About us

Created really on the eve of Christmas 2006, Paris Carriages service is the fruit of the will of a man, of a long preparation and of the official report that number of international metropolises gave this type of service for a long time while Paris romantic city par excellence did not have it. Indeed, it should seem obvious to the creator, Philippe Delon, in the margin of the XXIth century that to offer rides in barouches in the French capital to the tourists as well as to the Parisians went without saying.

Disappeared in 1965 (the last coachwoman was officiating in the roundabout of Champs-Élysées), barouches were not any more fashionable at the beginning of the seventies, while Paris became the kingdom of the car as the circulation axles, such the peripheral or quays, became expressways. In the eighties and 90, some tries of reintroduction did not succeed for lack of administrative and political consensus.

In January, 2003, strong in an experience in creation and business management, Philippe Delon started the consultation of elected representatives, territorial civil servants, of police as well as of minister's personal staff to know the state of mind of the different officials on this subject. Reception was surprisingly positive in stage with the advent of the soft circulation, sustainable development or interest for the renewable energy. 4 years of debates and 150 appointments later, the Mayor of Paris Bertrand Delanoë and the Interior minister of epoch Nicolas Sarkozy between others having given their consent of principle, the first barouche was reintroduced in Paris at the foot of the Eiffel Tower on December 23rd, 2006.

In spite of tries of parking ban at the foot of the Eiffel Tower issued by the police station of the 7th arrondissement of Paris in May, 2007 and June, 2008, of raised infractions for «exercise of a trade in a public garden without permission» by the security forces of the city of Paris in keeping with the Direction of Parks, Gardens and Green areas in June and July, 2008, indeed resulting in a ban to circulate on the horse paths of the Champs-Mars garden (??), and proceedings before the Police Court resulting in an acquittal, the first and only permanent service of barouches in Paris has already shown his utility, his reliability and his adaptability in traffic.

Some numbers

Janvier 2024 :

• 67000 Kms covered in Paris
• 78000 tourists strolled
• 11300 hours of ride
• 3300 days of presence in Paris (available service 5 days of 7 all year long)
• 3 horses
• 3 barouches
• 3 trailers
• 1 lorry