CGO

What CGO does

CGO (Centre de Géologie de l'Oisans) is a French non-profit association (Loi 1901) founded in 1988 and headquartered in Bourg d'Oisans with operational offices at the Maison de la Nature et de l'Environnement in Grenoble. The organization employs a core team of three PhD-level geologists (Thibaud Simon-Labric, Jonathan Mercier, Lucie Bonvallet) supported by partner glaciologists, sedimentologists, and hydrologists, and is governed by a 10-member board and 10-member scientific council. CGO delivers scientific mediation, field education, and geological heritage valorization across the Northern Alps, serving schools, universities, families, seniors, mountain professionals, and local public authorities through nine service lines: school field trips, professional training, scientific hiking, international geological travel, children's science camps, heritage site interpretation design, public conferences, and research/expertise projects.

The underlying offering is a combination of deep domain expertise (Alpine geology, geomorphology, glaciology, climatology, sedimentology, paleoclimatology) and field leadership, with 35+ years of accumulated content including geological inventories, site interpretation materials, and peer-reviewed publications. Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining modest individual membership fees (EUR 15/year or EUR 5/event), unit-priced scientific treks (EUR 695 for a 5-day program), school excursion contracts funded in part through the Pass Culture public mechanism, public-authority project fees for heritage interpretation work, and training fees for SVT teachers and mountain guides. Distribution relies on direct delivery by CGO's geologist-educators and channel partnerships with Université Grenoble Alpes (OSUG, Isterre), APBG, three UNESCO Global Geoparks, Parc National des Ecrins, Université Pour Tous network institutions, Société Géologique Française, and travel agency Vivrance.

CGO's operating geography is concentrated in the Northern Alps of France, with international reach limited to member-only scientific trips organized through Vivrance. The association is institutionally supported by the Communauté de Commune de l'Oisans, Département de l'Isère, and Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, which together with municipal contracts and individual revenue streams fund ongoing operations. As of the latest data, CGO serves 60+ schools annually, maintains 200+ members, and has delivered commissioned heritage projects for multiple municipalities and UNESCO Geoparks between 2021 and 2024.

Name

CGO

Legal name

Centre de Géologie de l'Oisans

Website

https://asso-cgo.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CGO is a French non-profit association that delivers Earth Sciences field education, scientific mediation, and geological heritage valorization across the Northern Alps, serving schools, universities, public authorities, families, and mountain professionals through PhD-led field programs, training, and site interpretation services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Earth Science Education and Geological Heritage Mediation

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Earth Science & Geoscience Programs (EDAMABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Faculty-Led & Research/Field Study Expeditions (THAKAGAK)

Keywords

• Geological field education
• Scientific mediation services
• Earth science training
• Natural heritage interpretation
• Alpine geology excursions

Headquarters

HQ city

Bourg d'Oisans

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Annual membership at 15€/year or 5€ per event, providing access to activities and newsletter
2. School field trips and excursions: Day trips and 2-3 day field stages for schools, funded partially through Pass Culture collective funding
3. Public courses and conferences: Lecture series and courses at Universités Pour Tous in Northern Alps regions
4. Scientific travel and trekking: International geological trips organized via partner agency Vivrance, available to members
5. Professional training: Training for SVT teachers, mountain guides, heritage guides, university students

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Centre de Géologie de l'Oisans (CGO) is a non-profit association delivering Earth Science education, scientific mediation, and geological heritage interpretation services. Its portfolio spans school field excursions, professional training for teachers and mountain guides, scientific hiking, international geological travel, children's science camps, public conferences, and heritage site development for municipalities and Geoparks. All offerings are delivered by PhD-level geologists who also hold mountain guide certifications, combining rigorous scientific expertise with field-based pedagogy.

Product overview

The Centre de Géologie de l'Oisans (CGO) is a non-profit association founded in 1988 offering a comprehensive portfolio of Earth Science education and outreach services. Its core offerings include school field excursions (Sorties Scolaires), professional training programs (Formations Professionnelles), public science outreach through conferences (Conférences Zone Critique, Vulgarisation Grand Public), scientific hiking (Sur les Sentes), international geological travel (GéoVoyages), children's science camps (Stages Enfants), and heritage site development services (Patrimoine & Aménagement). The organization is staffed by PhD-level geologists and operates in partnership with institutions including the Parc National des Ecrins, OSUG, and various UNESCO Geoparks. The CGO also conducts scientific research and publishes in peer-reviewed journals, while providing expertise services for territorial authorities on geological heritage inventory and interpretation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sorties Scolaires sur le Terrain (School Field Excursions) Field excursions and multi-day programs for primary schools, middle schools, high schools, and universities, led by professional geologists covering geology, plate tectonics, glaciology, and climate science aligned with curriculum standards. Funded partially through Pass Culture collective funding for French schools.
• Formations Professionnelles (Professional Training) Professional development training combining theoretical and field approaches for science teachers, mountain guides, geology students, and heritage interpreters. Topics include plate tectonics, orogenic cycles, volcanoes, climate history, glaciers, and erosion. Co-organized with APBG academies in Grenoble, Nantes, and Nice.
• Sur les Sentes (Scientific Hiking / GéoRandos) Scientific hiking excursions in Alpine landscapes led by professional geologists and naturalists, exploring Earth rhythms through geological observation and mountain walking. Available to members and the general public.
• GéoVoyages (International Scientific Travel) International scientific travel programs organized with partner agency Vivrance, taking participants to geological destinations worldwide including Italy (Aeolian Islands), Cape Verde, and Brittany, accompanied by expert geologists to explore Earth's geological history.
• Stages et Séjours Enfants (Children's Science Camps) Multi-day scientific discovery camps for children aged 7-12 in mountain settings, led by mediators with PhDs in Earth Sciences and mountain leadership certifications. Features hands-on mineral hunting, water cycle experiments, and rock observation activities. Co-organized with Maison du Patrimoine et de l'Environnement de Chamrousse.
• Patrimoine & Aménagement de Sites (Heritage Site Development) Expertise services for public authorities and tourism actors to inventory, interpret, and develop geological heritage sites. Includes creation of discovery trails, interpretive panels, educational brochures, scientific mediation content, and training of local actors. Recent projects include the 2024 Mineral Museum of Bourg d'Oisans and the 2024 Deux Alpes discovery trail.
• Cycle de Conférences Zone Critique (Critical Zone Conference Cycle) Free public conference series exploring Critical Zone research and Alpine critical zones, held at Grenoble's Natural History Museum. Topics include climate impacts on Alpine erosion, high mountain ecosystems, and environmental legacies of mining. Co-organized with Société Géologique Française (SGF), Gentiana, and Amis du Museum de Grenoble.
• Vulgarisation Grand Public (Public Science Outreach) Public science outreach including courses and conferences on Earth history, Alpine geology, volcanism, and climate systems, offered through partner universities including UIAD Grenoble, UPT Voiron, and USTL Chambéry for senior learners.
• Recherches & Expertises (Research and Expertise) Scientific research projects and geological expertise services, including National Geological Heritage Inventory (INPG) documentation, geosite interpretation planning for UNESCO Geoparks, and collaborative research with institutions such as BRGM and DREAL.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60+ schools served annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OSUG (Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partner of OSUG (Université Grenoble Alpes). Collaboration on scientific research and field training for university students in Earth Sciences.
• Parc National des EcrinscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partner of Parc National des Ecrins. Joint field training programs and geological heritage valorization projects in the national park territory.
• GeoPark des Bauges UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNESCO Global Geopark partner. Active in promoting and transmitting geological heritage knowledge. Organized discovery stays on geological history of the territory.
• GeoPark du Chablais UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNESCO Global Geopark partner. Collaboration on geological heritage valorization projects.
• GeoPark des Monts d'Ardèche UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNESCO Global Geopark partner. Organization of discovery stays on geological history of the territory.
• Société Géologique Française (SGF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the 2025-2026 Critical Zone conference cycle. Supports the participation of extra-Alpine speakers (Bruno David MNHN, Jérôme Gaillardet IPGP) through SGF Itinerant Conferences program.
• Gentiana (botanical association)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of the Critical Zone conference cycle alongside Amis du Museum and CGO.
• Amis du Museum de GrenobleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of the Critical Zone conference cycle at Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle de Grenoble.
• VivrancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner travel agency since 2021. Organizes all-inclusive international geological trips (transport, accommodation, meals, guiding, activities) for CGO members. Destinations include Aeolian Islands, Cap Verde, Brittany.
• Communauté de Commune de l'OisanscoreOthersLong-term institutional support and headquarters hosting since 1988.
• Université Grenoble AlpescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch laboratory Isterre collaboration. Joint field training for Licences, Masters, and PhD students in geological mapping.
• APBG (Association des Professeurs de Biologie et Géologie)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLong-standing collaboration for professional development training for SVT teachers. Annual field training programs organized with APBG academies (Grenoble, Nantes, Nice).
• UIAD (Université Inter-Ages du Dauphiné)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDelivery of public lecture series and field courses in Earth Sciences for senior learners in Grenoble region.
• Département de l'IsèrecoreOthersInstitutional financial support for CGO activities.
• Région Auvergne-Rhône-AlpescoreOthersInstitutional financial support through DREAL for geological inventory and heritage valorization projects.
• Maison du Patrimoine et de l'Environnement de ChamrousseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of children's summer science stages at Chamrousse.
• Musée Chazal Lento (Les Deux Alpes)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWednesday scientific hike partner in Mont de Lans area.
• Musée GALTA (Bourg d'Oisans)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFriday scientific hike partner in Bourg d'Oisans area.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM): France's national geological survey, conducting geoscience research and geological heritage inventory work that overlaps with CGO's research and INPG expertise activities. Much larger scale and broader mandate, but operates in adjacent geoscience services territory.
• Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN): Major French public scientific institution with educational programming, exhibitions, and public-science outreach. Indirectly comparable as a large-scale operator of scientific mediation in Earth and natural sciences.
• Société Géologique de France (SGF): National learned society for geology that co-organizes CGO's Critical Zone conference cycle and runs parallel outreach/public-education programming. Comparable scientific-mediation activity at a national scale without field-trip specialization.

Others

• Syndicat National des Accompagnateurs en Montagne (SNGM): French national professional body for certified mountain guides, several of whom are also CGO team members (DE AMM certifications). Adjacent in the mountain-professions ecosystem and the same downstream customer base for professional training.

Regional players

• Parc Naturel Régional du Vercors: Adjacent French regional natural park running its own education, geosite interpretation, and discovery-trail programming on Alpine geological heritage. Comparable in mission and visitor-education audience.
• Géoparc UNESCO du Chablais: UNESCO Global Geopark in Haute-Savoie with which CGO holds a core partnership. Operates its own discovery trails, school programs, and heritage interpretation offerings in an adjacent Alpine geography, making it both a partner and a comparable institution.
• Géoparc UNESCO du Beaujolais: French UNESCO Global Geopark operating comparable geological discovery trails, school programs, and heritage interpretation services. Provides a benchmark for how Geopark-style organizations monetize geo-education and tourism.
• Géoparc UNESCO des Monts d'Ardèche: UNESCO Global Geopark and CGO partner, runs its own guided discovery stays, school programs, and geological heritage promotion. Directly comparable in geo-education and geo-tourism scope within a different regional Alpine/Pre-Alpine territory.

Direct peers

• Objectif Sciences International: Non-profit scientific education NGO running field-based science camps and expeditions for children and adults; CGO team member Chloé Loury previously worked there. Closely comparable as a peer organization in scientific mediation with field programs.
• Réserve Naturelle Géologique de Haute-Provence: France's flagship geological heritage reserve, with a similar mission of inventorying, interpreting, and educating the public about geological heritage. Comparable in offering scientific mediation, school programs, and site interpretation for a regional Alpine/Pre-Alpine territory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-de-g%C3%A9ologie-oisans-alpes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 CGO