What Espace Aubade does

Espace Aubade is a privately held French specialty retailer and distributor of bathroom renovation, tiling, and heating/energy products, headquartered in Pontivy, France and founded in 1948. The company operates the largest bathroom and tiling showroom network in France, with 300 showrooms complemented by 178+ dedicated heating and renewable energy advice points (Points Conseils Énergies Renouvelables) staffed by 250 thermicien experts. Its core offering is organized around three pillars: bathroom products (furniture, basins, faucets, showers, bathtubs), tiling (interior, exterior, and imitation finishes), and heating/climate/energy solutions (heat pumps, boilers, air conditioning, photovoltaic and thermal solar, biomass, water treatment, underfloor heating). The portfolio spans entry-level to premium price points (roughly €495 to €8,700+ for bathroom furniture) and incorporates an exclusive private-label line, Aubade Création, developed in partnership with leading European manufacturers including Delpha, Villeroy & Boch, Duravit, Jacob Delafon, Geberit, Roca, Ambiance Bain, Burgbad, and Sanijura.

The company monetizes through one-time retail product sales via owned showrooms and an e-commerce website, with installation and project completion delivered through a 2,654-strong RGE-certified Pro Aubade installer network and 3,000+ affiliated artisans. Customer engagement follows a sales-led, multi-step motion: digital design tools (3D planner, tile simulator, furniture configurator, energy/DPE calculators, and financial-aid simulators) drive top-of-funnel interest; thermicien experts provide 24-hour personalized project evaluations; RGE-certified installers conduct feasibility assessments and execute installations. A distinct sub-brand, Aubade Énergies Renouvelables, captures demand from French government energy renovation subsidies (MaPrimeRénov', CEE, eco-PTZ), positioning the company in the energy-transition value chain beyond traditional bathroom remodeling. A secondary segment addresses accessibility/PMR (Persons with Reduced Mobility) bathroom adaptations.

The business serves primarily residential homeowners undertaking renovation projects, with no disclosed enterprise customers or B2B contracts. Distribution is exclusively domestic (France) through owned physical retail, the company's own e-commerce storefront, and the channel/reseller Pro Aubade installer network. Marketing combines content marketing (website, blog, catalogs), social media (LinkedIn, YouTube), email newsletters, showroom events, and artisan referrals. The company is privately held with no disclosed parent, no venture funding, and no public listing.

Name

Espace Aubade

Website

https://espace-aubade.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Espace Aubade is France's largest bathroom, tiling, and heating/energy renovation specialist retailer, operating 300 showrooms nationwide and serving residential homeowners through an integrated model combining exclusive-brand product sales, RGE-certified installation, and government-subsidy navigation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bathroom & Home Renovation Retail

NAICS

Institutional Furniture Manufacturing (337127), Interior Design Services (54141), Household and Institutional Furniture Manufacturing (33712)

SIC

Retail-Furniture Stores (5712), Heating Equip, Except Elec & Warm Air; & Plumbing Fixtures (3430), Wood Household Furniture, (No Upholstered) (2511)

akta.pro primary industry

Bath Fixtures & Wellness (Showers, Tubs, Steam, Saunas) Showrooms (CRAIAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bathroom & Linen Storage Systems (Non-Construction) (HSAFAHAI), Bathroom Storage & Custom Built-Ins (Linen Closets, Niches, Shelving) (HSAPABAM)

Keywords

• Bathroom fixtures and furniture
• Wall and floor tiling
• Heating and cooling systems
• Renewable energy solutions
• Home renovation products

Headquarters

HQ city

Pontivy

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: Sale of bathroom furniture, tiles, heating equipment, and accessories through showrooms and website. Products include furniture, washbasins, faucets, showers, bathtubs, tiles for floor and wall, towel warmers, heat pumps, boilers, and air conditioners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Espace Aubade is a French specialty retailer selling bathroom furniture and fixtures (vanities, basins, faucets, showers, bathtubs, towel warmers), wall and floor tiling, heating equipment (heat pumps, boilers, wood/pellet stoves, underfloor heating, water heaters), and renewable energy systems (photovoltaic and thermal solar) through approximately 300 showrooms across France. The retailer complements its product offering with design consultation, online planning tools, and a certified Pro Aubade installer network that delivers installation services to end customers.

Product overview

Espace Aubade is a French specialist retailer offering a comprehensive home improvement product portfolio organized around three core pillars: bathroom products (salle de bains), tiling (carrelage), and heating/climate/energy solutions (chauffage, clim & énergies). The bathroom division includes furniture, basins, faucets, showers, and bathtubs from brands like Delpha, Ambiance Bain, Burgbad, Villeroy & Boch, and Jacob Delafon, featuring exclusive Aubade Création collections. The tiling division offers wall and floor tiles with various finishes including imitation materials. The heating division encompasses towel warmers, heat pumps, air conditioners, boilers, and renewable energy systems (solar photovoltaic, thermal solar, biomass). Espace Aubade differentiates through digital design tools (3D planner, tile simulator, configurators) and financial aid simulation services. The company operates through 300 showrooms across France and connects customers with 2654 RGE-certified installation professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aubade Création: Exclusive design and quality range of bathroom products in partnership with major brands
• Pro Aubade

Products and services

• Bathroom furniture Vanities, storage units, and bathroom cabinetry (including Silenstyle soft-close models) sold through Espace Aubade showrooms and online to homeowners renovating their bathrooms.
• Basins and sinks Washbasins and sinks in various materials, sizes, and configurations for residential bathroom installations.
• Faucets and taps Bathroom faucets and mixer taps across multiple brands and price tiers.
• Showers Shower enclosures, columns, and shower systems for residential bathroom projects.
• Bathtubs Bathtubs in standard, corner, freestanding, and spa configurations for residential installations.
• Towel warmers Heated towel rails and radiators sold as part of the bathroom product range.
• Wall and floor tiles Tile collections for bathroom walls and floors, browsable via the online tile simulator.
• Accessibility (PMR) bathroom products Walk-in showers, grab bars, adapted vanities, and other accessibility-focused bathroom products for senior or mobility-impaired customers.
• Heat pumps Air-source and likely ground-source heat pumps for residential heating and hot water.
• Air conditioners Residential cooling units sold alongside the heating range.
• Wood and pellet stoves Biomass heating stoves for residential use.
• Boilers Residential boilers for traditional heating installations.
• Water heaters Domestic water heaters including likely electric, gas, and thermodynamic models.
• Underfloor heating Underfloor heating systems for residential renovation projects.
• Photovoltaic solar systems Residential solar PV systems for on-site electricity generation.
• Thermal solar systems Solar thermal systems for residential hot water production.
• Water treatment solutions Residential water treatment equipment (filtration, softening) sold alongside bathroom and heating lines.
• Aubade Création product line Private-label sub-brand offering curated bathroom, tiling, and heating products across multiple categories.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• DelphacoreTechnology or IntegrationDelpha is a key brand partner for bathroom furniture, offering exclusive designs like the D-Motion collection. Products feature proprietary Silenstyle® soft-close technology.
• SanijuracoreTechnology or IntegrationSanijura provides bathroom furniture collections including Impact, Plurielle, and Halo lines, distributed exclusively through Espace Aubade showrooms.
• Ambiance BaincoreTechnology or IntegrationAmbiance Bain offers designer bathroom furniture lines including Vita, Dune, and Dolce collections available through Espace Aubade.
• BurgbadcoreTechnology or IntegrationBurgbad provides premium bathroom furniture including collections like Free, Style II, and Mix & Match, distributed through Espace Aubade.
• DecoteccoreTechnology or IntegrationDecotec offers contemporary bathroom furniture collections including Bel Ami, Epure, and Signature lines.
• Villeroy & BochcoreTechnology or IntegrationPremium bathroom fixtures and furniture from Villeroy & Boch including SubWay 3.0, Finion, and Architectura collections.
• DuravitcoreTechnology or IntegrationDuravit provides high-end bathroom furniture including Happy D.2 Plus, L-Cube, and Zencha collections.
• Jacob DelafoncoreTechnology or IntegrationJacob Delafon offers bathroom products including Odéon Rive Gauche, Vivienne, and Parallel furniture collections.
• GeberitcoreTechnology or IntegrationGeberit provides bathroom furniture including iCon, Acanto, and Renova Plan, with focus on integrated cistern systems.
• RocacoreTechnology or IntegrationRoca offers bathroom furniture and fixtures including Ona, Horizon, and Inspira collections.
• Aubade Création (Exclusive Brand)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive private label brand developed in partnership with major manufacturers. Combines exclusivity, design, and quality with products only available through Espace Aubade showrooms.
• Pro Aubade Artisans NetworkflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of 3,000+ RGE-certified artisans who install products and recommend Espace Aubade to customers. Part of the integrated project delivery model.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• ManoMano: ManoMano is a French-founded, pan-European online marketplace specializing in DIY, home, and garden — with bathroom, plumbing, and heating as core verticals. Competes with Espace Aubade on price discovery and convenience but lacks the showroom/installer integration.

Direct peers

• Grandbains: Grandbains is one of France's largest networks of bathroom showrooms (115+ points de vente), focused on the same bathroom-furniture-and-fixtures retail model. Direct head-to-head peer to Espace Aubade on showroom footprint, brand portfolio, and residential installer referral programs.
• Richardson: Richardson operates a long-standing French nationwide network of plumbing and heating showrooms serving both trade professionals and homeowners. Closely comparable product depth, B2B/B2C showroom hybrid model, and geographic coverage in France.
• Lapeyre: Lapeyre is a major French home improvement retailer specializing in bathroom, door, window, and renovation products with a national showroom network. Highly comparable to Espace Aubade in bathroom SKU breadth, showroom-led sales model, and installation-partner ecosystem in France.
• Brossette (Saint-Gobain Distribution): Brossette is another Saint-Gobain distribution brand selling plumbing, heating, and sanitary products to French installers and homeowners. Comparable to Espace Aubade on heating/sanitary product mix and on the counter+showroom hybrid retail format.
• Cedeo (Saint-Gobain Distribution): Cedeo is the Saint-Gobain-owned professional and individual plumbing/heating merchant serving French installers. Overlaps with Espace Aubade's heating & sanitary SKUs, B2B installer counter channel, and showroom-led design consultation.

Broad incumbents

• Castorama: Castorama is a Kingfisher-owned French DIY and home improvement big-box chain selling bathroom, tiling, and heating products as part of a broader project assortment. Competes with Espace Aubade for share-of-visit on renovation projects but lacks the specialty showroom positioning.
• Schmidt (French kitchen/bathroom studio network): Schmidt and its sister brands (Cuisinella, etc.) operate French showroom networks where the design-and-installation model is the core GTM. Comparable to Espace Aubade on showroom-driven personalization and installer-led delivery, though primarily in kitchens rather than full bathroom/heating scope.
• Leroy Merlin: Leroy Merlin is France's largest home improvement retailer and carries bathroom, tiling, and heating product lines alongside a much broader DIY assortment. Overlaps with Espace Aubade on bath/heating categories but does not specialize in the bathroom showroom niche.

Others

• Saunier Duval (Vaillant Group): Saunier Duval is a leading manufacturer of boilers, heat pumps, and heating solutions sold through French installers and distributor networks. Adjacent to Espace Aubade's heating & energy retail vertical as a key brand supplier and ecosystem participant.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/EspaceAubadeFrance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rouenel-aubade
• Xx.com/EspaceAubade
• Facebookfacebook.com/espaceaubade

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Espace Aubade