VELOTOUR

What VELOTOUR does

VELOTOUR is a French cycling event operator founded in 2006 in Dijon by three students, structured as EVENT ETCETERA SARL and headquartered in Clichy, France. The company organizes non-competitive cycling tours through urban and cultural sites normally closed to the public—stadiums, concert halls, factories, fire stations, airports, operas, government buildings, and vineyards—across 14+ French cities including Toulouse, Tours, Orléans, Colmar, Reims, Paris Nord, Chambéry, Dijon, Nantes, Grenoble, Valenciennes, and wine regions Sauternes and Saint-Émilion. Tickets range from €5 to €45 depending on edition and route, with a mandatory participant pack including a frame plate, course map, and refreshment voucher; pricing rises as event dates approach.

The core technology is a third-party online ticketing platform (Weezevent) integrated into the velotour.fr website; VELOTOUR itself does not operate a proprietary technology platform. Events are supported by 1,200+ volunteers annually and a marshalled route structure with mechanical support and gourmet refreshment stops. The company's customer base consists of mass-market consumers—families with children, groups of friends, and local residents seeking cultural discovery—with costume culture and festive atmosphere as defining brand elements. Revenue comes from three streams: ticket sales (primary), sponsorships and partnerships (national brands Groupama, LCL, Decathlon plus regional governments and municipalities), and on-site merchandise. The 20-year operating history has produced 550,000+ total participants across 110+ editions with only one weather-related cancellation.

Name

VELOTOUR

Legal name

EVENT ETCETERA

Website

https://velotour.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VELOTOUR is a French cycling event company organizing non-competitive bike tours through 750+ normally closed urban and cultural sites across 14+ French cities and wine regions. Founded in 2006, it serves families and friend groups via ticket sales priced €5-€45, supported by national brand sponsorships and a 1,200-volunteer ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leisure Cycling Events

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cycling, Mountain Biking & E-Bike Adventure Tour Operators (THAAADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cycling Events (Road Races, Gran Fondos, Sportives) (MPAKAIAC), Bike Rental, Demo & Tour Operators (Retail-Adjacent) (CRAMAHAJ)

Keywords

• Cycling event tours
• Urban cycling tours
• Family cycling events
• Leisure event management
• Wine region cycling

Headquarters

HQ city

Clichy

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from individual event tickets sold online. Prices range from €5-€20 for city editions and €15-€45 for wine region editions (Sauternes, Saint-Émilion). Children under 12 pay reduced rates.
2. Sponsorship & Partnerships: Revenue from major partners (Groupama, LCL, Decathlon), title sponsors per city, regional governments (Occitanie, Centre-Val de Loire), and local business partners. Partnership tiers include title partner, major partner, official partner, and media partners.
3. Merchandise: On-site merchandise sales at event villages including accessories and branded items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

VELOTOUR organizes annual mass-participation cycling tours through normally inaccessible urban and cultural sites (stadiums, fire stations, factories, museums, airports, opera houses) across 14+ French cities. The company sells individual tickets (€5–€45) via the Weezevent online ticketing platform, delivering supervised, non-competitive routes with gourmet refreshments, participant packs, and on-site merchandise. It also operates specialized wine-region editions (Sauternes, Saint-Émilion) including château visits and tastings.

Product overview

Vélotour is a cycling event company organizing unique bike tours through unusual locations normally closed to the public. The offering consists of two core product lines: City Events (cycling tours through urban locations like stadiums, fire stations, concert halls, and museums across 12+ French cities) and Vineyard Events (specialized wine-themed tours through Sauternes and Saint-Émilion regions with château visits and tastings). The company has operated since 2006, reaching 20 years in 2026, and has welcomed over 550,000 participants across 110+ editions. Participants purchase tickets (€5-45 depending on edition and route) and receive a mandatory participant pack with course materials. The company also offers official merchandise and manages a volunteer program supporting local associations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VELOTOUR City Events Cycling tours through normally inaccessible urban and cultural sites (stadiums, fire stations, factories, museums, airports, opera houses, government buildings) held across 14+ French cities including Toulouse, Tours, Orléans, Colmar, Reims, Paris Nord, Chambéry, Dijon, Nantes, Grenoble, and Valenciennes. Each edition features 10–15 unique sites, tickets priced €5–€20, and includes a gourmet refreshment stop. Targeted at families and groups of friends seeking non-competitive, supervised cycling experiences.
• VELOTOUR Vineyard Events Specialized cycling tours through French wine regions featuring vineyard visits, château tours, and wine tastings. Editions include Sauternes (family route €15–€30, grand route €25–€35) and Saint-Émilion (family/standard route €15–€25, prestige route €30–€45). Routes range 20–45 km and are priced at a premium to city editions due to included wine tastings and château visits.
• VELOTOUR Merchandise Official VELOTOUR-branded accessories and merchandise items sold at the arrival village of each event, including event-themed designs and accessories.

Quantifiable outcome

• 550,000+ total participants over 20 years
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered major, official, title, principal and core.

• GroupamamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor partner of Vélotour. Through its 'Par passion du vélo' program, Groupama promotes cycling accessibility and safety for all audiences. Partnership aligns with Groupama's sponsorship of professional cycling through Équipe Cycliste Groupama-FDJ. Supports making cycling accessible to all through Vélotour's 50,000+ annual participants.
• LCLofficialGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner with 40+ year history in cycling through Tour de France sponsorship (since 1981), including Maillot Jaune partnership (since 1987). Also present on Paris-Nice, Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Tours, and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Promotes safe cycling through specific insurance products, Federation Française de Cyclisme partnership, and VAE bike lending at select branches.
• DecathlonofficialGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner providing bike rental services at select event locations (Decathlon Cormontreuil for Reims, Decathlon Quetigny for Dijon, Decathlon Nantes Atlantis for Nantes, Decathlon Aulnoy-Lez-Valenciennes for Valenciennes).
• Région Centre-Val de LoiretitleGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of three Vélotour events (Tours, Orléans, Bourges) as part of 'Les Échappées à vélo' regional program. Supports 3,000 participants in Tours, 5,000 in Orléans, and additional participants in Bourges.
• Région OccitanietitleGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional government sponsor of Toulouse Vélotour edition. Supports accessibility of cycling events in the Occitanie region.
• Toulouse MétropoleprincipalGTM or Marketing PartnerPrincipal partner for Toulouse Vélotour event.
• Ville de ToulouseprincipalGTM or Marketing PartnerCity of Toulouse supporting Vélotour local edition.
• Ville de ToursprincipalGTM or Marketing PartnerCity of Tours supporting Vélotour local edition.
• Métropole du Grand ParismajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor partner for Paris Nord Vélotour event, covering Saint-Denis and surrounding areas including Paris 2024 Olympic venues.
• Grand ChambérytitleGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle partner for Grand Chambéry Vélotour edition.
• Grand Saint-ÉmilionnaistitleGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle partner for Saint-Émilion wine region Vélotour event, covering multiple wine châteaux and vineyards.
• Ville de DijonprincipalGTM or Marketing PartnerCity of Dijon - birthplace of Vélotour in 2006 - hosting the 20th anniversary celebration.
• SMMAG (Grenoble Metropolitan Area)titleGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle partner for Grenoble metropolitan area Vélotour event.
• Valenciennes MétropoletitleGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle partner for Valenciennes Métropole Vélotour event.
• Ville de ColmartitleGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle partner for Colmar Vélotour (3rd edition in 2026).
• Nantes MétropoletitleGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle partner for Nantes Métropole Vélotour event.
• Ville de ReimstitleGTM or Marketing PartnerCity of Reims hosting Vélotour event with 11 locations including Maison Taittinger champagne house.
• Les Échappées à vélo (Centre-Val de Loire)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional cycling program including 60+ festive bike rides across Centre-Val de Loire territory from May to October 2026.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GFNY (Gran Fondo New York): Global mass-participation cycling event series with timed gran fondo format in 10+ countries. Comparable to Vélotour as a recurring, multi-city cycling event brand with tiered pricing and sponsor-driven marketing.
• L'Étape du Tour de France (ASO): Mass-participation cyclosportive operated by Amaury Sport Organisation alongside the Tour de France, allowing amateur cyclists to ride Tour stages. Directly comparable as a French mass-participation cycling event operator with tiered pricing, regional editions and major brand sponsors.
• La Marmotte (by ASO): Iconic French cyclosportive through the Alps organized by ASO with several thousand participants and tiered routes. Comparable as a French mass-participation cycling event with route tiers, sponsorship and recurring annual cadence.

Broad incumbents

• UCI Gran Fondo World Series: Official UCI-sanctioned series of cyclosportive qualifying events across multiple countries. Comparable as an umbrella organizer of mass-participation cycling events with sponsor partnerships and tiered event formats.
• Ironman France: Operator of mass-participation triathlon and cycling events in France (Nice, Vichy). Comparable as a French mass-participation endurance event brand with tiered pricing, sponsor portfolio and annual regional editions.
• Paris-Brest-Paris (Audax Randonneurs): Historic French long-distance cycling event held every four years with thousands of participants. Comparable as a legacy French mass-participation cycling event, though it operates on a quadrennial cadence rather than annual city tours.

Regional players

• Le Marathon de Paris (ASO): Annual Paris mass-participation running event operated by ASO with 40,000+ participants and major sponsors. Comparable as a French mass-participation sports event with tiered pricing and strong public-sector and corporate sponsor engagement, though running rather than cycling.

Emerging players

• Trek Travel: Premium guided bicycle tour operator running cycling vacations in Europe and worldwide with tiered pricing and lodge-inclusive packages. Comparable to Vélotour as a curated cycling experience business, with overlap on premium guided tours through culturally significant locations.
• Critical Mass: Worldwide mass-participation free group bicycle ride concept organized monthly in hundreds of cities. Comparable to Vélotour as a community-driven urban cycling gathering, though smaller in commercial scale and lacking the venue-access moat.
• Marathon des Sables (Marathon Seminars): Adventure multi-stage endurance event organizer operating in Morocco and abroad. Comparable as a niche, experience-led French-organized mass-participation event with premium pricing and strong brand/loyalty.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/velotour1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 VELOTOUR