Association Chiens Guides d'Aveugles - Centres Paul Corteville

What Association Chiens Guides d'Aveugles - Centres Paul Corteville does

The Association Chiens Guides d'Aveugles - Centres Paul Corteville is a French nonprofit founded in 1952 by Paul Corteville, who trained France's first guide dog (Dicky). Headquartered in Roncq with a second education center in Honguemare-Guenouville (Normandy, opened 2013), the association provides mobility and autonomy solutions to blind and partially sighted persons across 14 departments in northern France, accompanying nearly 500 visually impaired individuals per year. Its product portfolio comprises three core mobility offerings: guide dogs (trained over ~20 months including ~10 months with host families), the Tom Pouce electronic white cane (infrared + laser obstacle detection up to 12 meters), and the BEMOB indoor mobility device (infrared-based, launched 2023 to replace the legacy MiniTact). The association also runs locomotion training, AVJ (daily living assistance), Qualiopi-certified professional training (JAWS, ZoomText, Office), and functional rehabilitation services staffed by a multidisciplinary team of 47 employees and supported by approximately 200 volunteers.

The operating model is 100% donation-funded: the association is recognized as Reconnue d'Utilité Publique (since 10 August 1973) and receives no public subsidies, relying on individual donations (66% tax-deductible), corporate donations (60% tax-deductible), bequests (legs, exempt from inheritance tax), and life insurance beneficiary designations. All services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. The cost structure is dominated by per-unit program costs of approximately €25,000 per guide dog and €5,000 per electronic cane. Go-to-market is community-led: demand begins with phone/email/form contact, proceeds through home visits and a discovery stage at the center, and culminates in a handover stage; donor engagement is driven by a quarterly magazine (Tandem, since 1993), social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn), open days, and a per-puppy sponsorship program ('Parrainer un futur chien guide' / Grand Destin).

Name

Association Chiens Guides d'Aveugles - Centres Paul Corteville

Legal name

Chiens Guides d'Aveugles – Centres Paul Corteville

Website

https://chien-guide.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Association Chiens Guides d'Aveugles - Centres Paul Corteville is a French nonprofit founded in 1952 that trains guide dogs and provides electronic mobility aids (Tom Pouce cane, BEMOB), locomotion training, and rehabilitation services, free of charge, to visually impaired persons across 14 northern French departments, funded entirely by donations and legacies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Services and Assistive Mobility

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Assistive Technology (AT) Access & AAC Access Support (OT-Led) (EDAKAFAG), Wheelchair, Seating, Mobility & Transfer Training In-Home (HSABADAO)

Keywords

• Guide dog services
• Mobility training
• Visual impairment support
• Assistive devices
• Functional rehabilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Roncq

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private donations: Individual donors contribute funds to support the association's operations. The association receives no public subsidies. Donations are tax-deductible at 66% for individuals (up to 20% of taxable income) and 60% for companies (up to 5% of revenue). The cost per guide dog is ~25,000€ and per electronic cane is ~5,000€.
2. Legs and testamentary gifts: Individuals can leave bequests (legs) or make donations (donations during lifetime) to the association. As a Recognized Public Utility organization (since 1973), the association is exempt from all inheritance or transfer taxes on assets transmitted to it. This is a significant source of long-term funding.
3. Life insurance (assurance-vie): Donors can designate the association as beneficiary of a life insurance contract, providing flexible and tax-advantaged support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The association educates and provides guide dogs, electronic white canes (Tom Pouce III), and the BEMOB electronic mobility device to visually impaired persons, delivered alongside locomotion training, AVJ (daily living assistance) training, functional rehabilitation, and Qualiopi-certified professional formation. All beneficiary-facing services are provided free of charge, with the association funded through private donations, sponsorships, and legacies.

Product overview

The Association offers a comprehensive portfolio of mobility and autonomy solutions for visually impaired persons, centered around three core mobility products: guide dogs (provided free of charge), electronic white canes with infrared detection technology, and the BEMOB indoor mobility device. These are complemented by rehabilitation services including locomotion training, daily living assistance (AVJ), and a professional training center offering courses in assistive technology (JAWS, ZoomText, Microsoft Office). The organization operates two education centers in Roncq and Normandy, covering 14 departments in northern France, with all services provided at no cost to beneficiaries, funded entirely by donations and legacies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Guide dog (Chien guide d'aveugle) education and delivery Education, pairing, and delivery of trained guide dogs to visually impaired persons across northern France, paired with on-site follow-up; approximately 500 beneficiaries served per year.
• Tom Pouce III electronic white cane (Canne blanche électronique) Electronic assistive mobility device using infrared and laser detection to alert users to obstacles; provided to visually impaired beneficiaries in conjunction with mobility training.
• BEMOB electronic mobility device Electronic mobility aid supplied via partnership with ESSILOR, provided to visually impaired persons to complement guide dog and cane use.
• Locomotion training (Formation à la locomotion) Specialized training courses teaching independent travel techniques to visually impaired persons, delivered as part of the association's mobility services.
• AVJ - Daily living activities assistance (Actes de la vie journalière) Coaching and training for visually impaired persons to perform daily living activities (cooking, household tasks, personal care) independently.
• Functional rehabilitation (Rééducation fonctionnelle) Therapeutic rehabilitation program for visually impaired persons to recover functional capacities related to mobility and daily activities.
• Professional formation center (Centre de formation) Qualiopi-certified training programs for professionals and specialists in locomotion, guide dog handling, and rehabilitation for visually impaired persons.
• Legacy and bequest program (Libéralités) Fundraising service allowing individuals to support the association via donations, legacies, and life-insurance designations, with associated tax benefits.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 2,000 guide dogs remitted since 1952
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IGDF (International Guide Dog Federation)coreOthersInternational federation setting standards for guide dog organizations worldwide. The association is affiliated with IGDF, demonstrating adherence to international quality and ethics standards for guide dog training and placement.
• CGF (Fédération française des associations de chiens guides d'aveugles)coreOthersFrench federation of guide dog associations, bringing together guide dog organizations in France to promote the sector and advocate for the rights of visually impaired persons with guide dogs.
• Fondation Valentin HauyminorOthersNamed after Valentin Haüy, the founder of the first school for the blind in France. Foundation supporting the visually impaired. Partner providing additional support to the association's mission.
• CESECAH de Lezoux (63)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal breeding facility (Centre d'Élevage Sélectionné pour l'Éducation de Chiens d'Assistance et d'AideHumanitaire) supplying some of the dogs used by the association. One example: Utak, a German Shepherd from CESECAH, was remitted as the 1976th guide dog.
• Direct signalétiqueminorOthersSignage company partner supporting the association's operations.
• IdeanceminorOthersDigital agency partner supporting the association.
• Bibliothèques sonores de LilleminorOthersAudio library in Lille providing accessible reading services for visually impaired persons. Partner in serving the visually impaired community.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Guide Dogs UK: The UK's leading guide dog charity, providing guide dogs, mobility training, and rehabilitation services to blind and partially sighted people. Directly comparable mission, free-service-to-beneficiary model, and volunteer/host-family ecosystem make it a strong international peer.
• Leader Dogs for the Blind: US nonprofit providing guide dogs alongside complementary rehabilitation and orientation/mobility services. Comparable scope of guide dog education plus rehabilitation offerings, funded through donations.
• Guide Dogs for the Blind (USA): US nonprofit providing guide dogs and training services free of charge. Operates two campuses analogous to the Roncq and Normandy centers and uses a similar volunteer host-family model for puppy raising.
• The Seeing Eye: America's oldest guide dog school (1929), training dogs and providing them to blind individuals. Directly comparable core mission of guide dog education and placement, with a similar cost-recovery model funded by donations.
• Mobility Dogs (New Zealand): New Zealand charity providing guide dogs and mobility services to blind, deaf-blind, and partially sighted individuals. Comparable mission, free-to-beneficiary model, and IGDF-affiliated operations.

Broad incumbents

• APF France Handicap: Major French disability advocacy and services organization serving persons with all types of disabilities, including visual impairment. Comparable nonprofit, donation-and-public-funding model, and broader scope of disability services.
• Fédération des Aveugles et Amblyopes de France: French federation advocating for blind and partially sighted persons, providing services and policy representation. Operates in the same beneficiary population as a broader support and advocacy incumbent.
• Fondation Valentin Haüy: Historic French organization supporting visually impaired persons through education, professional training, and accessibility services. A named partner of the Corteville association and a broader incumbent in the same beneficiary population.

Others

• Handéo: French organization developing quality standards and certification for disability service providers. Comparable nonprofit ecosystem participant focused on improving disability services quality in France.

Emerging players

• CESECAH de Lezoux: French breeding and selection center for assistance and guide dogs. Functions as a supplier of dogs to the Corteville association (e.g., Utak, the 1,976th guide dog), making it a partner/peer in the upstream guide dog value chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CentrePaulCorteville
• Facebookfacebook.com/Corteville.Chiens.Guides
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centrespaulcorteville
• Instagraminstagram.com/chiensguides_nord/?hl=fr

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Association Chiens Guides d'Aveugles - Centres Paul Corteville