In the Choletais region, the Emmaüs community has taken advantage of the assistance granted by Ecomaison in 2024 as part of the "Appel à Manifestation d'Intérêt" (AMI) Réemploi et Territoires to equip itself with cargo bikes. An ecological and economical project to develop local collection of small furnishing items. All aboard!
We were looking for a way to increase our collection of donations, while limiting the costs and carbon footprint associated with the use of our trucks," explains Stéphanie Perrin, co-manager of the Emmaüs Community in Cholet. The solution of cargo bikes was the obvious one: less polluting and more economical, they are also more agile to move around and easier to park. And thanks to their originality, they make our actions more visible, which we hope will enable us to attract a younger audience, while at the same time promoting sport and health. The two machines, electrically-assisted cargo bikes with a payload capacity of 300 kg each, were delivered in June 2024.
A local approach
The vehicles were carefully selected. Assembled in France, with a maximum of parts produced in Europe and distributed by a French brand, they were purchased locally, in La Roche-sur-Yon. Since the summer of 2024, they have been driving around Cholet and the surrounding area two half-days a week, collecting small items of home furnishings and delivering the items sold in the showroom.
New volunteers
To increase their utilization rate, a vehicle discovery day was organized on June 10, 2025. Several people responded to the Community's call and came to test the machines, on a circuit prepared by the Compagnons. Three of them decided to join us," explains Stéphanie Perrin. Thanks to this new pool of volunteers, we'll be able to make our tours more flexible and respond to more requests for donations. The result will be greater support for re-use, with greater respect for the environment.
"We want to help raise awareness that a different way of organizing, consuming and moving is possible, that more reuse is possible and that rather than throwing things away, it's better to give them away so that they can be reused."
Stéphanie Perrin, co-manager of the Cholet Emmaus Community
"Emmaus Cholet's original approach to collecting donations by cargo bike caught Ecomaison's full attention. It will provide greater flexibility in home collection and more visibility for the Emmaus community's action, a virtuous action to be duplicated in other territories!"
Mael L'Hostis, Regional Development Manager - Centre Atlantique, Ecomaison
Key figures
30
companions
74
volunteers
14
employees including 8 in integration
2
electric-assist cargo bikes brand-new
AMI Réemploi et Territoires: accelerating solidarity-based reuse
As part of the Fonds Réemploi program, the AMI Réemploi et Territoires d'Ecomaison aims toencourage the emergence of and provide financial support for business development projects led by SSE (social and solidarity economy) structures and built around the logic of local ecosystems, helping to increase the volume of reused goods in the heart of French territories.
The first session supported 30 winning projects aimed at increasing the number of preserved collections, improving rehabilitation or developing new outlets.