I had genuinely no prejudices about Saudi Arabia before coming here. I came here with an open-mind not expecting anything good or bad. I was pleasantly welcomed by the kindness and the hospitality of the people here and quickly found myself like at home in Jeddah,” said Cyril Poirson.

“Saudi Arabia is a unique country, complex to understand but very much fulfilling and compelling. One should have great adaptability skills for a successful expatriation, especially in here.”

Saudis “love France. They are very curious and interested by our culture and traditions. They are always very friendly, open-minded and happy to meet French people who chose their country to live in.”

I was born “in Lille, north of France, on Aug. 30, 1989. I grew up in Paris before going back to Lille for high school. I studied Foreign Languages at the University of Lille. I then went to study at the University of Leeds, in northern England. After I graduated with a Master’s degree in International Business and Negotiation I had the great opportunity to be the first and only French to ever study at the University of the Kingdom of Bahrain. After this amazing experience, having perfected my knowledge of both English and Arabic, I wanted to join the French diplomacy in the Gulf region. I applied for a job here in Jeddah and got hired.”

Today I am the “consular attaché at the visa department at the Consulate General of France in Jeddah. I meet people of so many nationalities and backgrounds, I get to know and understand new cultures, values and traditions. The beaches are beautiful, the dives in the Red Sea breathtaking.

The fish market, the Corniche of the historical district ‘Balad’ listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO make Jeddah such beautiful city. It is also the biggest commercial port of the region. It’s a dynamic city, alluring, a unique city that I love.”

— Cyril Poirson is the French Consulate’s consular attaché for visa services