A Living Legacy

Today, Minitel terminals are museum pieces, their beige plastic and chunky keyboards relics of a different digital age. But walk through any French Tech hub and you'll see Minitel's influence. The emphasis on practical services, the comfort with digital transactions, the expectation that technology should serve social needs—all echo Minitel's legacy.

More subtly, Minitel's history provides French Tech with a usable past. Unlike countries that see themselves as digital newcomers, France can point to decades of digital innovation. This historical depth provides confidence and perspective. French entrepreneurs don't need to copy Silicon Valley because they have their own digital tradition to draw upon.