Mer et Montagne

What Mer et Montagne does

Mer et Montagne is a French non-profit association (loi 1901) founded in 1985 by teachers for teachers, headquartered in Ronchin (Hauts-de-France). The organization specializes in organizing educational trips and holiday programs for institutional clients, operating across three primary product lines: Classes de découvertes (multi-day school trips including classes de neige and classes de mer), Centres de vacances (vacation centers for school holidays with themed and accessible stays), and Moments Magiques (single-day themed excursions covering Nature, Sport, Patrimoine, and Aventure categories). The organization also serves adult and senior groups with organized travel. Since 2012, Mer et Montagne has operated a specialized reception protocol for children with reduced mobility or chronic health conditions, an offering that differentiates it from standard operators in the youth travel sector.

The association operates a bespoke ("sur mesure") service model with no catalog or fixed pricing; every trip is custom-designed in consultation with the client. Go-to-market is sales-led and consultative, with direct phone contact and online inquiry forms serving as primary channels, supplemented by a modest Facebook and LinkedIn presence. The underlying technology consists of a standard website (meretmontagne.fr) with dedicated client portals (Espace Animateurs, Espace enseignants) and a third-party parent communication tool (ondonnedesnouvelles.com). The organization holds DDCS approval (62EP06-005) and Atout France registration (IM059110045), which are regulatory prerequisites for operating youth and tour-operator activities in France.

Mer et Montagne generates revenue through fees for trip organization services across its three product lines, with a small team of approximately 24 staff (including seasonal animators) organized into administrative and pedagogical poles. Its leadership team is led by Directrice Sabine Sawras (since 2000) and includes a Trip Manager, Head of Pedagogical Pole, Assistant Trip Coordinator, and Coordinator. The organization maintains long-term partnerships with approved external activity providers for sports, nature, and heritage content. Its geographic footprint covers Northern France as the core market, with destinations extending across Normandy, Brittany, the French Alps, the Mediterranean coast, and the Belgian Ardennes.

Name

Mer et Montagne

Legal name

Mer et Montagne

Website

https://meretmontagne.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mer et Montagne is a French non-profit association founded in 1985 that organizes bespoke school trips, holiday centers, themed day excursions, and adult/senior travel for institutional clients including schools, municipalities, CCAS, and IMEs across Northern France and beyond.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Travel Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Tour Operators (561520), Other Traveler Accommodation (72119), All Other Traveler Accommodation (721199)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Educational & Student Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized) (THAAAGAF), Family & Group-Friendly Rentals (Large Homes, Multi-Unit Compounds) (THAGANAI), Accessibility & Inclusion Services (ADA Access, Adaptive Programs, Multilingual Support) (THAAAGAJ), Large Group & Event-Friendly Homes (THAMAAAM)

Keywords

• Educational trip organization
• School travel services
• Holiday camp programs
• Themed day excursions
• Custom group travel

Headquarters

HQ city

Ronchin, Hauts-de-France

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Trip Organization Services: Mer et Montagne, as a loi 1901 non-profit association, generates revenue through fees for organizing school trips, holiday centers, and themed days. Services include classes de découvertes (school trips with overnight stays), classes de neige (ski trips), classes de mer (seaside trips), holiday centers for summer/winter and mid-season breaks, themed days (Moments Magiques), and adult/senior trips.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Mer et Montagne designs and operates fully customized trips and group stays across France for institutional clients, including school trips ("classes de découvertes"), holiday centers ("centres de vacances"), themed day excursions ("Moments Magiques"), and trips for adults and seniors. Programs are built to client specifications with inclusive protocols for groups including children with disabilities, delivered by certified animation staff.

Product overview

Mer et Montagne is a non-profit association (loi 1901) offering customized trip organization services. Its portfolio comprises three main product lines: Classes de découvertes (school trip programs including snow trips, sea trips, and general discovery trips), Centres de vacances (vacation center programs for school holidays with themed stays and accessibility-focused programs), and Moments Magiques (themed day trips in Nature, Sport, Patrimoine, and Aventure categories). The company also serves adults and seniors with dedicated travel services. All offerings emphasize custom tailoring, sustainable practices, and accessibility for children with reduced mobility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Moments Magiques: Themed day trips including Nature, Heritage, Sport, and Adventure activities such as wildlife tours, coastal visits, horseback riding, water sports, city tours, and amusement parks.

Products and services

• Classes de découvertes Fully customized multi-day educational trips ("classes de découvertes") designed for school classes across France, including themed formulas (neige, mer, ferme, etc.), accommodation, meals, transport, and on-site animation. Targeted at French primary and secondary schools.
• Centres de vacances Holiday-center stays ("centres de vacances") for children and youth, organized under DDCS approval, with accommodation, meals, activities, and qualified animators. Available to municipalities, associations, and parent groups.
• Moments Magiques

Quantifiable outcome

• Specialized protocol for inclusive travel operational since 2012 for children with reduced mobility or health conditions

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Long-term Activity Providers (not named)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMer et Montagne maintains long-term partnerships with approved, competent activity providers and instructors. These partners are described as 'agréés et compétents' (approved and competent), with proof of quality demonstrated through sustained relationships. Partners deliver activities including sports (char à voile, equestrian, water sports, paddle, canoe, rafting), nature explorations, and heritage visits.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Belambra Clubs: Belambra operates French vacation clubs that accommodate school groups, family stays, and senior groups across regional destinations. Comparable lodging and group-hosting model to Mer et Montagne's vacation centers, though at broader scale and without bespoke educational-trip coordination.
• TUI France: TUI France is a major tour operator offering packaged school-trip and group-travel programs alongside mainstream leisure travel. Comparable in offering organized group travel to French schools and institutions, but at much larger scale and with a catalog rather than bespoke model.
• Center Parcs France: Center Parcs operates French domain/vacation villages that host family stays, school trips, and themed day visits. Comparable lodging-and-activity model for institutional group clients, but at national scale and without bespoke educational-trip curation.
• ANCV (Agence Nationale des Chèques-Vacances): French national agency administering vacation-voucher programs and funding affordable group holidays, including for youth and CCAS clients. Comparable as a public-mission actor in the same family/children's vacation space, though operating as a funder/intermediary rather than a tour operator.
• Ligue de l'Enseignement: Federation of educational associations running school-trip and youth-activity programs nationwide through its regional federations. Comparable as a loi 1901 non-profit serving the same school and youth institutional clients, but operating at national scale and a wider portfolio of educational services.

Direct peers

• Telligo: Telligo is a French tour operator specializing in school trips (classes de découvertes, séjours linguistiques, séjours thématiques) for primary and secondary schools. Directly comparable to Mer et Montagne in customer base (schools), product (multi-day educational trips), and bespoke-trip model.
• Loisirs Éducation & Citoyenneté (LEC): LEC is a French federation of associations organizing school trips, holiday centers, and youth activities under regulated frameworks. Comparable to Mer et Montagne as a non-profit educational-trip organizer serving schools, municipalities, and CCAS clients.
• UCPA: UCPA is a major French non-profit association offering sports and outdoor activity stays for youth and adults, including school groups and holiday centers. Comparable to Mer et Montagne in delivering activity-led group trips for schools and youth under regulated frameworks (DDCS/Jeunesse et Sports).
• VVF Villages: VVF operates French vacation villages that host school trips, family stays, and group travel across regional destinations. Comparable to Mer et Montagne's Centres de vacances and Classes de découvertes in lodging-led group travel for French institutional clients.

Emerging players

• Association PEP (Pupilles de l'Enseignement Public): PEP is a French federation running school-trip, vacation-center, and inclusive-stay programs for children, including those with disabilities. Comparable to Mer et Montagne in loi 1901 non-profit status, school and CCAS clients, and an inclusive-travel capability; overlaps directly on the accessibility protocol niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/meretmontagne.fr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/meretmontagne

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Mer et Montagne