Fanny Piccot, production manager at Maison Charlois’ sorting workshop, narrated by Stéphane Ebel
12 November 2024
Mentioning the name Fanny brings to mind Pagnol; it evokes the South, the scrubland, Aubagne, and the song of cicadas. Here in Murlin, we have our own Fanny. Fanny Piccot. She may not have the southern accent, but she has a smile that sings.
« “I feel good here, at Charlois. I like what I do.” Right from the start, she sets the tone. Fanny is like a ray of sunshine in production. She always has a smile. Fanny has been at Charlois for seven years. “I arrived a bit by chance because I needed to work. My dream was the army or the police. I even tried for the Republican Guard.” A dream Fanny almost reached, if not more. At 16, she took military prep training to join the Alpine Hunters. After obtaining her high school diploma and driver’s license, she finally chose the police academy in Tulle. Three intense months of school, training, and fieldwork. Three successful months as she passed all the exams. The police would be her path, with a focus on working as a dog handler. “I was happy. In the same year, I got my diploma, my license, and passed the police entrance exam.” Everything seemed to smile upon Fanny. Everything, or almost. Three weeks before graduation, a serious ankle injury thwarted the young officer’s plans. “They simply told me to go home. I cried my heart out that day,” she recalls. Back home with her parents in Courcelles. Priority: heal, then find a job.
Temp Work by Family Tradition
Like many young people, she turned to temp work to find a job. “I just wanted to earn money,” Fanny explains. Adecco Cosne sent her to Maison Charlois. “That was seven years ago. I hadn’t planned on staying. But then I thought, why not? I feel good here; it’s a great company. A company that knows how to trust its employees.” Guided by Patrick Donzé, now retired, Fanny quickly learned about wood, the operations, and the organization at Grecon. She’s the kind of person you can rely on—courageous, driven, curious, eager to learn and progress… steadily and surely. Without skipping steps. Fanny is one of two women working in production at Murlin, and it’s not easy every day. “I quickly got the picture. Many of my colleagues bet that I wouldn’t stay, that I wouldn’t make it. I did my nails (still do), wore makeup (still do), and was feminine (still am)! They’ve left, and I’m still here,” she smiles. Still here, still at Grecon, but now with a higher rank.
Care and Professionalism
After Patrick Donzé’s retirement, Fanny expressed her interest in the Grecon supervisor position to HR. “I was a bit bold about it, it’s true. But the position interested me. I like the organization, rigor, and method… That’s also what attracted me to the army and the police.” Her application was accepted. She is now responsible for the team in charge of sorting, trimming, and correcting defects in each batch of staves that arrive from Maison Charlois’s splitting workshop. “We have to stack them properly, scan them for traceability, secure them… before they go to the aging yard. It’s meticulous work that requires utmost attention, continuing what our colleagues in the splitting workshop started.” And here’s our Fanny, the first woman in charge of a primary processing workshop. “It’s a great recognition for me, and I’m proud. I give my best every day. It’s not easy for a young woman to manage an all-male team, but it’s going well. You have to take the time to talk, listen, as well as lead and organize. Many are more experienced than me and know the job well. For newcomers, it’s up to me to train them. I’m giving back what was given to me. It’s a virtuous circle.”
Three questions to Fanny :
Fanny, you’re one of two women working in a production workshop at Murlin. How does that feel?
Pretty good. I actually prefer working with men. It wasn’t easy at first; you have to earn your place, get accepted. We see each other every day, eight hours a day, so it’s better if it goes well and the atmosphere is good. That’s one of the conditions for quality work. I like things to be organized, structured.
How did you get to know Charlois?
Through the temp agency. I lived near Varzy and often passed by Nièvre Merrain. I thought, “Hey, they work with wood here.” I didn’t know Charlois at all. But I quickly learned about and appreciated the company. For me, it’s the best company in the department. I’m proud to be part of it.
And when Fanny isn’t working?
Well, Fanny does a lot of things. “First, I take care of my three cats—stray cats that I rescued and bottle-fed—and I play pétanque at the Pouilly club in mixed doubles. With my partner, we have a few Nièvre championship titles and have participated in the French championships in Toulouse and Brive. I also practiced precision shooting with a rifle, a skill I discovered through my maternal grandfather. And soon, I plan to finally visit Reunion Island, where my father’s family lives. I’ve never been there yet. So in 2025, it’s decided—I’m flying to the Indian Ocean.”»
*Name given to the building where the staves are sorted, trimmed, and stacked before going to the wood yard to mature. This name comes from the old machine once used in this building.
Photography © Christophe Deschanel
