Prior to that, she worked as a freelance journalist for various francophone publications and radio stations (mostly Libération, Radio Télévision Suisse, Obs, Europe 1). Having been based in Johannesburg, Paris and Nairobi, Bouillon's work has covered most of sub-saharian Africa. In 2009, she was awarded the Albert Londres Prize for best francophone reporter for her coverage of the Zimbabwean elections. In 2014, she was awarded the second radio prize of Prix Bayeux, a war correspondent prize, for her coverage of the Boko Haram crisis. 
Her previous publications include Elles, les prostituées et nous, 2015 (Editions Premier Parallèle).