The number of cycling commutes rose by 15 percent in 2022, thanks in part to electric bikes, the Covid pandemic and schemes designed to make cycling more accessible to employees.
The bikes are all electric models which are leased long-term from the distributor Cyclable and serviced every three months at the Coexya site. "Our employees are young and either don't have a driving licence or don't have a car. Our area is poorly served by public transport. And as we're in a very tight job market, we've sought to be more attractive," she said.
But a number of start-ups have seized the moment, such as Tandem, which manages 1,000 bikes for 80 companies and has seen sales more than double every year since 2020. "For more than 10 years now, cycling has been enjoying double-digit growth," said Sophie Rapinel, from the Velo et Territoires network.
"I'm in my closed office, but I can see the seasons. Every morning I discover little things that you don't take the time to see in the car. Psychologically, it does me a lot of good," the doctor added.