As the popularity of cycling soars in France, a growing number of companies are giving employees the chance to ditch driving in favour of a greener, healthier alternative: the company bike.
He said his old commute would often take him 40 minutes,"whereas now, even when it's raining, I'm 20 minutes away all the time."The company he works for, Coexya, currently has a fleet of 120 bikes available to its employees across France, an increase from 75 in 2021.He also receives a 120 euros allowance spread over three years for related equipment such as panniers.
Coexya's administrative and financial director, Leila Julien, said the company was using the cycle-to-work scheme to try to attract new recruits. The Paris-based provider acts as an intermediary -- buying the bikes from manufacturers or distributors and renting them to client companies, while negotiating local delivery and maintenance."The employee gains access to a bike worth an average of 2,000 to 2,500 euros, which he or she would not necessarily be able to afford," said Tandem CEO Arthur de Jerphanion.
"I really enjoy cycling. I'm sure it's much better for my health. Physical health, but mental too," said Cecilia Rousselot-Denis, who cycles 13 kilometres every day to work in the central city of Tours.