Épopée Gestion, the Axtom entrepreneurs’ collective and property developer Exia have announced the joint signing of a contract for the construction of six courier warehouses, mainly located in the French Atlantic Arc, bringing the total investment volume to 54 million euros for a total surface area of around 36,500 m². The Breeam Very Good-certified complex was acquired by Épopée Gestion via its Épopée Immo Rendement I vehicle.
Delivered in 2024, the platforms will be fully leased to Mondial Relay. Located close to road junctions and dynamic regional consumer basins, they will eventually accommodate 400 employees.
For Épopée Gestion, this new transaction is fully in line with its ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) strategy, which aims to select assets that meet the highest environmental standards, notably optimizing energy consumption. Épopée Gestion is also consolidating its territorial presence in the French regions, with a portfolio now comprising 45 assets.
100% photovoltaic roofs and environmental requirements
Far beyond the obligation imposed by the 2019 Energy-Climate Law, the roofs of the six courier platforms will be fully covered with photovoltaic panels, thanks to ambitious partnerships with EDF ENR for Axtom, and Technique Solaire for Exia.
The sites will also be equipped with charging stations for light electric vehicles. Biodiversity-friendly equipment will be deployed on all sites (nest boxes, insect , etc.), with a focus on diversified vegetation.
Axess1 will build the six buildings. Three will be developed by Axdev1 in Niort (5,738m²), Agen (3,950m²) and Brive-la-Gaillarde (7,208m²). The other three will be developed by Exia in Troyes (7,268m²), Le Mans (7,271m²) and Mont-de-Marsan (5,072m²).
“This acquisition strengthens the distributive capacity of our Épopée Immo Rendement I fund, which targets high-performance tertiary assets located in dynamic regional markets. With the volatility of the market, this thirteenth transaction demonstrates our ability to remain disciplined and take advantage of price adjustments on an attractive asset class, as we reach a portfolio size of €220 million with this investment vehicle, just two years after its creation,” emphasizes Arnaud Lehuédé, Real Estate Partner at Épopée Gestion. “Mondial Relay is strengthening its territorial presence in France, particularly in areas mapped as “industrial territories” by the national agency for territorial cohesion. It’s a location that will generate a positive territorial economic impact through the creation of new jobs,” he adds.
“We are delighted to have signed this major deal in a strategic market, which will enable us to demonstrate our added value in terms of usage, energy and the environment. It’s a fine reward for the expertise of our teams, and a concrete illustration of our ability to work closely with other leading players, such as Exia, to provide the best solutions for our customers. It reflects the strength of our local roots, which are based on a network of 29 subsidiaries across France, in close touch with local issues and concerns”, explains Stéphane Bombon, co-founder and Chairman Axtom.
“We are delighted to support Mondial Relay in the development of its national presence, and the Épopée Gestion fund in the growth of its asset portfolio. Our recognized experience in real estate development, the expertise of our teams and the collaborative work carried out with Axtom have enabled us to propose projects that meet our partners’ requirements in terms of location, technical and ecological performance. These projects are also in line with the economic development of the region, and we have worked closely with the various local players to achieve this”, explains Charles Jalicon, Chairman of Exia.
For Quentin Benault, Managing Director of Mondial Relay France, “We are delighted with this agreement, which will enable us to strengthen our territorial coverage and provide our customers with the best possible service. It’s also good news for the regions concerned, and for our future employees, who will be able to benefit not only an efficient production tool, but also new facilities
designed as real living spaces. Our partners were able to meet demanding energy and environmental specifications, which will encourage our future projects.”
Épopée Gestion was advised in this transaction by Pierre Thubert, notary partner of Quid Novi Brest, by Lacourte Raquin Tatar (Marie-Amélie Gros and Marion Beaudoin) on legal aspects, and by Etyo (François Sire) on technical due diligence.
R&D Notaires (Charline Freulon & Aude Roger-Vasselin) advised Exia and Wargny Katz (Marc Paturel & Florence Pignal) advised Axtom.
Architect: MACADDAM – Mathilde CAILLAUD for Exia and GBL Architectes for Axtom.
BNP Paribas Real Estate Transaction (Franck Poizat) and BNP Invest advised the sellers in this transaction.