The co-founders of the French & Padel :  Cyril Pailharet, Guillaume Labrosse  et  Philip Aubert  present the specific features of their 100% autonomous indoor center, which has just opened its doors on the Valentinois basin to complete the padel experience.

The story of French & Padel

 It's the story of three friends associated  : Cyril Pailharet, Guillaume Labrosse and Philippe Aubert. Everyone works in different fields, but they all share a passion for the sport. They met while playing rugby together. Guillaume, a committed business leader, is the padel player of the group. Cyril, a former ProD2 player and former sports technical executive, now works in real estate. Philippe, partner of an international accounting group, remains very involved in rugby thanks to his professional skills.

French & Padel

When they discovered padel, they quickly got into the game. By rediscovering the taste of winning without putting themselves in physical pain, they immediately saw the potential of this sport in the making.
Furthermore, after difficulties in booking and repeated cancellations due to bad weather, an observation appears: their region lacks courts, particularly indoors, for practice throughout the year.

A 100% autonomous center

They wanted to create something different:  a 100% autonomous center . Their goal was to offer affordable prices and extended time slots, allowing people to play whenever they want, even at 6 a.m. before going to work, as many do with their jogging. For this, they set up  access from 6 hours to 24 hours, 7 days a week .

According to Cyril,'indoor is particularly relevant in the Rhône valley, where  the wind is blowing  all year round, without forgetting months like May and June, when  precipitation is frequent . It is crucial to have indoor facilities to guarantee the practice of padel throughout the year. A study has shown that there were  a potential of 6500 players in the Valentin region , and to meet this demand, at least 30 lots would be needed.

The strengths of padel according to them

According to the founders, the strengths of padel are quite simple to understand. Padel is an addictive sport that always makes you want to come back. It is also very accessible. Unlike tennis, where you need a certain level to hold rallies,  Padel allows an experienced player and a beginner to play together  and to have nice exchanges. This allows you to enjoy yourself very quickly.

French & Padel

Padel does not require great technique, unless you want to compete at a high level. You can have fun from the first games. For former athletes with injuries, padel is less physically traumatic than many other sports.

Racket sports are known for their health benefits, and padel is particularly great in this regard. It combines a playful and accessible aspect that is rarely found in other sports, a bit like rugby, where everyone can find their place, whether they are tall, short, strong, less strong, technical or not, and even in mixed format.

How French & works Padel

Players can register via the app “ French & padel », available on Apple Store or Android.
When booking, an access code is sent and entry is made using a digital code, the field lights up and players can take their seats.

The center also has racket rental, a central track with video and scoring (Live Xperience), individual showers and changing rooms, as well as a relaxation area to enhance the center. It is an indoor center with three tracks, two normal and one single.  They will probably be the first to offer a single in the departments of Drôme and Ardèche. 

This makes a lot of sense to the founders, as it will allow the center's padel instructor to give classes without monopolizing a court intended for four players. It also allows for a more dynamic padel game than a four-player game, an aspect already appreciated by the younger generation.

They are also very satisfied with their collaboration with the terrain manufacturer 100 % Padel.  Jeremy Scatena , with his experience as a professional player ranked in the world top 100, brought valuable expertise. Together they opted for panoramic high-end fields with Word turfPadel Italgreen, thus ensuring optimal quality for players.


 The Center opened on July 5 and offers opening offers:
-30% on games played between July 5 and 31, 2024. 

 FRENCH & PADEL
530 rue Jean Rostand 26800 Portes les Valence 

Dorian Massy

New padel fan, I am fascinated by this dynamic sport that combines strategy and agility. I find in padel a new passion to explore and share with you on Padel Magazine.

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