REPORT – The caravanners of the Leclerc system distribute nearly 1.3 million products on the roads of the Tour de France, in an exceptional atmosphere.
“Come on, come on, today we are going to create the memories of tomorrow!” shouts Vincent in front of a vehicle. In the back, Cédric distributes packets of crackers non-stop. It is 10:30 a.m. this morning of the 10th stage of the Tour de France and the caravan has just passed the ski resort of Morzine (Haute-Savoie). Through the valley, the music “All the happiness in the world” of Sinsemilia resounds. The animators of the Leclerc vehicles move about on their floats and make the crowds dance on their way.
Only 8% of candidates hired
Like every year, the caravan follows the stage route two hours ahead of the riders. The caravanners distribute t-shirts, caps, food, and other goodies of all kinds. The jubilant crowd stretches out its arms to try to catch some in flight. With its chariots in the shape of shopping baskets and its quads painted in strawberry and melon, Leclerc offers the largest device of the Tour de France caravan. During the three weeks of racing, nearly 80 people work for its teams. The enthusiasm of seasonal workers for the tour can be measured by the selectivity of the positions offered each year. In 2022, only 8% of candidates were hired.
Caravaneers are fed, housed, laundered and paid
On the main convoy, the caravaneers are divided between the posts of drivers, hosts and animators. The hosts are responsible for sending the 1.3 million samples distributed by Leclerc to the public. In an ecological concern, all packaging is biodegradable. The majority of caravanners occupy positions on the main convoy, but the brand also offers a mobile device upstream of its passage and fixed stands on the start and finish lines. On these last stands and on the caravan, the hosts mainly distribute food. The upstream device, meanwhile, offers caps and polka dot jerseys of which Leclerc is the official sponsor. The caravanners are “fed, housed, whitened” and paid at minimum wage for the entire Tour de France.
At each passage, it’s a riot
With the exception of one or two technical breaks, the caravan does not stop all day. The caravanners have lunch on the way with a packed lunch. In the evening, after a busy day, everyone cleans their vehicle and recharges it for the next day. The teams then return to the hotel and take the time to have a good dinner before going to bed. By all accounts, the work is hard but amply rewarded by the intense joy it brings. “What I like is the contact with the public” slips Elsa, 22 years old. This notarial law student is part of the upstream system. Perched on a vehicle, she distributes jerseys and polka dot caps before the caravan passes. “Every time we pass by, we create a riot, people are happy to see us, and we are happy to please them”, enthuses the young girl. Clément is touched by the landscapes: “every year we cross France, the southern sun, the mountains, the forests; this is really beautiful”. At 25, this young physio is doing his third tour of France. He is so attached to it that he decided to recruit a replacement in his cabinet to replace him over the period.
“The team really works like a family. We don’t really feel the hierarchy and the instructions are accepted because they make sense”Clément, caravanner on the Tour de France
The Leclerc teams also salute the organization of the caravan. Here everyone works in joy and good humor. “The team really works like a family explains the young man”. And to add: “We don’t really feel the hierarchy and the instructions are accepted because they make sense”. The teams are intergenerational and balanced between men and women. “The tour helps build strong bonds between us,” says Caroline. At 25, this driver is returning to the lathe after having already worked there last summer. “During the year I saw at least a dozen caravanners”says the young woman. While a majority are under 30, there are also older drivers who have already completed nearly twenty laps.
More than 1000 applications for 80 positions offered
To recruit their summer staff, brands call on agencies such as Idéactif or Spoutnik. Laura applied to half a dozen of them before being hired. “Each time, we interview around fifteen other candidates” explains the student in master 1 profession of teaching and education. Recruiters attach more importance to the dynamism, sociability and physical resistance of candidates than to their knowledge of cycling competitions. “Above all, they are looking for people who know how to show real savoir-vivre and who will fit in well within the group” explains Laura. The drastic selection testifies to the public’s enthusiasm for this summer job. At Leclerc, only 80 candidates were selected from the 1,000 applications submitted this year. And among them, almost half are former caravanners taken back from one round to the next. Laura, meanwhile, is delighted with this experience and is already planning to apply next year. “I think I could even do this job even if I wasn’t paid” finally declares the young girl.
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