From Paris to Toulouse, a look at Julien’s life plan!

6 May 2021

After joining our Paris office in 2013, Julien finally decided to swap life in the capital for the Capitole of Toulouse a few years later. He looks back on the decision to move.

I wanted to leave Paris, but not CNS !

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How long were you in Paris, and what made you want to leave?

After nine years in Paris, my partner and I decided to leave Paris as we did not wish to start a family there. It seemed too complicated in terms of organisation. Buying a flat or house would mean we had to leave the centre, which entails a longer commute. And we weren't prepared to make that choice for our work or leisure time.

Why did you choose Toulouse to start a family?

I was looking towards the South West of France in general, for personal reasons as my family lives in this area. Toulouse was an option proposed by CNS after the office was opened, and it suited me and my wife. And also, I wanted to leave Paris, but not CNS!

Did you get used to the city easily?

We immediately fell in love with the city, because it is very festive and welcoming.
A little story, the first time I took the bus, someone got off at the back and shouted "bye" to the driver (he laughs). It surprised me at the time but I quickly realised that everyone does it. In shops and restaurants, it's the same, people are warm, pleasant and take the time for a chat. You feel at home very quickly

What advice would you give a Parisian who wants to change their life and move to a different region?

Everything depends on their personal reasons, and it wouldn't suit everyone. But if they feel overcrowded, that life is expensive and they are looking for a completely different environment, then don't hesitate to take the leap.
However, even though Toulouse is one of France's biggest cities, the range of entertainment is obviously not as extensive as in Paris.

Can you tell us about the atmosphere in the Toulouse office? Is it as warm as the welcome offered by the city?

Oh yes, it's definitely the case!
In the office, the population is fairly young, in their early thirties. We chat a lot, it's been easy to slot in! So, even if we all have busy family lives, we regularly set aside time to meet up outside of work (and Covid). We have very varied centres of interest, which we try to share with others from time to time, such as rock climbing or tennis matches.
We use our big conference room to show films for cinema enthusiasts one lunchtime a month. Looking forward to some good sessions as there are plenty of cult films to watch again.

Could you tell us something about what you are currently working on?

As an expert in collaborative systems, I am currently working on telephony and cloud collaborative applications. I'm working on several installations of Microsoft Teams, with totally different migration needs, customer situations and requirements, as well as potentially old logs.
It's also what makes projects different and interesting, even if they seem similar.

And so, do you call it a pain au chocolat or a chocolatine?

I've started saying chocolatine. No choice really, you've got to adapt to local customs! (he laughs). But you know, I don't know anyone who demands you say chocolatine! Even if you ask for a pain au chocolat, you'll get the same thing!

Like Julien, are you seeking to move to another region? Take a look at our vacant positions all over France!

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