Carrefour and Lagardère bring local retail to French railway stations

Image: Dag Rasmussen, Marlène Dolveck and Alexandre Bompard celebrate the new partnership between retail giants and SNCF Gares & Connexions;150 food stores will be deployed across France’s railway network by 2030, transforming stations into community-centered retail hubs
The French railway retail landscape is set for a major transformation as SNCF Gares & Connexions awards Carrefour and Lagardère Travel Retail the contract to develop food stores across France’s railway station network. The initiative, part of SNCF’s “Place de la Gare” program, aims to establish approximately 30 outlets annually over the next five years.
The partnership addresses a growing need for convenient retail options within transport hubs, focusing on stations where nearby supermarket options are currently limited. The program will introduce stores ranging from 80 to 400 square meters under the Carrefour brand, complemented by online order pickup points.
Beyond traditional retail formats, the partnership will test two innovative concepts: Potager City, offering fresh produce and local goods, and Api, a self-service mini-market format. The first locations are scheduled to open by the end of 2025.
Dag Rasmussen, Chairman and CEO of Lagardère Travel Retail, sees the partnership as a showcase of the company’s expertise in high-traffic locations. “This project showcases our expertise in high-traffic retail locations, backed by a comprehensive portfolio of leading brands,” he says. “It also illustrates our shared commitment: to offer millions of travelers and local residents a modern, local retail experience with quality products and services, transforming stations into true hubs of activity that meet the needs of an increasingly mobile world.”
The initiative aligns with SNCF’s broader strategy to enhance station functionality. Marlène Dolveck, CEO of SNCF Gares & Connexions and Deputy CEO of the SNCF Group in charge of Transformation, emphasizes this alignment: “Through this partnership with Carrefour and Lagardère Travel Retail, we are going even further in simplifying the daily lives of travelers by offering a new network of food stores across all regions. This aligns with the goal of Place de la Gare: to make stations more convenient, useful and enjoyable, while encouraging people to take the train.”
For Carrefour Group, the partnership represents a strategic expansion of its local network presence. Alexandre Bompard, Chairman and CEO of Carrefour Group, notes the significance: “We are thrilled to have won, in partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail, the call for tender launched by SNCF. This achievement is a testament to the excellent work of our teams and the attractiveness of our franchise model. It is also a sign of the vitality of our expansion strategy in local networks, following a record year of openings and growth in France.”
The project marks a significant step in the evolution of France’s railway stations, transforming them from transit points into comprehensive service hubs that cater to both travelers and local communities.