Les Frangines, a support network for rural female entrepreneurs.

In the campaigns of southwestern France, a discreet but active network brings together women who undertake far from the big cities. Farmers, artisans, creators, or freelancers gather to share their experiences, break isolation, and support each other in facing daily challenges. Founded in 2016, the collective Les Frangines has become a space for listening and solidarity where advice, contacts, and energy circulate to advance projects often led alone.

AI Index: Library of Mediterranean Knowledge
Les Frangines, a support network for rural female entrepreneurs
22-med – March 2026
• In the Comminges countryside, female entrepreneurs gather to break isolation and share their professional experiences.
• Founded in 2016, the collective Les Frangines offers rural women a space for exchange, training, and solidarity to advance their projects.
#rurality #entrepreneurship #women #territory #solidarity #agriculture #craftsmanship

Comforting aromas of arabica and tea fill La Cafetière, a cultural third place in the medieval city of Aurignac. About fifteen women gathered on this rainy afternoon in this small commune in the west of Haute-Garonne. Some came as neighbors, others from farther away, from surrounding departments. The small country roads did not deter them from braving the autumn drizzle. It must be said that the meeting of Les Frangines is an opportunity for many of them to break away from a solitary daily life: the work on the farm, the tasks and creation behind a desk, a counter, or in a workshop...

Eyes are turned towards Agathe, whose takeover of the farm, which she hopes to see succeed, is proving complicated. She shares the difficulties encountered, and the attentive group listens and tries to advise her as best as possible. The intense discussion underway meets the objectives of the collective Les Frangines : to help each other, to support each other, to break isolation, and to bring together women who work in rural areas.

“ Female entrepreneurs are often alone. It is even more so away from the cities. They can feel neglected, overwhelmed in their daily lives. Between professional life and family life, they don’t see many people. Participating in the meetings, cafes, and workshops of Les Frangines fosters and nourishes connections ,” emphasizes Mathilde Loisil, facilitator of the collective since May 2024.

Between professional difficulties and the realities of rural sexism

The network Les Frangines was launched in 2016 to encourage female entrepreneurship in rural areas. The one that Mathilde Loisil facilitates has been supported since 2020 by the CIVAM 31 in partnership with the Maison de l’avenir Comminges-Pyrénées whose dynamic director, Julie Talbot, sometimes co-pilots the events. “ She has a great knowledge of the territory, the actors who operate there, and a contagious energy ,” observes Mathilde Loisil.

The idea of Les Frangines is to allow women who undertake in rural areas to have a space and resources close to their place of life to meet, exchange, and enhance their skills. “ Even though we are in an agricultural environment, the collective is not only representative of farming. Women farmers are certainly included, but in rural areas, there are also artisans, shopkeepers, creators, self-employed individuals, project leaders...”

Thus, when public services desert rural areas or are insufficient, women are the first to be affected (childcare, transportation to be ensured…). Moreover, they have more difficulties integrating into certain professional networks. And obtaining funding to carry out their projects. Because sexism does not stop at the city limits. It is also a reality in the countryside. The rural world, including agriculture, is indeed becoming more feminine, but there is still much to be done to erase stereotypes and inequalities.

Sharing tools, experiences, and concrete solutions

The collective Les Frangines allows for exchanges about the realities of entrepreneurial life, about the joys and obstacles encountered. “ This is not necessarily what we do when we chat with friends where we primarily discuss family, mutual friends, leisure...,” acknowledges the facilitator. Les Frangines promote support, the pooling of tools or collaborations, training, and exchanges of practices. “ When one of us encounters a stumbling block in her path, others can provide a solution, pass on a contact that could help, share a similar experience ,” continues Mathilde Loisil.

The issues raised can revolve around self-esteem, the ability to assess the value of one's work, impostor syndrome, difficulties in getting known and reaching out to others… “ More technical questions about accounting, business plans, and communication are more the domain of specific actors in the territory. So we pass on the contact details if necessary .”

The meetings of Les Frangines, about two a year, allow for defining and maintaining the objectives and expectations of the participants. The Cafés, more frequent, are informal moments where topics related to entrepreneurship and rurality are discussed. Information about their holding and the meeting place, rotating across the entire geographical area concerned, is disseminated to the 150 registered members of the network. It is up to each to come according to their availability and desires. “ In principle, it starts with a round table. We introduce ourselves. We explain what we do, what brings us here, what we expect, and the discussion takes off from there ,” summarizes Mathilde Loisil. The workshops address more specific needs or training: getting started with a practice, understanding a technique...

Cafés and workshops to bring projects to life

Mathilde distributes post-its. Ballpoint pens to those who don’t have any. She invites participants to note their needs, what would be relevant to address during the next cafés, and what workshops to initiate. The third place of La Cafetière is quite silent. Only the pencils express themselves on the scraps of paper. Émilie writes supported by the edge of her table. With her partner, she is working hard on La Marmite Electrique, their cultural café canteen project based in Sepx, a small village in the region.

Their goal is to invest in the surrounding rural communes lacking cultural venues and bistros. To recreate social ties in these small towns far from Toulouse, where life may not be so vibrant, but where it is nonetheless vital to instill a dynamic. They have found, thanks to Les Frangines, the energy to continue the sometimes difficult adventure. “ We have been looking for a location for a year and a half to set up our cultural living space. The support and connections from Les Frangines have helped us stay the course .”

Catherine is sitting across from Émilie. She is a regular at Les Frangines. At first, she did not see what the collective could offer her. “ I thought I didn’t belong in this network. I’m no longer a young one. I’ve already had my career. My donkey breeding is mainly a pleasure to showcase the animals I love .” Quickly, she understood that she had, through her experience, a voice to share. And that there was no set profile, age, or type of activity to join the collective. “ We come from different backgrounds. But the struggle to balance professional life with being a woman is something we all share .”