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Les Halles Provençales? A marathon story
After several years spent without ever really losing sight of each other and a few refuels rich in experiences, we can say that we have crossed our first finish line. It’s true that Les Halles Provençales is our marathon for both of us. A course that allows us to brighten our curiosity with every step we take, a bib that proudly conveys our values, and an authentic stopwatch to push us beyond our limits. Here is the true story of the birth of the site leshallesprovencales.fr founded by a southerner and a Lyonnais, both passionate and dedicated.
September 2019: The meeting
Two first-year business school students in Lyon who get to know each other during a sales techniques class. The southerner simulates the situation and the Lyonnais judges his performance. An anecdote that then sets the foundations of a sincere relationship on both sides! At this stage, we are perplexed about our chances of laughing about it over a drink, but not completely entrenched in our positions.
A business creation competition during which we find ourselves in the same team. Several months of coordinated and relentless work leading to our first joint victory. A reward that highlights complementary and effective character traits. Ultimately, we have laughed about it many times over numerous drinks and are now ready to conquer the world.
March 2020: The registration
This is how, after having a nearly completed idea that has ultimately not yet come to fruition and repeated brainstorming sessions, we both graduated. The southerner did manage to lead his first entrepreneurial experience while the Lyonnais was perfecting his skills in digital professions. And then, after multiple attempts at registrations that were never finalised, it was over one of those famous drinks in a pub ironically named "Maker of stories" that they decided to take the plunge together in February 2020.
It took several months of intensive preparation for the project to become a business and then an online store for products from Provence. A programme that required rigor and solidarity to achieve the goal we had set for ourselves: to create a website that reflects us, where producers retain their identity and benefit from a qualitative and caring service solution for the customer. This time, the southerner successfully sold his native Provence to the Lyonnais!
November 2020: The start
A small stock of candles and olive oil scattered among the various pieces of furniture, some small family volunteer hands to cope with the uncertainties, and off we go. We personally rush to the drop-off points of the carriers to avoid losing time in the delivery schedules. The logistics in the valley of Baux are not at their best. There are still people around us, all visibly better equipped and already have a lot of experience. Despite everything, we continue to maintain a good pace and move forward step by step without deviating from our fundamentals.
February 2021: The first kilometres
A few months later, here we are equipped with a small underground garage of 10m2 that allows us to prepare orders more suitably and dispatch them within considerably reduced timeframes from Lyon. A city where we both live for personal reasons. We thus carry out our own restocking with our partner producers/creators through organised round trips by car. The weight limit is never far from being exceeded but we still maintain our pace.
August 2021: The announcement
Orders are dispatched better, transport issues resolved and we are delighted to see that more and more of you are placing your trust in us. Good omens for the continuation of the journey! That said, we notice a shortcoming in our communication, and we are taking the necessary steps to address it quickly. A sweet and creative Reunionese joins the adventure: we welcome Chloé! She will be in charge of creating a community that resembles us and sharing all the exciting stories we have in store. A guaranteed boost of energy!
October 2021: The supply station
Gone are the conversations via Walkie-Talkie from the old underground garage, here we are in a bright little warehouse in contact with other producers/creators from the Lyon region. Finally, a workspace that will be able to gather in one single room all the steps of the process of dispatching your orders. This change will surely allow us to improve our final performance and we approach it with as much enthusiasm as ever!
Let’s write the next chapter of this story together … !
You are increasingly placing your trust in us and we thank you for it! Together, let’s continue to explore Provence through its producers, its stories and its creations. The human element is at the heart of our adventure and we work daily with passion to allow you to experience the most enriching digital experiences while respecting our loyal traditions.
See you soon, Dylan & Nathan
Are you a producer or creator of Provence products?
At Halles Provençales, we rigorously select the producers and their products sold on our site. Want to join the adventure?
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