Strikes, layoffs, departure from Paris... Are there too many climbing gyms in Île-de-France?
The climbing market in the region, particularly in the capital and the inner suburbs, is experiencing upheavals after exponential growth in recent years.
By Claire Guédon and Théo UhartWith its 2,000 m2, the bouldering room that Arkose is preparing to open on June 2 at the Olympic Aquatics Center in Saint-Denis, will be the fourth largest in its network of thirty establishments in France. Between 20 and 30 people will work there. But this new anchor point for the French brand, leader in indoor climbing in Europe with a turnover of 47 million euros, hides a growth crisis in the market , a little more spectacular in Île-de-France than in the rest of the country.
Strikes, the first in this increasingly professional sector, have been affecting the Climb Up and Climbing District stores in Aubervilliers and Paris since the end of March. Expectations regarding pay and working conditions are emerging and are catching management somewhat off guard. The atmosphere is becoming tense, according to some employees who are being asked to "make money" and "put the emphasis on subscriptions and ten-entry passes."
Le Parisien
