ENTERPRISE RESOURCES :
. Population of 350,000, 35% of which are under 25
. 82 administrative communities
. Working population of 115,000 (30% employed in industry and 70% in services)
. 2nd largest conurbation of the Nord/Pas-de-Calais
. 14th largest French conurbation
. Readily available pool of stable, qualified workers, the youngest in France
. 14,800 students
. 6,800 businesses
. 121 foreign businesses employing 11,000 people
. 700 new businesses created each year
. Excellent communications : A2, A23, A26 motorways, TGV (high-speed train) line, wide gauge canal
. 11 TGV to Paris per day
. Airport for business travel
. Highly developed public transport network : buses, trains, trams (to open in 2006).

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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES :
. 14,800 students
. Universtiy of Valenciennes and Hainaut-Cambrésis (130 general and professional courses,
2 engineering schools, 1 technical university (IUT), 9 departments, 6 institutes and faculties)
. 6schools managed by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, including : SUPINFOCOM, SUPINFOGAME, ISD, IPHC
. Network of professionnal training centres
. Technology transfer/applied research units (C3T) and 13 R&D laboraties (650 research scientists and research tutors).

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SOURCE OF DISCOVERY :
Cultural showcase
. International Festival of Action and Adventure Films, ranked among the top ten cinema festivals in France (source Technikart N° 63 May 2003)
. Valenciennes Museum of Fine Arts (2nd largest collection of Flemish paintings in France after the Louvre)

. National theatre : Le Phénix
. Denin and Anzin theatres
. Valenciennes Library (contains the oldest known manuscript written in French)
. Fortifications in Condé-sur-Escaut
. Abbey tower in Saint-Amand-les Eaux
. 2 schools of music

Leisure facilities
. Natural Regional Park (53,000 hectares)
. 6,000 hecatres of state forestland
. Spa at Saint-Amand-les-Eaux
. Mormal and Valenciennes golf courses
. 4 marinas
. 1 casino (and leisure complex)

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CENTRE(S) OF GRAVITY :
. The 9 assests of the Valenciennes Region

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ENERGY OF THE FUTURE :
Valenciennes 2003-2006: the big facelift

. Tram system shortly to serve the conurbation
. Replanning of Valenciennes town centre with a new shopping complex baptised "Coeur de Ville
. Pleasure boat harbours to be created on the Scarpe and Escaut rivers
. Water play & leisure pool in Saint-Amand-les-Eaux

 

Free Zone : Part of the region is to be classified as a Free Zone from 1st January 2004, which will make it eligible for a number of tax exemptions : . Corporate tax . Local taxes (business tax, land tax) . Transfer duty . Employers' social contributions