women refugees in France, a welcome labor force

Early evening on the Côte-d’Azur. At the restaurant “Le Milano”, the service will begin. Even in the middle of the season, the boss still has to train his employees. Here, 11 seasonal workers are Ukrainian, i.e. half of the staff. “Without this workforce, I think we would have at least closed days a week, and I think we would have reduced the reception capacity”, recognizes Frédéric Deconinck, the manager of the restaurant. When it’s time to shoot, there’s no more improvising: you have to serve 300 covers.

Before the war, none of these Ukrainian women worked in restaurants. On the Côte-d’Azur, other sectors have also recruited Ukrainian employees. In a framing workshop, Eugenia Davydova became a gilder. She fled the Crimea to take refuge in France, and learned a new trade. Her boss, Olivia Fouret Martinez Carlin, is relieved to find staff after months of searching. Before being a waitress, Elena Vydolova was an executive in a large company in Ukraine. She now receives the legal minimum, and receives aid of 500 euros as a refugee.