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Let’s get to know each other!
La Cordée: welcoming spaces to beat isolation at work
Our mission since 2011
Bringing isolated workers together in spaces built on mutual support and good company
We’ve never felt so alone at work: digital tools connect us but also keep us apart, entrepreneurship brings flexibility but also anxiety, the world keeps speeding up and it’s tempting to withdraw into ourselves, at home.
At La Cordée, we believe in the power of places to help us feel better. By sharing and caring for the same space, a new kind of work collective emerges, where everyone finds whatever they need: a breather, a boost, ideas, help, a network... and a healthier work environment, for people and organizations alike.
Our spaces are as warm and diverse as the people who bring them to life every day!
What we do
Third-place facilitators: welcoming communities and bringing them to life
We’re very proud to have helped build this unlikely job, now found in other coworking spaces and in most third places. A job of unmatched versatility: a mix of community engagement and professional support, space management, sales and communications! Skills carried with a good dose of humor, resourcefulness and collective intelligence.
It’s work on social connection and the quality of our relationships, too often overlooked in our society. Ask us your questions, we’d be happy to chat about it!
Our story
An entrepreneurial adventure that owes everything to the collective
The story began with two people in 2011, when Julie Pouliquen and Michael Schwartz co-founded La Cordée with a first space in Charpennes, Villeurbanne. Remote work was still in its infancy and nobody knew the word "coworking"! The idea of a network of human-scale spaces quickly took root, and the project spread around Lyon and then across France.
15 years later, more than 7,000 members have been part of La Cordée’s community, itself brought to life by more than 80 team members. Today the company is run by 15 employees and supported by a board of directors that includes the co-founders, Lyon-based entrepreneurs, the Caisse des Dépôts (a French public financial institution) and the management team.
Bonus: staying connected through our tools
Le Refuge, our collaborative members’ platform
Life at a Cordée doesn’t stop at our doors. To keep the conversation going between members, we created Le Refuge, our collaborative extranet that lets members:
➜ Chat with all of our members
➜ Browse our community’s profiles
➜ Check out our events calendar
➜ Book rooms completely on their own
➜ Discover our partner offers
In a nutshell
What makes us different
A professional house-share
Let’s be clear: we love well-equipped offices, but that’s not what sets us apart. A business center rents out square meters; we bring a community to life. That nuance makes all the difference day to day.
A solid-gold team
In every Cordée, a manager welcomes you, supports you throughout your time with us, and brings the space and community to life. We know our members, and that human connection makes all the difference on your very first day.
Plenty of events
We organize coffees, afternoon snacks, happy hours and a real events program so that connections happen naturally. We suggest, you decide. Icing on the keyboard: you can bring your own idea to life too!
Mutual support for everyone
Goodbye loneliness and lack of motivation. Hello listening, support and advice. At La Cordée coworking, we do everything we can to move forward together, like... well, a roped climbing team!
Shared governance
We couldn’t offer a friendly, supportive environment if we didn’t live it ourselves as colleagues. Feel free to ask us about it, we love talking about it.
Rooted in the social and solidarity economy
La Cordée is rooted in the third-place movement and the social and solidarity economy. Climate Fresk workshops, nonprofit pitches, screenings and discussions... our spaces welcome initiatives that share our vision of a welcoming, inclusive society open to dialogue. And if you have a project that brings people together, let’s talk!
The best way to get to know us?
Come try out our Cordées!
Got questions?
We’re here to help
A coworking space is a shared workplace where people from different backgrounds (remote employees, freelancers, entrepreneurs) work side by side, with shared services: desks, internet, meeting rooms, coffee. Beyond the desk, what La Cordée really offers is a community and a shared life that help break the isolation of working alone.
In each of its cities, La Cordée offers coworking (flex desk or dedicated desk), meeting rooms, private hire for your events, and business address services for entrepreneurs. All within a network of 9 spaces accessible with a single membership.
La Cordée was founded in late 2011 in Lyon by Julie Pouliquen and Michael Schwartz. Today it is run by a team using shared governance. A group of entrepreneurs and the Caisse des Dépôts are also shareholders in the company.
Currently 9 spaces in 5 cities: Annecy, Lyon / Villeurbanne, Nantes, Paris and Rennes.
A business center rents out offices; La Cordée brings a community to life. Each space is run by a manager who welcomes coworkers and runs a real program of friendly events.
Your first day is free. Pick your Cordée, fill out the contact form, and we’ll get back to you to welcome you.