CV photo in Bordeaux: prices, studios and tips
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Bordeaux is better known for wine than for aircraft, yet aerospace and defence are among its largest industrial employers, next to a university hospital that is the largest employer in its region. A CV photo for an engineering post in Mérignac and one for a wine estate or a hotel do not need the same tone. Here is when a photo makes sense, which style fits which employer, what Bordeaux studios charge, and how to get a natural headshot without booking a session.
Do you need a photo on your CV in Bordeaux?
Legally, no. No French law requires a photo on a CV. Article L1221-6 of the Labour Code says the information an employer asks of a candidate must have “a direct and necessary link” with the job, and article L1132-1 lists physical appearance among the grounds on which no candidate may be excluded from a recruitment.
A photo is therefore your choice, and if you come from a country where CVs carry none, such as the UK or the US, you can keep that habit. If you add one, it should help you: recent, professional and identical to your LinkedIn picture, because recruiters will look you up there anyway. A poor photo does more harm than no photo. The national rules (law, format, placement, data protection) are in our guide to professional headshots in France.
What CV photo style works in Bordeaux
Bordeaux Métropole counts 20,000 employees in aerospace, space and defence in the Gironde, 12,700 of them at Bordeaux Aéroparc around Mérignac airport, with €2 billion in turnover, 60% of it from exports. Citing the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, the Gironde investment agency Invest in Bordeaux counts nearly 9,000 direct defence jobs and more than 16,000 indirect ones. In June 2024 it reported that Dassault Aviation planned more than 1,000 hires that year, half of them in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, that Thales had opened 300 positions in Mérignac and that ArianeGroup would open nearly 70 at Saint-Médard-en-Jalles.
Health is the other large employer. According to the French hospital federation (FHF), the CHU de Bordeaux has nearly 15,700 staff, 3,036 beds and places, and is the largest employer in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Around both sits a broad service economy: the wine trade, tourism and hospitality, and digital firms.
| Sector | Typical employers | Outfit | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace, space, defence | Dassault Aviation, Thales, ArianeGroup, Safran and their suppliers | Blazer with a plain shirt or blouse, tie optional | Plain grey or white |
| Health and research | CHU de Bordeaux, clinics, laboratories | Plain shirt, blouse or knit, jacket optional | Light, plain backdrop |
| Wine trade, tourism, hospitality | Estates, wine merchants, hotels, restaurants | Smart casual: shirt or blouse, unstructured jacket | Light, warm background |
| Digital, services, start-ups | Software firms, agencies, consultancies | Business casual | Light office or plain backdrop |
Job ads appear on national sites such as France Travail, Apec (for managers), Indeed and LinkedIn; on LinkedIn, your photo is the first thing a recruiter sees. Keep it simple: a head-and-shoulders crop, a friendly expression and a photo less than a year old. Applying in aerospace in Toulouse too? See our page on CV photos in Toulouse. For colours and fabrics, see what to wear for a professional headshot.
How much does a CV photo cost in Bordeaux?
Published prices, October 2026:
| Studio | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Pascal Rousse (Boulevard Wilson) | “Portrait CV, LinkedIn”: 15 minutes, 1 digital photo, white, grey or black background; €20 for students; corporate portrait €69 (30 minutes, 5 HD photos, same-day delivery) | €29 |
| Avrine (Bordeaux) | “Séance Profil”: 45 minutes, 3 photos, 1 background; portrait session €169 (1h30, 10 photos) | €89 |
| Maud Leduc (studio in Bordeaux or at your company) | 1 retouched portrait with a LinkedIn crop; €60 per extra portrait | From €90 |
| Paolina (Saint-Médard-en-Jalles) | Professional portrait, session included; delivery in about 3 weeks | From €99 |
| Studio Corinne Ballouard (Lormont) | 30 minutes, 2 background colours, 3 digital images to take away; fuller session €200 | €150 |
In short, Bordeaux has a real budget option: a 15-minute CV portrait for €29, or €69 for five photos. Most other studios charge €89 to €99 for a session with one to three photos, and €150 to €200 for more time or images.
Watch for the costs that are not in the headline price:
- Extra photos and options. At Pascal Rousse, each extra photo costs €15 and a background colour other than white, grey or black adds €10. Maud Leduc charges €60 per extra portrait.
- Delivery time. Paolina announces about three weeks; Pascal Rousse delivers its corporate portrait the same day, and Corinne Ballouard lets you leave with your images. Check before a deadline.
- Location. Lormont and Saint-Médard-en-Jalles are in the metropolitan area but outside the city centre. A home visit in Bordeaux costs €60 extra at Pascal Rousse.
A CV photo without a photographer
If you need a photo tonight, LinkPro turns your phone or computer into a photo studio. It is a web app: open it in your browser at app.linkproapp.ai, with nothing to install.
- Take 8 guided selfies. On-device face detection checks your distance, angle and light live.
- Direct your shoot. Choose your field, a studio or office backdrop and a formal or business casual outfit, for example formal for an aerospace group and business casual for a wine estate or a start-up.
- Get your headshots in seconds and pick the most natural one.
- Let friends or colleagues vote with a poll link before you send your application.
Your first session is free, with 3 watermarked previews and no account. Then you can buy a single headshot, a one-time purchase that unlocks one headshot of your choice in high definition without watermark, with no subscription. If you want more sessions and restyles, LinkPro Unlimited is a weekly subscription you can cancel anytime. Prices are shown in the app. LinkPro works in English, French, German and Italian.
Your selfies are not kept on our servers after generation, your headshots are stored on your device, and your images are never sold or used to train AI models. You can delete your account and photos (see our privacy policy).
Be honest with yourself about the result: the photo must look natural and like you today. Some career advisers warn that AI-edited photos can look artificial, so for a conservative employer a classic studio photo, and Bordeaux has some cheap ones, may still be the safer choice. For a side-by-side comparison, read AI headshot vs photographer. A LinkPro photo cannot be used for a passport or ID card, which require biometric photos.
Sources
- Code du travail, article L1221-6 and article L1132-1
- Bordeaux Métropole: aerospace, space and defence sector (updated September 2024)
- Invest in Bordeaux: Aéronautique / Défense / NewSpace, quoi de neuf en Gironde ? (June 2024)
- FHF: la FHF en déplacement au CHU de Bordeaux (July 2026)
- Studio price pages (October 2026): Pascal Rousse, Avrine, Maud Leduc, Paolina, Studio Corinne Ballouard
Frequently asked questions
How much does a CV photo cost in Bordeaux?
In October 2026, Bordeaux studios published prices from €29 (Pascal Rousse, 15 minutes, one digital photo; €20 for students) and €69 for a 30-minute corporate portrait with five photos, to €89 (Avrine, 45 minutes, three photos), €90 (Maud Leduc, one retouched portrait), €99 (Paolina) and €150 (Corinne Ballouard in Lormont, three images).
Do I need a photo on my CV to apply for jobs in Bordeaux?
No. No French law requires one, and the Labour Code says the information an employer asks of a candidate must have a direct and necessary link with the job. Physical appearance is one of the grounds of discrimination it prohibits. A photo is your choice; if you add one, make it professional and use the same one on LinkedIn.
What should I wear for a CV photo for Dassault, Thales or ArianeGroup?
Aerospace and defence are engineering cultures with a formal edge: a blazer with a plain shirt or blouse, no tie needed, and a plain grey or white background work for most roles. For management or client-facing roles, a suit is the safer choice.
Can I use an AI headshot for a job in Bordeaux?
There is no rule against it, but the photo must look natural and show you as you are today. Some career advisers warn that AI-edited photos can look artificial. Choose the most realistic result, and never use it for a passport or ID card, which require biometric photos.
Your headshot,
in seconds.
Take a few guided selfies and get 3 free previews. No account needed.
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