A coworking space in a village of 500 inhabitants in the heart of Périgord. The initiative was daring, its realization is a success. Five years after its debut in 2017, the third place La Boîte à bosses (abbreviated as Bab) is well established in the landscape of La Tour-Blanche-Cercles. “Initially, the inhabitants took a little time to understand what we were doing here. They thought we were one and the same company, ”remembers Hannah Durrant, an English teacher, who has been part of the adventure since its inception.
“We are three quarters of an hour’s drive from Périgueux and Angoulême,” says Paul Malville, mayor of the town for 43 years. We have no choice, we have to keep our territory alive. The idea of having people work in one place in rural areas seemed relevant and innovative to me. “
To launch the project, the municipality made the premises of the old school canteen available. Rehabilitated, they now house six offices devoted to members of the association La Boîte à bosses. “More than a coworking space, the Bab is a third place open to all,” insists the teacher. “The notion of third place can mean everything and its opposite. It all depends on the will of the people who bring it to life, ”adds Eva Duquesne, an expert in spatial planning and“ co-worker ”at La Tour-Blanche for almost a year and a half.
Informal nursery
Cup of tea in hand, Hannah Durrant enjoys the open view overlooking the market square. Like every Wednesday, vendors and shoppers are busy there. She expects to receive a few visits. “Here, we speak English, Dutch, Swedish or even Norwegian,” she jokes. Sometimes we have the impression of serving as a tourist office, especially for newcomers. “
“Everyone comes to the Bab for what they need”, testifies Eva Duquesne. She is one of the ten or so permanent co-workers of the structure. “It’s stimulating to work with people from other horizons who take a benevolent but professional outlook on our work,” says the Périgordine. Beekeeper, expert in international finance or even work psychologist, the range of skills is wide.
And the reputation of the Bab begins to exceed the ruins of the keep which gave its name to the town. “We serve as an informal incubator for the development of microenterprises,” says Hannah Durrant. And recently, we have started to be solicited by public establishments in the Périgord Vert to provide our expertise. “
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