Do you want to start a business in France? If YES, here are 66 best small business ideas & investment opportunities in France to start with no money. France is a country where brand awareness and corporate identity speaks volumes.
Buying into a franchise is far more advisable than starting from scratch. For this reason, we will be outlining 50 business and franchise ideas in France.
Best Business ideas in France
Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and loads of tourists are attracted to the Eiffel Towers. If you are interested in starting a business in France, then you should consider starting your own travels and tours company in France. You can decide to come into the industry as a big time player or as a small player.
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African Gifts/Cultural Shop
African gifts shop is another viable and very profitable business that anyone can setup in any of the cities in France because of the large numbers of people with African descent who are willing and proud to identify with their heritage. If you know you can create channels where you can get gifts from different African cultures, then you should consider starting this type of business in France and you will be sure to enjoy high patronage.
If you are a certified insurance broker and you live in France, you can consider starting your own Insurance Brokerage firm.
The truth is that insurance brokerage business is a profitable business and the industry can still accommodate new entrants; despite the fact that it is highly regulated and will require a license to be able to start an insurance brokerage firm.
If you live in Paris or any of the major cities in France and you are looking for a cool way of making cash, then you should consider starting your own Taxi business. All you need to do to get started is to register with the local authority and then obtain your business license and permits to operate your Taxi.
The truth is that if your Taxi business is well managed, you can grow it from just one Taxi to fleet of cabs covering a wider spectrum of your city.
Another thriving and profitable business that someone can easily start in France is owner operator trucking business. It is fact that loads of companies and even individuals transports their goods from one part of the country to another part of the country and it pays them to contract it to an owner operator trucking business owner.
All you need to do to setup this type of business is to enroll in Commercial Truck Driving School, obtain your Commercial Driving License (CDL), purchase a reliable truck and then source for haulage business.
Restaurant and bar is yet another popular but profitable business in France. If you are looking for a business to setup in Paris, Monaco, Lille, Nantes, St. Etienne, Lyon or any city in France, then you should consider starting your own restaurant business.
You can decide to serve local dishes or international cuisines or both in your restaurant and you will still make good returns on your investment. Just ensure that your restaurant and bar is well positioned and you tailor your menu to the need of the community where you are located.
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Real Estate Agency
The real estate industry in France is a very big industry and it is still open for investors to come in. So, you can get trained as a realtor and then start your own real estate agency.
France is one the countries in the world that can boast of a top notch interior decoration industry in the world. Some of the finest decorations and designs you see around are majorly from France or Italy. If you are interested in this industry, you can get trained and then setup your own interior decoration business.
If you have cash and you are looking for a viable business to start in France, then you should look towards starting your own Jewelleries and Accessories shop in any of the cities
Thousands of websites are looking for interesting content, every day of the year. If you have a topic that you think you can write about well, someone somewhere is looking for your skills. Try elance.com ‘writing and translation’ section to get started; although I understand there are lots of other sites which also bring writers together with those looking for articles.
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Translator
If you are bilingual, there is always need for translators. People with holiday rental websites would often like them to be in other languages but lack the necessary skills. Email them and suggest you could do it.
Unlike in the UK, no-one has ever come to us in France and offered to be a window cleaner. If they did, we will probably say yes, if the price was right. Needed – van and ladder!
It is now possible to sell photos online with no need of an agent, through one of the websites such as dreamstime.com or istockphoto.com – you receive a percentage of the sale price of each photo sold. You will need a good camera and a tripod, and a copy of adobe Photoshop or similar software. The photos sell quite cheaply, so the trick is to take and upload lots of high quality photos, in the popular categories.
I have never done this myself, but know at least three people who earn respectable money by buying things in stores, usually at sale time, from discount warehouses, or from ‘seconds’ type shops, and then selling the same things on eBay for more. One of these people is in France and considers it their full-time job. Apparently ‘brand name’ items sell best.
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Home Video Studio
Enjoy fooling around with cameras? You can make a solid income at home from this in-demand skill, providing content for companies on the web. Working with Home Video Studio, with access to the right tools and guidance, you can turn this one business into 27 different profit centres, all from your own home.
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Instant App Wizard Home
With mobile devices taking over, the demand for apps has never been stronger. Instant App Wizard lets you sell web apps to businesses in your area. You get the training and tools you need to start right away.
Did you ever dream of creating your own online store? Then having an Online business store is the best business for you. There are lots of online business stores thriving in France. You can join the train of entrepreneurs.
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Cell Routes France
Cell phones are everywhere. Cash in with accessories for these necessities. Cell Routes France gives you an exclusive territory. Set up displays at local retailers and count your money. This is a very lucrative business that you can look to start at any time and make good money from.
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Perks Nearby
Businesses in your area need loyalty programs and the ability to offer shoppers coupons and deals. You can offer these in-demand marketing tools to firms in your area. This will guarantee good returns on your investment always.
20. Cemetery Restoration Business
Many people enjoy wandering through old cemeteries. What is sad is the number of monuments that have fallen over or are damaged. Families hire contractors who understand how to get them looking clean and whole. Cemetery Restoration Pros teaches you how to restore old headstones, beatify gravesites and maintain them.
21. Energy Saving Business
You too can become an energy consultant. As a consultant, you help homeowners save money on their energy bills. The service covers electrical, natural gas and solar energy. You earn a residual income, so the original sale is just the start.
22. Unique Imported Wines Business
Do you enjoy wine? Consider selling Unique Imported Wines, the perfect opportunity for wine lovers with an overall knowledge of different types of wine. You can sell wine from France, south africa, Argentina, Chile and other countries.
23. Organic Coffee Business
Who doesn’t drink coffee? You can begin to sell and distribute organic coffee- like the gourmet coffee. You will be required to know a couple of manufacturers so that you can discuss about being a distributor. You may also want to undertake some research to know your market.
24. Property Inspections Business
Enter the booming property inspection field, with over 5 million inspections done annually. There are several bodies that offer trainings in this field before you become a consultant.
25. Clean out Foreclosures Business
If you enjoy home maintenance and cleaning, this is an excellent, low-cost opportunity. You get to tidy homes that are in foreclosure and keep them suitable maintained until they are sold.
26. Life Coach Business
Do you want to help individuals improve their lives? You can offer a range of home-study courses and live seminars in the area of personal development, leadership and wealth creation. You must naturally have the passion for this before you can dabble into it.
27. Sell Beauty and Wellness Products
Sell beauty and wellness products to people who want to lose weight and have more energy. There are lots of products that are affordable, effective and organic. They have a full line of nutritional supplements, body contouring products and a skin care line.
28. Natural Food Business
The natural food and supplement field is booming and this is because people are worried about their own health and that of their family. You can tap into this lucrative market and make some huge money from it within a short period of time.
29. Recruitment Services
You can start your own firm of providing recruitment services to other companies. You just need good data of candidates looking for Job. Just refer a candidate to the company and get money out of it. This is a good business to launch into.
30. Party Planning
In France, giving a party is culture. If you are planning to start a business in the mega cities of France, providing planning service for a party is a good business idea. You have to do all the research that is required for you to come out good in this industry.
31. Social Media Services
Today, social media play a big role in business. Many companies look for the specialist and social media service providers. You can plan to start your own company which will do ghost-writing for businesses, posting on blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn and twitter accounts & Facebook pages.
32. Translation Services
Today, many companies work across France and sometimes they face problems related to languages. A translation service would be required to interpret all sorts of documents, but their greatest source of revenue will be legal and medical companies.
You can specialize in the one or two languages you speak fluently, or you can hire other translators who know multiple languages.
33. Video Conference & Board Room Facilities
Many Small and Medium Enterprise do not have a video conference or boardroom facility. If you have space, capital and expertise to make board room or video conference facility you can plan to make money out of it.
34. Medical Tour Services
Compare with Foreign countries, medical expense in France is quite less. This is why many foreign nationals come to France for surgeries or medical treatment. You can plan to make service firm to provide services for visiting foreign nationals for medical treatment in France.
35. Dietary consultancy services
The majority of people worried today about a food they eat. They often seek external guidance on eating habits and diet chart. If you are expert in this field you can plan to start dietary consultancy service. My advice here would be to hire a good dietician for this business.
36. Used car dealership
Buying a car today is a dream of many middle-class people but very few can pursue it. This may be due to lack of money. Many of them opt for the used car. You can start a business by taking dealership of used car and working on commission basis.
37. Mobile garage service
Opening mobile garage by keeping mobile manpower/repairers is good business idea because usually car breakdown take place in the area where garage service is not available. You just need good mechanics and motorcycle to start this business.
38. Auto modification service
Today, people cannot afford imported car and they often go for modification of existing car for good design and look. This gives birth to a good business called as auto modification service.
39. Driving school
Driving School is evergreen business as we see a number of cars are increasing day by day, more and more people wants to learn how to drive a car. In order to start this business, you need a number of cars and a good team of drivers who can teach car driving.
40. Car parking
Car parking service is a recent concept, as you know that parking car in the business area is always a problem if you have huge space you can utilize this space by providing safe and secure car parking place.
41. Hobby class
Today every parents look for holistic development of their children & they are ready to pay for it. This give birth to very good business idea called as hobby class. You can start hobby class for dance, music, craft based on skill you possess.
42. Sport Coaching
Many people today peruse sport as career & parents even want their children to participate in extracurricular activity. If you are professional in sports you can start acting as a professional sports coach.
43. Dance Class
If you are very good at the dance, you can think of starting dance class which is a very good business option. Many parents look for a good dance class for their children. If you are a great dancer, then you too can start a dance class business to make dome good money.
44. Baby keeping
Today in France, we find a lot of working woman & they often find difficult to manage work with kids. If you start a business of baby keeping in France, you will surely see success. The baby keeping business will require that you hire people who have a passion for the job.
45. Courier Company
Courier service is a very old business. Many people today look for better shipping costs and timely delivery if you can manage it this business is for you. This is one way to help lots of people run errands for a fee.
46. Mobile Food service
Serving healthy and tasty food is very good idea & that is also in the form of mobile service. You can think of starting mobile food service. In this business, you don’t require huge capital but yes you must serve healthy and tasty food.
47. Packer and Movers
This business needs special skill to pack an entire household into a few boxes. A house-owner will gladly get himself rid of such a headache and let you do it for a fee. It is a business idea with the maximum number of clients coming from the central government services & public limited companies.
48. Car Pool service
Carpool means sharing a single car for going to the same destination. By this, fuel cost will be split and thus it will save money for individual. While office goers and school children both do this informally, there is a need for this to be done formally as well.
You can start a service by identifying potential customers, linking them up and charging a fee on facilitation of such a service.
49. Rain water harvesting
Rainwater harvesting means storing rainwater for future usage, In some cities , it is mandatory to store rain water. People often look for help to understand about rainwater harvesting. You can start your own rainwater harvesting consultancy business.
50. Green Consultancy
Future is dependent on green technology and more and more business today opt for green. If you have skill and knowledge of energy-saving you can start this business. One of the fastest ways to get information about this business is to browse the internet.
51. Fashion Boutique
fashion boutique is an evergreen business idea. What you need is good commercial location & range of product as per current market taste. Women especially do not get tired of displaying new styles in vogue, and so your fashion business will sell like crazy when well stocked.
52. Used products buy and sell
This is a business idea for those who have the ability to find beauty in old things. In this business, you buy and sell old used products to earn money. There are lots of people who will be willing to sell you their used phone for a token, whilst you make some good money reselling them.
53. Green Store
As more and more people become aware of how the earth is being damaged by us, they are inclined towards products that are green and do not harm the environment. Access to such products is not always easy if you open green products store, preferably an online one. This can be a great problem solver as well as a good business idea.
54. Pet Care
If you love an animal this business is for you. What you need is rich people owning a pet but unable to take care of it. You can start charging them for taking care of a pet. In the urban area, this could be a very good Business model.
55. Interior Decoration
This is old but evergreen business idea. This business requires special skill and creativity & convincing power. Right from the internet, you can learn the decorating art. There are loads of online free courses that you can look at adopting.
56. Gardening Service
Providing Gardening service seems to be an odd idea but many companies today opt for good gardening services for up keeping space. This business is booming in concurrence with the business of real estate.
57. Appliance repair service
This is a small business idea where you just need the skill to repair a household appliance. You may keep repairman mobile to provide services at different places. Good marketing skill can make this business successful.
58. Security Agency
Security is need of everyone today. Starting a security agency is indeed the good business idea. What you need is good security manpower ex-army or trained. The need for security personnel will always be on the increase, and this is because of the need to keep people secure.
59. Cyber Security and IT security
With increased used of Internet, associated crime has grown up drastically. Organization and forensic department always look for good cyber and IT security expert. If you are very good at IT security services you can turn this skill into a good business idea.
60. Disaster management
Providing Disaster management services is another idea. A natural disaster like flood, earth quack or terror attack sometimes makes life miserable. Managing risk associated with disaster is a challenge today. A disaster management firm can put in processes and solutions to minimize risk in terms of both property and lives.
61. Detective service
Today, more and more people are adopting western culture, this gives birth to a requirement of spy or detective. Many individual and companies take services of detective today. There are a lot of people who are always in need of sleuths. You can build a business around it.
62. Local Classified
In local classified advertisement business, you need to take advertisement from individual or business owner and publish it into media either online or in newspaper magazine. Local classified business always rocks as advertising and marketing are important functions for every business & people are ready to spend money for that.
63. DJ Services
Disk jockey service is part-time innovative business idea. People look for DJ on multiple occasions. If you are very good at music you can rock this business. Entertainment is one art that never goes into extinction. You need to however learn the art to be vast in it.
64. Match Make
Marriages are made in heaven but have to be found on earth. Keeping this thought in mind our next business idea is to provide matchmaker service. This business is ideal for the housewife.
65. Fire Fighting Equipment Business
It is now mandatory to keep fire-fighting equipment like a fire extinguisher and fire detection system in buildings. This gives birth to the business idea of starting fire fighting equipment store.
66. Travel Agency
Starting a travel agency is a very good business idea. People today want to relax and enjoy vacation freely. They don’t want to worry about the ticket, hotel booking, and stuff. They are ready to pay a good amount of money to tour agency for this.