Office profile
Société Générale Headquarters & offices · Paris, France
Société Générale · Paris, France
A 1912 “banking palace” behind the Opéra, under an 18-metre stained-glass dome — restored in 2019–2021 as flex offices that use half the energy.
The Belle Époque head office, the La Défense towers and the benefits first — then the business. Every fact from Société Générale's own website, careers site and the architect's project page.
- 18 mstained-glass dome over the 1912 banking hall
- 2 daysaverage telework per week (France, 2021 agreement)
- 11 yearsaverage length of service in the Group
- 110,000staff in 58 countries
Sources: societegenerale.com (Innovation and Architecture; 29 boulevard Haussmann, 2022; Who we are) · Press release, 28 Jan 2021 · careers.societegenerale.com
Companies / France / Banking / Société Générale
THE HEAD OFFICE · 29 BOULEVARD HAUSSMANN · 1912, RESTORED 2019–2021
A Belle Époque banking palace, turned into flex offices
Architect Jacques Hermant turned a block of apartment buildings behind the Opéra into the bank's head office, opened on 26 June 1912. The trapezoidal banking hall, with a round counter nicknamed “the cheese”, sits under an 18-metre stained-glass dome by master glassmaker Jacques Galand, made of 51 tapered parts and hung 23 metres above the floor on a steel “umbrella”; the mosaic floor is by Alphonse Gentil and François-Eugène Bourdet. Four levels of strong rooms go 11 metres underground behind an 18-tonne round vault door. From January 2019 to July 2021 the building was restored with Atelier Cos: Eiffel-type steel columns were uncovered, roof windows reopened, offices became open “flex office” floors, and the building now uses half as much energy.
- Opened 26 June 1912
- Architect: Jacques Hermant
- 18 m stained-glass dome (Jacques Galand)
- Parts listed as Historic Monuments
- Renovated Jan 2019 – Jul 2021
- Energy use halved
The 1912 banking hall and its glass dome
The trapezoidal banking hall, with a round counter nicknamed “the cheese”, sits under an 18-metre stained-glass dome by Jacques Galand, above a mosaic floor by Alphonse Gentil and François-Eugène Bourdet.
29 boulevard Haussmann from the street
Architect Jacques Hermant turned a block of apartment buildings behind the Opéra into the bank's head office, opened on 26 June 1912 and restored from January 2019 to July 2021.
The La Défense towers: Alicante, Chassagne and Granite
The two 167-metre Alicante and Chassagne towers were inaugurated in October 1995, and Christian de Portzamparc's 184-metre Granite tower (2001–2008) was linked to them.
Facts: societegenerale.com — “Innovation and Architecture” (17 Sep 2014) · “29 boulevard Haussmann, une adresse tournée vers l’avenir” (9 Sep 2022)
Boulevard Haussmann and the La Défense towers
| Building | Address |
|---|---|
| 29 boulevard Haussmann (registered office, Central Branch) | 29 boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris |
| Tours Société Générale (head office) — Alicante, Chassagne and Granite | 17 cours Valmy, 92043 Paris La Défense |
Source: societegenerale.com — “Innovation and Architecture” (2014) · “Locations” (head office) · See them on the map ↓
Source: societegenerale.com (Innovation and Architecture, 2014; Les Tours qui nous rassemblent, 2025) · 2portzamparc.com — Granite Tower project page
Office tour videos
Benefits (France)
On average, under the 2021 agreement for about 40,000 employees in France, with at least 40% presence on site over two weeks; one extra day a month possible.
For setting up a workspace at home (2021 telework agreement).
Teleworkers can receive meal vouchers for the days they work from home.
Profit-sharing, incentive plans and employee savings.
Health cover, protection and retirement savings.
Arrangements to support parenthood and work-life balance.
CSE benefits for holidays, culture, sports and leisure.
Volunteer during working time in France with partner nonprofits of the Societe Generale Foundation.
Source: Press release “Nouvelle organisation du travail” (28 Jan 2021) · careers.societegenerale.com — “Why choose Societe Generale?” (Oct 2026)
Why people stay: what Société Générale itself says
The average length of service in the Group is 11 years.
62% of permanent positions are filled through internal mobility.
ACE (Aspirations, Skills, Experiences) is the internal platform to show your skills and find positions; a Mobility & Skills Campus supports reskilling.
Societe Generale University, business academies, certification, AI & Data programmes, leadership training, reskilling and upskilling.
86% of employees say they feel included and accepted as they are; internal employee networks lead DEI actions.
95% of employees are on a permanent contract; about 11,000 people are recruited each year.
Source: careers.societegenerale.com — “Why choose Societe Generale?” (Join us, viewed Oct 2026)
Who works here
staff
countries
nationalities
clients
Source: societegenerale.com — “Who we are” (Group identity card, viewed Oct 2026)
Office history: from rue de Provence to boulevard Haussmann and La Défense
- 1864 Founded by imperial decree
Napoleon III signed the decree creating Société Générale on 4 May 1864, “to foster the development of commerce and industry in France”. Its founders included Joseph-Eugène Schneider, Paulin Talabot and Edward Blount.
Source: privatebanking.societegenerale.com — “The origins of Societe Generale” (2024) · societegenerale.com — Our history
No free-to-use photo found yet.Have one? We’d love to add it. - 1906 54-56 rue de Provence becomes too small
Overcrowded in its offices at 54-56 rue de Provence, the bank looked for a new head office and, competing with Galeries Lafayette, bought a block of buildings behind the Opéra on 2 April 1906.
Source: societegenerale.com — “Innovation and Architecture” (2014)
56 rue de Provence, Paris · Boubloub / CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons - 1912 29 boulevard Haussmann opens
After six years of work led by architect Jacques Hermant, the new head office opened on 26 June 1912, with central heating in the branch and electricity on every floor. It has housed the bank's head office since 1915.
Source: societegenerale.com — “Innovation and Architecture” (2014) · “29 boulevard Haussmann” (2022)
27-29 boulevard Haussmann, 1914–1945 · Agence Rol. Agence photographique (commanditaire) / Public domain · Wikimedia Commons - 1923 Central services at Édouard VII
From 1923 the central services occupied the Édouard VII complex in the Opéra district.
Source: societegenerale.com — “René Le Rouzic : l’homme derrière les Tours Alicante Chassagne” (2025)
No free-to-use photo found yet.Have one? We’d love to add it. - 1988 The “Nouveau siège” project
With central services scattered across Paris, chairman Marc Viénot decided to bring them together in a new head office for 9,000 employees. La Défense was chosen; the site in the Valmy sector was signed in 1992 and building began that August, with up to 3,000 workers.
Source: societegenerale.com — “Les Tours qui nous rassemblent : et TAC, 30 ans !” (2025)
No free-to-use photo found yet.Have one? We’d love to add it. - 1995 The Alicante and Chassagne towers
Two 167-metre glass towers by Michel Andrault, Pierre Parat and Nicolas Ayoub were inaugurated in October 1995, on time and on budget, and the bank left Édouard VII. Since 1996 Barry Flanagan's Elephant sculpture in the Agora has been the staff's favourite meeting point.
Source: societegenerale.com — TAC 30th anniversary articles (2025)
La Défense towers under construction, December 1994 · Corboz, André / CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons - 2008 The Granite tower
Christian de Portzamparc's triangular Granite tower (2001–2008), 45 floors and 69,000 m², was linked to the two towers to unify the bank's block at the western edge of La Défense.
Source: 2portzamparc.com — Granite Tower
Granite tower building site, March 2006 · Olivier Passalacqua / CC BY 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons - 2021 29 Haussmann restored
Restoration from January 2019 to July 2021 uncovered the original steel structure, reopened roof windows, created flex-office floors and halved the building's energy use; old furniture was given to charities.
Source: societegenerale.com — “29 boulevard Haussmann, une adresse tournée vers l’avenir” (2022)
29 boulevard Haussmann during the 2019–2021 works · © Société Générale
Map: how the headquarters moved
For 80 years everything stayed in the Opéra district — rue de Provence, boulevard Haussmann and Édouard VII — before the central services crossed to La Défense in 1995. 29 boulevard Haussmann is still the registered office.
- 1 · 190654-56 rue de Provence — The overcrowded offices before boulevard Haussmann
- 2 · 191229 boulevard Haussmann — Jacques Hermant's banking palace; registered office today
- 3 · 1923Édouard VII, Paris 9e — Central services until 1995
- 4 · 1995Tours Société Générale, La Défense — Alicante, Chassagne (1995) and Granite (2008) — head office
Addresses: societegenerale.com (Innovation and Architecture; René Le Rouzic article; Locations)
What Société Générale does
Société Générale is a French universal bank serving more than 27 million clients. Its stated ambition is to be a top-tier European bank, rock-solid and delivering sustainable performance.
Three business lines: French Retail, Private Banking and Insurance; Global Banking and Investor Solutions; Mobility, International Retail Banking and Financial Services.
Source: Press release “4th quarter and full year 2025 results” (6 Feb 2026) · societegenerale.com — “Who we are”
Chief executives
Chief Executive Officer and director since 23 May 2023; previously head of Global Banking and Investor Solutions and CEO of SG Americas. His mandate was renewed for four years from 2027.
Directeur général during the 2019–2021 restoration of 29 boulevard Haussmann.
Founded on 4 May 1864 by a group of industrialists and financiers including Joseph-Eugène Schneider, Paulin Talabot and Edward Blount.
Source: societegenerale.com — Slawomir Krupa biography · Results press release, 6 Feb 2026 · “29 boulevard Haussmann” (2022) · privatebanking.societegenerale.com
Société Générale: questions people ask
Where is Société Générale's headquarters?
The registered office is at 29 boulevard Haussmann, Paris 9e, behind the Opéra; the head office and executive management are in the Tours Société Générale, 17 cours Valmy, Paris La Défense.
Source: societegenerale.com — Innovation and Architecture · Locations
Who designed the boulevard Haussmann building?
Architect Jacques Hermant, who transformed a block of apartment buildings between 1906 and 1912. The 18-metre stained-glass dome is by master glassmaker Jacques Galand.
Source: societegenerale.com — Innovation and Architecture (2014)
Who designed the Société Générale towers at La Défense?
The Alicante and Chassagne towers (167 m, 1995) are by Michel Andrault, Pierre Parat and Nicolas Ayoub; the Granite tower (2008) is by Christian de Portzamparc.
Source: societegenerale.com (TAC 30 years, 2025) · 2portzamparc.com
Can you visit 29 boulevard Haussmann?
The Central Branch still works as a bank branch, and the building is opened to the public for European Heritage Days. The Group's art collection can be visited on a booked guided tour at La Défense or by videoconference.
Source: societegenerale.com — Innovation and Architecture · collection.societegenerale.com
Why are the La Défense towers called Alicante and Chassagne?
They are named after the quarries their stone came from: Chassagne in Burgundy (Côte-d’Or) and Alicante in Spain.
Source: societegenerale.com — “Les Tours qui nous rassemblent” (2025)
What is Société Générale's remote work policy?
In France, the 2021 telework agreement gives each employee an average of two days of telework a week, with at least 40% of time on site over two weeks, one extra day a month, a €150 home-office allowance and meal vouchers on telework days. The careers site describes hybrid work “depending on the position”.
Source: Press release, 28 Jan 2021 · careers.societegenerale.com
What benefits does Société Générale offer?
Fixed and variable pay, profit-sharing, incentive plans and employee savings, health cover and retirement savings, parenthood support, works-council (CSE) perks, international mobility and 3 days a year of volunteering on work time in France.
Source: careers.societegenerale.com — Join us
How many people work at Société Générale?
About 110,000 staff of 143 nationalities in 58 countries, serving 27 million clients.
Source: societegenerale.com — Who we are
When was Société Générale founded?
On 4 May 1864, by a decree signed by Napoleon III.
Source: privatebanking.societegenerale.com — The origins of Societe Generale
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Official accounts linked from societegenerale.com.