Fondation Sophia Antipolis (http://www.sophia-antipolis.org)

In just one generation we have seen the "Latin Quarter in the fields" described by Pierre LAFFITTE in his article published by Le Monde newspaper in 1960, grow into a Science Park known throughout the world. In this time a success story has been created in not only economic terms, but also on a social, cultural level. It is also known because of its concern for urban development, the environment and the repercussions on society as a whole.

But Sophia Antipolis would not have become a reality had it not been for concerted action on a local and national level. In his speech at the centenary of the French Riviera Chamber of Commerce, in 1960, the French minister Jean-Marcel JEANNENEY, spoke about the potential for economic diversity in the region by encouraging service industries and research.

The actual launch of Pierre LAFITTE's ideas done privately was quickly taken up and developed at State level. So the local authorities all worked together to bring about this project: the five original communes (Antibes, Biot, Mougins, Valbonne and Vallauris), the Alpes-Maritimes Local Council, the French Riviera Chamber of Commerce (which on the initiative of the President Jean-Jacques ROBERT would ensure that everything became fully operational and the decisive support of the State with the DATAR and successive prefects -- René-Georges THOMAS and Pierre LAMBERTIN among the first ones.

And so Sophia Antipolis was born. It was then made official by the Comité Interministériel d’Aménagement du Territoire (Interministerial Committee for Land Development) in April 1972, led by a joint syndicate developer, in 1974, under the name of SYMIVAL, which then became SYMISA, presided over by Francis PALMERO, and so Jacques MEDECIN became President of the Alpes-Maritimes General Council. SYMIVAL delegated the same year, the operational work load of Sophia Antipolis to the French Riviera Chamber of Commerce.

An economic development model had come into being and continues to serve as a reference for the whole world

In just 30 years of hope, human and financial investment have transformed a mad dream, thought up in the scrubland, into the construction of a technological and human community that plays a role in the world economy.

One can often hear executives and managers in Sophia Antipolis based companies saying that "Sophia Antipolis is a place where the grey matter likes to settle down to stay and prosper ".

At a time when the world economy is facing the rough ride that we know all too well, Sophia Antipolis remains a site where technological advances are developed to produce new applications, new tools and new forms of business.

But Sophia Antipolis is not only a pleasant place to work. People study and live here too.

The 150 hectares dedicated to greenery, leisure and to residential areas are home to 2,300 families.

The 1,500 hectares of greenery planted with Mediterranean species that surround the park make up the "green belt" of Sophia Antipolis. Space made into parks that are largely open to the public.