Villages Vivants

What Villages Vivants does

Villages Vivants is a French cooperative enterprise structured as a SCIC SA (Société Coopérative d'Intérêt Collectif) controlling an SCA Foncière solidaire (real estate investment partnership), headquartered in Crest, Drôme. Founded in 2018 (preceded by Association Villages Vivants in 2017), the company acquires, renovates, and rents vacant commercial premises in rural France to social and solidarity economy (ESS) project holders — associations, SCOPs, and SCICs running bakeries, cultural tiers-lieux, hostels, fablabs, craft breweries, recycleries, and community spaces. Each property is held within a dedicated SCI (Société Civile Immobilière) with the SCA holding 95% and the SCIC 5%. The cooperative manages 35 projects across approximately 15 departments in southeast France and the Massif Central.

The company monetizes through four revenue streams: (1) accessible rental income from its 35-property portfolio, (2) citizen investment subscriptions via social shares (parts sociales) and participatory titles (titres participatifs) routed through the Coophub platform, (3) a 10-program professional training catalogue (2026) priced at €300-€600 per training day and delivered via Qualiopi-certified partner La FRAPP, and (4) B2G accompaniment/consulting fees for municipalities (Florac, Saint-Julien-Chapteuil, Lille, Vesseaux). Its underlying technology is standard SaaS — Coophub for member/subscription management, OVH hosting, Let's Co website — with the core competency in financial engineering and cooperative governance rather than proprietary technology.

Villages Vivants has raised cumulatively over €10M across five funding rounds (2020-2025) from institutional investors (Banque des Territoires, France Active Investissement, Ecofi, Mirova) and citizen crowdfunding. Key partnerships include Plateau urbain, Crédit Coopératif, Banque Populaire Aura, URSCOP, France Active, France Tiers-Lieux, Cocoshaker, Ronalpia, and ANCT. The cooperative holds ESUS accreditation (2019) and Finansol label (2024), and is led by co-directors Sylvain Dumas (finance/strategy) and Raphaël Boutin-Kuhlmann (operations) with a ~20-person team organized into six poles. Geographic scope is explicitly limited to rural France excluding urban areas and communes above 20,000 inhabitants.

Name

Villages Vivants

Legal name

Villages Vivants SCIC SA

Website

https://villagesvivants.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Villages Vivants is a French SCIC cooperative that acquires, renovates, and rents vacant rural commercial premises to social and solidarity economy (ESS) project holders, operating a 35-property portfolio across southeast France and the Massif Central with citizen and institutional capital.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Solidarity Real Estate (Rural Cooperative Property)

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Trusts, Estates, and Agency Accounts (52592)

SIC

Real Estate Dealers (For Their Own Account) (6532), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Impact / ESG Venture Capital (FSANAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transition / Engagement & Stewardship Funds (FSANAJAO), Development Finance & Blended Finance Facilities (BPADAOAD), Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO)

Keywords

• Solidarity real estate
• Rural commercial revitalization
• Social economy financing
• Cooperative property management
• Professional training services

Headquarters

HQ city

Crest

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Rental income from real estate portfolio: Villages Vivants acquires, renovates, and rents commercial and community spaces to ESS project holders (associations, SCOPs, SCICs). Rental income constitutes the primary ongoing revenue stream, with rents set at accessible levels aligned with the cooperative's social mission. Each property is held within a dedicated SCI (Société Civile Immobilière), while the overall portfolio is managed through the SCIC (mother cooperative) and the SCA (Société en Commandite par Actions) foncière.
2. Citizen investment subscriptions (parts sociales and titres participatifs): The cooperative raises capital by offering citizens the opportunity to subscribe to social shares (parts sociales) and participatory titles (titres participatifs) via its own collection platform and the Coophub platform. This is the primary mechanism for funding property acquisitions and renovations. The cooperative holds the Finansol label and ESUS accreditation, enabling tax advantages for investors.
3. Professional training services: Villages Vivants offers a catalogue of paid professional training programs (10 trainings in 2026) targeting entrepreneurs and local authorities on topics such as real estate project development, solidarity foncière creation, rural entrepreneurship, and tier-lieu development. Training sessions are delivered in person and remotely, with fees per training day varying by participant category.
4. Project accompaniment and consulting fees: Villages Vivants provides fee-based accompaniment services to local authorities and project collectives, including feasibility studies for reusing vacant properties, real estate programming, and strategic support for developing local development tools. Accompaniment engagements are referenced for municipalities in Florac (48), Saint-Julien-Chapteuil (43), Lille (59), and Vesseaux (07).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Villages Vivants acquires, renovates and rents out vacant rural commercial premises to social and solidarity economy (ESS) project holders, who operate bakeries, groceries, cultural cafés, fablabs, third places and other local services. It funds these acquisitions through a cooperative capital structure (SCIC SA + SCA + SCI) financed by citizen investment (parts sociales and titres participatifs) and institutional impact investors, and it complements the real-estate activity with project accompaniment and a professional training catalogue for project holders, local authorities and investors.

Product overview

Villages Vivants is a rural solidarity real estate cooperative that operates as a platform combining a SCIC (Société Coopérative d'Intérêt Collectif) and a SCA (Société en Commandite par Actions) foncière. The platform's core offering comprises four interconnected products: (1) Achat de local for purchasing and renovating vacant commercial properties, (2) Epargner rural et solidaire for citizen investment in shares and participatory securities, (3) Accompagnement for project support services to ESS enterprises and territories, and (4) Formation offering 10 training programs. The Les lieux portfolio showcases 35 properties acquired and managed by the cooperative. The Coophub platform supports member and shareholder management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Achat de local (Rural Property Purchase and Rental) Acquisition, renovation and long-term rental of vacant rural commercial premises to social and solidarity economy (ESS) project holders (associations, SCOPs, SCICs, ESUS companies). Targets host structures such as groceries, bakeries, cafés, cultural venues and third places in rural communes.
• Epargner rural et solidaire (Solidarity Rural Savings) Solidarity investment vehicles (parts sociales and titres participatifs) allowing citizens, employees, and institutional investors to finance rural property acquisitions, with potential tax advantages under ESUS/Finasol label.
• Accompagnement (Project and Territory Accompaniment) Feasibility studies, real estate programming, project-holder installation support and rural territory diagnostics, offered to ESS actors, municipalities, EPCIs, PETRs, regional councils and similar bodies engaged in rural revitalization.
• Formation Catalogue (Professional Training Catalogue) Catalogue of professional training programs and webinars on rural real estate, tier-lieu development, foncière structuring, rural enterprise, commercial revitalization, lease frameworks and regulatory compliance. Audiences include individuals, associations, companies and public-sector bodies.
• Training: Monter un projet immobilier (Building a Real Estate Project) Standalone training program guiding participants through structuring a rural real estate project, including identifying a site, sizing needs, and assembling financing.
• Training: Montage d'une foncière solidaire (Setting Up a Solidarity Foncière) Standalone training program on setting up a foncière solidaire, covering governance, capital structure, legal vehicles and operational rollout.
• Training: Agir sur les commerces de proximité (Acting on Local Shops) Standalone training program on diagnosing and acting to sustain and revive local retail trade in rural and small-town areas.
• Training: Entreprendre en milieu rural (Rural Enterprise) Standalone training program on the specific challenges, models and methods of entrepreneurial activity in rural France.
• Training: Développer son tiers-lieu (Developing a Third Place) Standalone training program covering the development of rural tiers-lieux, including positioning, governance, real-estate model and engagement of users.
• Webinaire: Mener une opération immobilière (Running a Real Estate Operation) Live webinar format training on leading a real estate operation, from feasibility to handover, in a rural ESS context.
• Webinaire: Réussir sa levée de fonds locale (Successful Local Fundraising) Live webinar format training on running a successful local fundraising campaign for a solidarity foncière or similar rural ESS project.
• Webinaire: Comprendre les baux (Understanding Leases) Live webinar format training explaining the lease frameworks applicable to ESS tenants occupying Villages Vivants (or similar) rural premises.
• Webinaire: Immobilier, réglementations et normes (Real Estate, Regulations and Standards) Live webinar format training on the regulatory framework and applicable standards governing rural real estate projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35 real estate projects acquired and managed across 35 rural locations, enabling 30+ commercial activities to open in areas lacking services
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• La FRAPP (Formation)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025La FRAPP is a certified Qualiopi training organization that serves as Villages Vivants' official training partner. Villages Vivants' training catalogue is delivered under a subcontracting agreement with La FRAPP, enabling participants to access professional training funding through OPCO and other mechanisms.
• Coophub EU (Société Coopérative Européenne)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Coophub EU operates the digital subscription and member management platform used by Villages Vivants since 01/02/2023. It handles cooperative member data, social share subscriptions, and participatory title management. Villages Vivants operates under the Coophub platform's CGU framework.
• URSCOP (Union Régionale des SCOP et SCIC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021URSCOP is a key referral and support partner for Villages Vivants, directing cooperative project holders (SCOPs and SCICs) to the foncière's real estate solutions. Joint interventions at events and conferences are documented, including the 2025 Auberge de la Valette table-ronde.
• France ActivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021France Active is a key ecosystem partner providing financing solutions for ESS enterprises. Villages Vivants works in close coordination with France Active's regional structures for project accompaniment and co-investment, with joint participation in finance solidarity events.
• CAAP (Coopérative Auvergne d'Approvisionnement de Proximité)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021CAAP is a partner in project referrals and peer learning, working with Villages Vivants on shared objectives of supporting ESS entrepreneurs in rural areas of the Massif Central region.
• GRENADE (SCIC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021GRENADE (SCIC) is a cooperative enterprise hub that partners with Villages Vivants on shared accompaniment activities for social economy projects, with joint participation in public events and conferences.
• France Tiers-LieuxcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021France Tiers-Lieux is a national network for tiers-lieux (collaborative spaces) that works with Villages Vivants on the Foncier des Tiers-Lieux initiative, developing practical guides and methodologies for property access for tiers-lieux projects.
• CocoshakercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Cocoshaker is an incubation and entrepreneurship support organization in the Massif Central that refers qualified project holders to Villages Vivants and co-organizes events such as the annual Cocoshaker Forum in Clermont-Ferrand.
• RonalpiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Ronalpia is an ESS incubation and support organization in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Villages Vivants participates in Ronalpia's programs and juries, and joint events (such as 'Impacte ton territoire') are regularly organized.
• ANCT (Agence Nationale de la Cohésion des Territoires)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021ANCT is a government agency supporting rural and territorial development. Villages Vivants received ANCT funding for center-bourg revitalization projects and participates in ANCT-organized working groups and local committees (CLCT) across rural departments.
• AdieminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Adie is a microfinance organization supporting entrepreneurship among excluded populations. Bénédicte Carel, a financing expert at Adie, sits on Villages Vivants' Comité d'Expertise, creating a link between microfinance and the cooperative's real estate solutions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Habitat et Humanisme: Major French movement providing affordable housing to vulnerable populations through a foncière model with citizen investment, ESUS certification, and professional accompaniment. Highly comparable in structure and social mission, though focused on housing rather than commercial premises.
• Terre de Liens: Federation of foncières acquiring agricultural land to install organic farmers and prevent land speculation. Operates a similar citizen-investment foncière solidaire model, demonstrating structural parallels and serving as proof point for impact-foncière governance.
• Foncière Chênelet: Cooperative foncière that builds and rents solid wood social housing in rural and peri-urban France, also blending citizen investment with institutional capital to deliver social real estate. Most direct structural analogue to Villages Vivants' foncière solidaire model.

Emerging players

• Plateau Urbain: Cooperative real estate operator activating vacant urban and peri-urban property for temporary use by ESS and cultural actors. Listed as Villages Vivants' shareholder, demonstrating model overlap, but focused on urban rather than rural contexts.
• La Nef: Cooperative ethical bank financing social, environmental, and cultural projects in France, including rural real estate. Comparable in cooperative values, ESUS-equivalent positioning, and target investor base (savoirs-citoyens).
• France Tiers-Lieux: National network supporting the development of tiers-lieux (collaborative third places) across France, including rural areas. Strategic partner on the Foncier des Tiers-Lieux initiative and target market for Villages Vivants' commercial real estate offerings.
• Ronalpia: ESS incubator in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes supporting social entrepreneurship in rural and peri-urban areas. Direct strategic partner of Villages Vivants for project referral and accompaniment.

Regional players

• Cocoshaker: ESS entrepreneurship support organization focused on the Massif Central region. Strategic partner of Villages Vivants, sharing the rural social economy mission and operating in overlapping territory.

Broad incumbents

• France Active Investissement: Leading national investor in social economy enterprises, providing capital and accompaniment to ESS actors. A shareholder and core partner of Villages Vivants, with overlapping mission and capital deployment.
• Novaxia Investissement: Impact real estate investment manager in France focused on responsible urban and peri-urban real estate transformation. Comparable in deploying pooled capital into impact real estate, though operating at a much larger scale and primarily in urban contexts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/villagesvivantscrest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/villages-vivants
• Instagraminstagram.com/villagesvivants

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 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 Villages Vivants