By entering at the ENA to twenty-four years, Nicolas Basselier ambition to become a diplomat. Twenty-five years later, it works well at the quai d'Orsay... but on the other side of the esplanade of the invalids. At the headquarters of the Association of the mayors of France, that he joined in the summer as Director General. A new step this prefect saw as a return to his first love, after more than two years rue Saint-Dominique, the General Secretariat for the administration of the Ministry of defence, which he was the number two. Put at the service of 35.500 mayors of France at a time, that could dream of better this former student of promoting Leonardo da Vinci, including the most professional life has been placed under the sign of the territorial administration "The elect share with the members of the prefect body two strong values: passion for the land and the concern of the general interest", insists. This statement which, in the mouth of many others, would be as a good example of wooden seems him all that there is more sincere. Hear him tell the menu a memorable meeting in the Hall of a small village of Corrèze, Department which he was the prefect, to defuse the anger and fear of the inhabitants, headwind against the decision of their mayor allow a closed educational centre. "Some exchanges were a bit... virile", he notes with art consumed "understatement".
Love of people and trade

And examples of this style are not lacking. One can feel a true love of people and trade of prefect in Nicolas Basselier. Named in Aix-en-Provence, he is is so invested in the closure of the mine of Gardanne in Cadarache nominated for the Iter project. Then sent to Tulle, he is is excited for the dynamism of corrézienne agriculture, touting the new variety of from golden of the Millevaches plateau as though he himself at the head of a farm.
This job, Nicolas Basselier, who did not Prefecture internship when he was at the ENA he preferred spend eight months at the Embassy of France in Cameroon, which dissuaded him to pursue further career , learned on the job, as Director of Office of the prefect of the Yonne, Michel Desmet. One of the two patterns that have the most marked. The other is Philippe Massoni, the famous former prefect of police of Paris, where he was a close collaborator for six years, from 1993 to 1999. The era was not relaxing, with its lot of dramatic events, such as the attacks of 1995 in the stations of RER or the death of Lady Di, or happy, as 1998 World or the world youth days. Each time, Philippe Massoni and its 33,000 officers were able to cope with method and efficiency, says that in turn was the Chief and the Deputy Director of his cabinet.
Father of four children, aged eight to 16 years, Nicolas Basselier gives the short time that much to his family. Place, therefore, for the consuming passions or the excess of social whirl in the life of a quiet man, including the greatest joy is to watch grow trees around the House that he purchased in the Orne. "One of the departments where I have plagued", said.