There is no fixed pattern. Options range from opening a small representative office – a bureau de liaison – through to acquiring an existing company or setting up a new business from scratch. Many foreign investors want to project a French image as part of their marketing strategy. An easy way to do this is simply to acquire a French company.

Thanks to recent reforms, starting a business in France is becoming an ever more rewarding process. Further efforts to modernise and benefit small businesses, particularly those in modern industries such as technology, are also in the works. And the push to unite and strengthen the EU should create opportunities for all levels of French business for years to come.