The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of Gard held its annual economic rentrée on September 14, gathering over 1,000 entrepreneurs at the Maison des entreprises in Nîmes, according to local reporting. Led by CCI President Éric Giraudier, the event served as a platform to unveil a new economic roadmap for the department, framed around long-term regional development, industrial reinforcement, and local proximity.
The Gard 2030 Prospective Strategy
Giraudier emphasized that the framework is designed to function as an active methodology rather than a static administrative report. The strategy structures its economic goals around three main employment basins in the department: Nîmes, Alès, and Bagnols-sur-Cèze.
Facing tighter public budgets, the CCI strategy prioritizes economic clustering by specific sectors rather than relying on isolated megaprojects.
Competitive Challenges Within Occitanie
Giraudier raised concerns regarding the administrative integration of Gard into the broader Occitanie region, established a decade ago. While the historical capital of Montpellier sits roughly 35 minutes away, the regional center of Toulouse requires a three-hour journey by road or rail, complicating regional coordination for local businesses.
To counter regional centralization, the CCI is emphasizing local economic sovereignty and defending the department’s industrial footprint.
Local Delegations and Industrial Development in Bagnols-sur-Cèze
Maintaining physical proximity for business owners remains a core operational goal for the agency. Unlike many regional chambers that have streamlined operations into centralized hubs, the Gard CCI maintains an active local delegation in Bagnols-sur-Cèze, which Giraudier highlighted as a practical tool for cutting administrative delays.
In the Gard rhodanien sector, the local CCI unit collaborates directly with the urban community to support industrial land development, notably around the L’Ardoise site, which holds the official “clé en main France 2030” industrial label. The organization acts as a liaison for incoming industrial investments, aiming to align local stakeholders to streamline the establishment of new enterprises.
Upcoming Professional Tourism Events
The CCI is also preparing to host the Mirabilia trade show in Nîmes in late November. The program targets cultural, heritage, and gastronomic tourism, directing long-term promotional focus toward regional assets such as the Camargue, the Cévennes, and the Pont du Gard.
