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This article emphasises different local interpretations of the French national policy designed to develop personal services, also called “Borloo plan”. The authors first provide “located knowledge” drawn from a statistical analysis showing that situations in terms of personal services are highly heterogeneous in different French departments – whether in terms of employment levels, worked hours, or types of job offers (gainful, volunteer, direct employment). Several social-economic factors are liable to explain such observed discrepancies. They do not appear, however, to fully explain the broad diversity of territorial realities in this respect. Hence the article seeks to describe and analyse the regulations implemented by local actors, who enjoy considerable leeway in interpreting and applying national policies. This explains why trajectories are sharply contrasted: some projects consider employment as their core priority, while others stress the quality of services provided.