Under the hilarious gaze of his colleagues, François puts on his helmet topped with a large glass of water. In a few seconds, the man will try to take on a crazy challenge. Complete an obstacle course set up on the La Défense square, between the Cnit and the 4 temps shopping center, without dropping a single drop.
Welcome to the first edition of League of Defense, a crazy competition which, until Thursday evening, pits around thirty companies and schools from the business district against each other. On the program: office chair curling, blind races, human table football, twisted pétanque, giant beer pong or office mini golf competitions. A sort of great team building to strengthen, on the one hand, team cohesion, but also a feeling of belonging to a neighborhood sometimes criticized for its lack of human warmth.
“The idea is above all to offer new services to users,” observes Franck Boucher, director of attractiveness at Paris La Défense. We first thought of organizing a giant football tournament, then we imagined something linked to the Olympics, but we didn’t want to settle for a mini-Olympics. We finally opted for something quirky and fun. »
A winning bet to listen to the participants in this inaugural day. “It’s a bit reminiscent of our student parties,” laughs one of the participants. “It’s great,” summarizes François for his part at the end of his funny scooter journey. Employee of the German equipment manufacturer ZF, the man admits that he is still discovering the business district where his company was established a few months ago after leaving its premises in Antony (Hauts-de-Seine). “It’s a much more lively place than we imagine,” he continues. You don’t just work there, you can also have fun there. »
“This also responds to a demand from businesses”
“We can particularly measure it during the Garden Parvis,” say Arthus and Erwan, students in a management school. In the summer, everyone stops there to drink, the students, the tower workers, it’s really nice…”
Objective: to make users of the business district forget their desire for teleworking and reinvest the district and its towers. “This also responds to a demand from businesses,” explains Franck Boucher. Today, our contacts are no longer financial or legal directors but human resources managers. And what interests these HR managers is what we are able to offer their employees. Particularly to get them out of the metro for a bit of work and sleep. »
“If League of Defense is primarily aimed at local businesses and schools, it is also a festive and exceptional event open to all,” explains Pierre-Yves Guice, general director of Paris La Défense. Every evening until Thursday, the public will be able to have fun with quizzes, blind tests, giant karaoke, lively afterworks and fiery DJ sets. The competition will close with a check presentation for the benefit of the French Red Cross, to which the event should bring in 85,000 euros.
