Street food on a delivery tricycle
Polluting less than food trucks while offering just as much charm, delivery tricycles are breathing fresh life into Lyon’s street food scene, serving up specialty coffees, vitamin-packed fruit juices and comforting sweet treats.
On summer days, the multicoloured delivery tricycle ‘Quai des Glaces’ makes its way up and down the banks of the Rhône and crosses Place Bellecour, signalling its arrival with a little trumpet. For seven years now, it has revived Lyon’s tradition of mobile vendors, which were popular during the time of our grandparents’ generation. And it is not the only business on wheels criss-crossing the streets of Lyon. On the left bank of the Rhône, you can also find Camille Martinez of Pulpé, a tricycle selling juices, infusions and iced teas. “It was an obvious choice for me. I’ve always loved strolling in Lyon and when I was thinking about Pulpé and how it would work, I decided to model it on my own journeys in the city. I noticed that there was nowhere to buy drinks in some places. I thought to myself that I was probably not alone in experiencing this and that there would be potential customers at these spots,” told us the bubbly thirty-something, who you can find near Part-Dieu railway station and Sergent Blandan park. On the saddle of ‘Tritri’, as she nicknamed her delivery tricycle, Vic Remy Legrand, founder of Oupsi, decided to position herself on Quai Augagneur by the Rhône. In September 2022, she also started doing rounds. Her boxes of donuts and sweet treats, as well as lunch boxes, can now be picked up in Charpennes, Monplaisir and Blandan park. “I change routes according to the season and customer numbers. The easiest way to find me is to sign up to my newsletter or follow me on social networks,” said this chef specialised in plant-based food.
Service with a smile and a small environmental footprint
For these entrepreneurs, who brave the cold and heat, using their own muscle power to move equipment weighing as much as 200 kg, the main motivation in their day-to-day work comes from the relationships built with customers. According to Jonathan Estassy of The Vagabond Coffee, who sets up stall on Quai Augagneur on weekends: “People tend to stop around delivery tricycles. I like introducing people by their first names. I’ve even met up with some regular customers for drinks and meals out.” Vincent Jardé of Course Café has been driven by the same love of personal contact for the past five years. “Spreading a good mood and helping people take their minds of their worries are the cornerstones of a good mobile vendor,” said Vincent. Another thing they have in common is caring for the environment. “I thought about starting a food truck business, but I felt there was a conflict between offering environmentally responsible, zero-waste, locavore and vegan food, on the one hand, and driving a polluting vehicle, on the other,” Vic Remy Legrand told us. The same is true at Pulpé: “There is no sense in defending artisanship and small-scale producers while negatively impacting the environment. It’s also in keeping with the spirit of the times, as well as the dynamism of a big city like Lyon.” Having said that, they did not all choose pedal power for the same reasons. Camille of Pulpé realised that she could never spend her entire sitting in front of a computer, while Vic, of Oupsi, and Jonathan Estassy wanted to start a business with minimal financial risk. A sort of test run before setting up something more permanent.
A springboard to other things
While he loves his job, Vincent Jardé of Course Café is conscious that he will have to reinvent himself at some point. He earns his income mainly through event catering services, while catering at markets remains a seasonal business. “It’s also a very physical job, where you’re moving all the time. Five years from now, I think I’ll settle down.” While Vic of Oupsi manages to earn a modest wage, she admits that the travelling, preparation and vagaries of the weather make running the business difficult. In recent months, she has been setting up stall temporarily, but regularly, in physical points of sale like Café Somos, where she serves brunches. As for the founder of Quai des Glaces, Montana Mehallel, he has created a concept that is already inspiring others: his refrigerated delivery tricycle system, developed in Lyon, is being exported to Guadeloupe, Réunion Island and Tahiti.
Address book
Pulpé
On her delivery tricycle with its green and white roof, Camille keeps count of neither the miles she covers or the litres of juice, infusions and iced teas she serves, with recipes that are constantly changing. You can find her refreshments at the Archives Municipales, Part-Dieu railway station, near the Opera House and Blandan park.
Instagram : @pulpe.letriporteur
La Course Café
For the past five years, this barista has been bringing mobile specialty coffees to the people of Lyon. While he started out with just a delivery tricycle, the concept now includes a fantastic vintage Renault 4L van. His best-selling product is the marocchino (espresso, milk foam, chocolate) and pistachio espresso.
Tuesday to Friday, 8 am to 12:30 pm
lacoursecafe.fr
Quai des glaces
This was the first delivery tricycle to be seen on the streets of Lyon. From Place Bellecour to the banks of the Rhône, this multicoloured vehicle stops for anybody who hails it, serving six ice cream flavours – strawberry, lime, mango, chocolate, vanilla and pistachio – in a crispy cornet. To find it, keep your ears open for the sound of the little trumpet.
From 1 April to early September.
quaidesglaces69.fr
The Vagabond coffee
After discovering the delights of coffee as an expat in Chicago, Jonathan wanted to share his love for the “dark brew” with folk in Lyon. In his machine, there is Lyonnais coffee roasted by Torréfaction Papillons and beans from European coffee merchants, which the thirty-something enjoys experimenting with as he tries out different coffee filtering techniques.
Saturday and Sunday from 8 am to 1:30 pm, Quai Augagneur
Instagram : the_vagabond_coffee
Oupsi
After starting out as sedentary snacks, the donuts, biscuits and other small vegan dishes sold by Oupsi now travel up and down the left bank, make star appearances at private events and complement the brunches served at Café Somos.
oupsi.fr
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