit it off, and she offered to help if I ever had larger groups wanting to organize vineyard events.

I had been thinking about developing the team-building and seminar side of Vignévasion, but had planned to do that in the third year of the business. Meeting Sophie accelerated those plans. I realized I had to seize the opportunity and dive into MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events) earlier than expected.

For the past year, Sophie and I have been working together daily to develop Vignévasion’s MICE offering, organizing events in the heart of Provence’s vineyards, showcasing the region’s hidden gems while respecting the environment. Our brand image is built on authentic connections with real artisans, winemakers, and producers, and on taking our clients to unique places they wouldn’t discover on their own. We offer turnkey experiences that are fun, original, and far from traditional team-building formats. Our image is professional yet relaxed, and we aim to give our products an CSR dimension, working mainly with organic and biodynamic producers.

What are your development goals for the future?
We want to grow our MICE offering in the PACA region, across France, and even in London, where we both spent time. We stand out with original experiences like a life-sized escape game in the vineyards, and with our ability to adapt to our clients’ desires. Our main goal is to delight our clients and leave them with a piece of Provence in their hearts.

How did your education at KEDGE Business School help you become who you are today, and how did its teachings support your project’s development?
My time at KEDGE gave me a solid foundation in management and project planning. I also learned to work in teams, with people from different nationalities, and especially to speak English—which I now use daily, as all my excursion clients are English-speaking. Throughout my career, I’ve developed skills that I now use every day—even personal experiences I never imagined would be useful professionally.

If you had to give one piece of advice to KEDGE graduates who want to follow a similar path, what would it be?
As an entrepreneur, you need to use all the resources within you—and surround yourself with people who complement the skills you don’t have. Sophie and I are very complementary, and we appreciate that every day. Stay curious, open-minded, humble, and eager to learn throughout your life. And above all, stay true to yourself—it’s hard to fake it long-term. Know your values and stick to them in every decision you make. It helps you stay centered and gives clarity to your prospects and clients.

Anything else to add?
If you want to surprise your team at your next seminar, we’d be delighted to create a tailor-made event for you. Warmth and conviviality guaranteed!