Cyclelogistics is meant for all, not only big cities.
For the town of Dinan and its agglomeration, cyclelogistics, proposed by François Lemoine in 2022, has proved to be the answer to a major urban issue.
With a surface area of 8.71km² and a population of 15,000, Dinan is a historic town where almost 6,000 tourists are added to the existing population every day during the summer months. This flow of people has to be managed in a town where the streets are narrow, cobbled and steep, and where parking spaces are quickly taken up. Nearly 350 shops are located in this small medieval town, making it an important logistical crossroads.
Violaine Béasse, in charge of the city's tourist and commercial appeal, confides that truck deliveries in the historic center sometimes cause damage that the city has to repair. This damage is also felt by carriers, who seek to delegate their flows to avoid the costs that a gutter, a wall or a sign would cause.
Watch the filmed interview (FR) or read the article
At a time when the city and the agglomeration have commissioned a study for the development of a logistics platform, François Lemoine, member of the Coopcycle cooperative, the project's aim was to launch a cyclelogistics business in Dinan. A timely solution.
Today, Les Coursiers Dinannais grow around 4 main activities: courier services, meal delivery, B2C delivery and bio-waste collection.
Parcel services
Les Coursiers Dinannais operate in B2B for the first and last mile.
Loc Maria Biscuits, a local company with an international reputation, known for its famous Gavottes and regional products, has integrated the Coursiers Dinannais into its logistics strategy. A member of the FRET21 program, the company has been demonstrating its commitment to CSR since 2003..
By supplying Dinan businesses directly from the factory, Les Coursiers Dinannais cover the first and last mile in a single trip.
An advertisement in a local newspaper helped Mathieu Breton, Transport Manager at Loc Maria Biscuits, to identify this local alternative.
Les Coursiers de François Lemoine deliver 20 pallets a day on behalf of various carriers. By pooling their flows, Les Coursiers Dinannais ensure a constant flow of goods, enabling them to serve city-center stores from early morning onwards.
Hauliers have also spontaneously approached the couriers in response to the difficulties of accessing the town center.
This delivery also benefits the shopkeepers who see the couriers leave with their pallets emptied, freeing up space in the shops.
Meal deliveries
While the truck, which was supposed to deliver to the city's schools, was stuck in traffic, the sight of the Coursiers Dinannais gave him an idea: to make the connection by bike.
This partnership between the city and les Coursiers Dinannais saves a considerable amount of time: two teams go to the central kitchen where hot and cold meals are prepared in transportable boxes that are placed on a pallet, strapped down and then delivered by couriers directly to the city's various schools.
In terms of meal delivery, the couriers also deliver to private customers, at lunchtime and in the evening, who order directly from the meal delivery platform.
B2C Deliveries
In partnership with the town's small and medium-sized retailers, Les Coursiers Dinannais carry out B2C deliveries throughout the day.
Collecting Biowaste
Les Coursiers Dinannais collects biowaste from restaurant owners once a day and from private individuals once a week, in order to make the empty returns profitable. François intends to develop this activity by training his team in the proper management and valorization of compost, as the law has extended the obligation to sort biowaste to all individuals and legal entities by January 1, 2024 in France.
Easy access to real estate
Thanks to Dinan Agglomeration, the couriers have easily found a place in the Ecodia, incubator located close to the town center, where 80m² of workshop space and 25m² of office space enable them to develop their business.
In short, the growth of Les Coursiers Dinannais is not about to stop. Good timing and determination have enabled them to move ahead at a steady pace in their first year of business..
Les Coursiers Dinannais : when small towns take to cyclelogistics