Coralie Souadet, a 34-year-old woman from Mayenne, has fulfilled her dream by switching to a career that aligns with her deepest passions: becoming a flower grower.
After more than 11 years working in the luxury sector in Paris and Rennes, she made a complete career change, launching her own flower farm, Terre de couleurs, in Louverné (53), in October 2023.
Coralie Souadet chose to reconnect with her roots, as the great-granddaughter of a horticulturist and granddaughter of gardening enthusiasts. Her flower farm now offers a wide range of local, seasonal, and edible flowers, with more than 90 varieties grown according to organic farming principles. Her production includes tulips, ranunculus, anemones, edible flowers such as various roses, and decorative shrubs such as eucalyptus and pittosporum.
The reward for retraining: The business creation trophy
Among the 80 candidates in five categories, Coralie Souadet won the 2024 Career Change Trophy in the category Business Creation at a ceremony held in Rennes. This prestigious award recognizes her inspiring journey and success in a field far removed from her professional past. She is now aiming for a national award at the final, which will be held in Paris in November.
"It's a tremendous honor. This award recognizes not only hard work, but also a deeply human project," says Coralie. Through her journey, she demonstrates that it is possible to change direction at any point in life and combine passion and profession to successfully transition into a new career.
A springboard to training: The Land Campus Continuing Education Institute
To begin this career change, Coralie Souadet chosethe Continuing Education Institute at The Land Campus, renowned for its programs tailored to adults seeking a career change. This institute offers a wide range of agricultural and horticultural training courses, combining theoretical and practical teaching to meet the needs of the market and professionals.
In 2021, she obtained her Professional Agricultural Certificate (BPA) in Horticultural Production, specializing in ornamental and vegetable horticulture. This training, focused on horticultural production professions, covers the fields of nurseries, flower and vegetable cultivation. The educational objectives include:
- The management and monitoring of plant propagation,
- The establishment and management of crops,
- Crop observation and monitoring,
- Harvesting, preparing, and packaging products,
- The use and maintenance of materials and equipment,
- The marketing of horticultural products.
One of the great advantages of this program is access to modern and environmentally friendly facilities:
- 1,200 m² of professional greenhouses enabling realistic technical learning,
- A landscaped park certified as an EcoGarden , ideal for learning environmentally friendly practices,
- Teaching focused on organic production techniques.
Throughout the training program, trainees acquire the technical skills and knowledge necessary to quickly integrate into the professional sector. In addition, a 13-week internship with producers allows them to consolidate what they have learned and discover the day-to-day realities of the profession.
With this solid training and a strong commitment to her project, Coralie opened her flower farm on 3 hectares of land, with the ambition of cultivating 1 hectare within five years. She manages her entire business on her own, from preparing the soil to selling directly from her workshop and at the Laval market every Saturday. She is fully committed to managing her production, following each step with an unwavering passion for nature and floriculture.
A vision for the future
Coralie Souadet looks to the future with optimism and ambition. Her medium-term goal is to further develop her farm and become a key player in the local market, while continuing to grow flowers in a way that respects the environment and natural cycles.
