Have you noticed France is going through a purple patch right now? Not just globally, but in South Australia as well.

Fresh from its World Cup win, all eyes have again been on the country of “les bleus” with the Tour de France, where the world’s top cyclists pedalled across its beautiful backdrops over 23 days and 21 stages.

The famous race is broadcast in more than 100 countries and watched by a global audience of about four billion people.

Locally the connection continues to develop, following the successful bid by French company Naval Group to build Australia’s next generation submarines in Adelaide under a $50 billion contract – creating jobs and prosperity for our state.

Mega projects aside, smaller ventures and partnerships are popping up across the state.

We have a French school in our eastern suburbs, catering for the children of expats and workers arriving for the future submarines project.

Late last year Business SA launched a partnership with the French Government, Business France and the South Australian Government to host the VIE program at our Business SA offices.

We created a hub to host French businesses wanting to establish a base in Australia under the program. Two businesses have arrived and a third is on the way.

Another French – Australian partnership is Tree Climb in the South Parklands. Adelaide’s first nature-based aerial adventure park is being built by French company Altus, which has created more 150 courses worldwide.

Business SA recently organised a fun networking night of soul and blues to foster relationships with our growing French business community, generously supported by Pernod Ricard Winemakers and Schneider Electric.

Pop garden party, So Frenchy So Chic, has announced it will return to Pinky Flat next year, featuring headline acts from the culture capital. We have French cafes, French bars and French restaurants (and so on).

Doing business with France is a smart move for SA.

Over the next 50 years it will be one of our most significant trading and industrial partners.

As relationships grow, we are ideally placed to host emerging and established companies, from defence contractors to energy giants, food producers, service industries, tourism and hospitality businesses.

Business SA is working to foster relationships with those companies wanting to send people over and test the waters, and we want to show how easy it is doing business with our state. Our housing is more affordable, it is easier to travel around the city than the gridlocked east and the cost of living is generally lower.

Building relationships with our French friends is critical to furthering our connection with France and indeed Europe. We look forward to the new business opportunities, increasing skilled migration and new jobs that will come as we seize opportunities created with one of Europe’s strongest economies.

Nigel McBride is Chief Executive of Business SA

This article was originally published in the South Australian Business Journal in The Advertiser on Tuesday 7 August 2018.