What SERPE does

SERPE is a French vegetation management and green space services company founded in 1980 and headquartered in Le Thor (Vaucluse), operating through 36 agency branches across France with 900+ employees. The company achieved €100 million in revenue in fiscal year 2024 and positions itself as the leader in tree pruning (élagage) in France, ranked fourth in the broader French landscape market. Its portfolio spans five core service lines: tree pruning (élagage) and felling (abattage), brush clearing (débroussaillage), green space creation (création d'espaces verts) and maintenance (entretien d'espaces verts), and linear-infrastructure vegetation management (entretien de réseaux). Specialized subsidiaries extend the platform: PhytoSerpe for phytopurification and water treatment systems (Zones de Rejets Végétalisées), Serpe Rail for railway vegetation management with equipment rental, SEM Espaces Verts (~60 staff) for green space services in Île-de-France, Serpe Conseil for advisory work (cartography, modeling, arboricultural and water expertise), and Serpe Formation for vocational training in landscape trades.

Technical capabilities rest on a capital-intensive fleet of specialized equipment, most notably a 21-meter telescopic arm saw (the Jarraff "Elagueuse Girafe", imported from the United States and electrically isolated) for high-reach pruning along electrical and rail corridors, alongside mechanized brush-clearance machinery, rail-road excavators, and aerial platforms. The company holds ISO 45001, QualiTerritories, QualiPaysage, and DRAAF phytosanitary certifications, as well as the Génie Écologique G710 specialized status for aquatic environment work, creating a regulatory and capability barrier to entry on critical-infrastructure contracts. Differentiated management (gestion différenciée) — a zero-phyto approach classifying green spaces by maintenance intensity — is used as an ecological selling point for biodiversity-sensitive clients such as L'Oréal's Chevilly-Larue campus.

SERPE's business model combines one-time project revenue (tree pruning, felling, brush clearing, green space creation) priced per quote with a 30% deposit on acceptance, recurring annual maintenance contracts indexed to the EV4 index, and multi-year framework agreements with infrastructure operators (ENEDIS, SNCF, RTE, GRT Gaz, Axione). Customers span local governments and public institutions (town halls, prefectures, hospitals, the Ministry of Defence), network infrastructure operators, real-estate developers and corporate property managers (La Poste, L'Oréal, Kiloutou, Total Energies), and individual homeowners. Distribution is exclusively direct, executed through the 36-agency branch network staffed with technico-commerciaux (technical sales staff) and field crews, supported by a corporate website with quote requests, callback service, and Zoho-based appointment scheduling.

Name

SERPE

Legal name

Société SERPE

Website

https://serpe.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

SERPE is a French vegetation management company operating 36 agency branches nationwide, providing tree pruning, felling, brush clearing, green space creation and maintenance, and linear-infrastructure vegetation services to public sector clients, network operators (SNCF, ENEDIS, RTE), and private customers across France, with 900+ employees and €100M in 2024 revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Landscape and Vegetation Management Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

SIC

Forestry (800), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Vegetation Management (ROW Clearing) for Distribution Lines (EUAEACAI)

Keywords

• Tree pruning services
• Vegetation management
• Green space maintenance
• Landscape services
• Network vegetation clearance

Headquarters

HQ city

Le Thor

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices20 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tree Pruning and Felling Services: One-time service revenue from ellagage (tree pruning), abattage (felling), and debroussaillage (brush clearing) operations. Pricing is quote-based per project. Includes large-height pruning, cable pruning (tête de chat), reduction pruning, and crown thinning.
2. Green Space Creation and Landscaping: Design and implementation of green spaces including landscaping, planting, irrigation systems, and garden design for private and public clients.
3. Green Space Maintenance Contracts: Recurring maintenance contracts (contrats d'entretien) for ongoing green space upkeep. Prices are reviewed annually using the EV4 index, providing predictable recurring revenue.
4. Network Vegetation Management: Specialized vegetation management for linear infrastructure networks — railways (SNCF), electrical grids (ENEDIS, RTE), gas networks (GRT Gaz), and fiber optic (Axione). Often structured as multi-year framework contracts.
5. Ecological Engineering Services: PhytoSerpe subsidiary provides water treatment and phyto-purification systems, wetland construction, debris removal, and ecological engineering. Includes Zones de Rejets Végétalisées design and implementation.
6. Equipment Rental: Serpe Rail rents rail-route equipment (aerial platforms, excavators) with or without operators. PhytoSerpe also rents equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SERPE provides professional tree pruning (élagage), tree felling (abattage), brush clearing (débroussaillage), and green space creation and maintenance services across France. The company also offers specialized vegetation management for linear infrastructure networks (railways, electrical grids, fiber optic, gas) and ecological engineering services including phytopurification and watercourse debris removal. Operations are delivered through 36 agency branches with a fleet of specialized equipment including high-reach telescopic arm saws.

Product overview

SERPE is a leading French tree care and green space management company offering a comprehensive portfolio of services. The core offerings include tree pruning (Élagage), tree felling (Abattage), brush clearing (Débroussaillage), green space creation (Création d'espaces verts), and green space maintenance (Entretien d'espaces verts). The company operates specialized divisions including Phyto Serpe for phytopurification and wastewater treatment, Serpe Rail for railway vegetation management, Serpe Conseil for advisory services, and SEM Espaces Verts as a subsidiary. The portfolio also includes Serpe Formation for professional training and high-reach pruning services. With 36 agencies across France and over 900 employees, the company serves both public and private sector clients including local authorities, property developers, industrial sites, and private individuals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Élagage (Tree Pruning)

Quantifiable outcome

• 306 tonnes of wood recycled into heating chips, demonstrating commitment to circular economy and wood valorization.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core subsidiary, minor, core and secondary.

• PhytoSerpecore subsidiaryOthersPhytoSerpe is a specialized subsidiary of the SERPE group dedicated to the design and implementation of phyto-purification and water treatment systems. With 10 years of experience, PhytoSerpe has developed significant expertise in vegetated wastewater treatment systems (Zones de Rejets Végétalisées - ZRV) and ecological engineering. It operates as a distinct business unit under the group umbrella.
• Serpe Railcore subsidiaryOthersSerpe Rail, based in Cahors, is specialized in vegetation management along railway tracks. It offers equipment rental (with or without operators) including aerial platforms and rail-route excavators, and handles manual vegetation clearance in difficult rail environments.
• SEM Espaces Vertscore subsidiaryOthersSEM Espaces Verts is a subsidiary based in Plaisir, Yvelines (78), with approximately 60 employees. It provides green space creation and maintenance services, including Christmas tree decoration for businesses. It is credited with landscaping projects for the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, L'Oréal Chevilly-Larue campus, and the faculty of medicine at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.
• Serpe Conseilcore subsidiaryOthersSerpe Conseil provides a comprehensive advisory offering for the full lifecycle of vegetation projects. The team combines expertise in cartography, modeling, ecology, landscape design, arboricultural expertise, and water management. It offers a global service across entire projects through a multidisciplinary team.
• Serpe FormationminorOthersSerpe Formation offers vocational training in landscaping trades through an apprenticeship model. Trainees are supervised by passionate and experienced field experts. It supports the group's talent pipeline and contributes to workforce development in the landscape sector.
• ENEDIScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerENEDIS is a long-term strategic partner for whom SERPE provides regular vegetation management services along electrical distribution networks. SERPE holds multi-year contracts for vegetation clearance around ENEDIS power lines (HTA and HTB). The partnership includes emergency response for storm damage. Each SERPE employee is specifically trained and certified (habilitation) for working near electrical networks.
• SNCF (French National Railway)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSNCF is a major infrastructure partner for whom SERPE provides vegetation management along railway lines. Contracts include multi-year frameworks such as the 3-year vegetation management contract for the Bordeaux-Sète railway line covering Tarn-et-Garonne and Haute-Garonne. SERPE also performs acrobatic vegetation clearance on active rail corridors for the Paris-Austerlitz to Bordeaux-Saint-Jean line.
• RTE (Réseau de Transport d'Électricité)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRTE is the French electricity transmission network operator for whom SERPE provides vegetation management services under and around high-voltage transmission lines (HTB). Partnership involves regular clearance work to prevent vegetation-related outages on the transmission network.
• GRT GazsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRT Gaz is the French gas transmission network operator. SERPE's La Rochelle agency provides regular maintenance of GRT Gaz posts across the Charente-Maritime department (17), ensuring clearance around gas infrastructure.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• SPIE: SPIE is a major French-listed multi-technical services group covering energy infrastructure, electrical networks, and facility services. It competes with SERPE for vegetation management adjacent to electrical networks as part of a broader infrastructure services portfolio.
• Eurovia (VINCI): Eurovia, a VINCI subsidiary, is one of the world's largest road construction and infrastructure maintenance companies, including vegetation management along transport corridors. It competes with SERPE for highway and rail-adjacent vegetation contracts as part of a much broader infrastructure portfolio.
• Veolia Environmental Services: Veolia operates large-scale environmental services in France including water management and ecological engineering, adjacent to SERPE's PhytoSerpe subsidiary. As a global environmental services incumbent, it competes indirectly for ecological engineering and water treatment projects.
• Bouygues Energies & Services: Bouygues Energies & Services provides end-to-end energy and digital infrastructure services in France, including vegetation management for electrical and telecom networks. It is a larger incumbent competing with SERPE for utility ROW contracts alongside a much wider service offering.
• Engie Solutions: Engie Solutions provides energy and infrastructure services including vegetation management for distribution and transmission networks across France. As a large incumbent, it competes with SERPE for ENEDIS, RTE, and GRT Gaz framework contracts as part of a wider energy services offering.

Direct peers

• Terideal: Terideal is a major French landscape and outdoor services group providing green space creation, maintenance, and vegetation management to public and private clients. It directly competes with SERPE for municipal contracts and is among the top French landscape players alongside SERPE.
• Pépinières Naudet: Pépinières Naudet is a French nursery and forestry services company providing planting, reforestation, and silvicultural services. It is comparable to SERPE's tree-care and silviculture-adjacent offerings and competes for forestry-related vegetation contracts.
• Daniel Moquet: Daniel Moquet is a French network specializing in paving, driveways, and landscaping services for individual homeowners and small businesses. While more retail-oriented, it competes with SERPE's SEM Espaces Verts subsidiary for residential landscaping work in France.
• Idverde: Idverde is the leading European landscape services provider with significant operations in France, offering green space creation, maintenance, and arboriculture services. It is the closest large-scale direct competitor to SERPE in the French landscape and tree-care market and competes for many of the same municipal and infrastructure clients.

Others

• ONF (Office National des Forêts): ONF is the French national forestry office managing public forests and contracting silvicultural and vegetation services. It is adjacent to SERPE rather than a direct competitor, but acts as a significant customer/regulator influencing the French vegetation management market in which SERPE operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/groupe_serpe
• Facebookfacebook.com/Serpe.elagage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/serpe

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

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 SERPE