CASE. Cycling craze: a thriving business in the region

Jean-Charles Houeix a fondé l’enseigne coopérative “Cycling”, il y a trois ans. Elle compte aujourd’hui 8 magasins en France. Midi Libre – MICHAEL ESDOURRUBAILH

Deux réseaux de magasins ont le vent en poupe : Rêve de Vélo et Cycling. Tous deux se développent à partir de la région montpelliéraine.

Rêve de Vélo, the brand based in Mauguio and managed by Thomas Boutin, is investing in the Vaucluse department, taking over two companies: La Route du Ventoux and France Bike Rentals. After having developed in Hérault, its historical department of establishment, and in Gard, it now has 4 establishments and aims to double that number by now end of 2027. The group now has around a hundred employees for a turnover of 11 million euros envisaged this year.

Cycling, another brand specializing in cycling founded three years ago by Jean-Charles Houeix, based in Castelnau-le-Lez, continues its deployment across the country. On April 26, it inaugurated its 8th store, in Hénin-Beaumont, in the North. "We are targeting 80 to 100 stores by 2030", affirms its founder, who created the brand under a "different" mode of governance, opting for cooperative operation.

Return of production to Europe

The entrepreneurial spirit allows these business leaders to ride the wave around the dynamics of cycling. "The development of the electrically assisted bicycle had a positive effect, it made it possible to bring production back to Europe, with the German group Bosch as the largest producer of motors", insists Thomas Boutin.

In its recent review of the year 2023, Union Sport & Cycle recalls that next June should see the creation of a France Vélo sector. In Occitania, a similar initiative saw the light of day in 2018, with the creation of the Vélo Vallée cluster, which today has 45 members, including Rêve de Vélo and Cycling.

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