60 years of innovation and success

The constant pursuit of excellence, the ongoing focus on design, and my unwavering commitment to being useful to citizens by inventing an economic model based on advertising, have guided my journey as an entrepreneur
Jean-Claude Decaux

JCDecaux's history is that of an ambitious vision, embodied since its creation in 1964 by its founder, Jean-Claude Decaux. He invented a new business based on service-oriented street furniture and a unique economic model financed by brand advertising. Barely two years after its creation, JCDecaux was already crossing the French borders. In 1966, the first bus shelters were installed in Brussels, marking the beginning of an international expansion. Lisbon soon followed as the group’s first non-French-speaking subsidiary.

Over the decades, Jean-Claude Decaux, together with his sons, pursued his ambition of international development. Today, JCDecaux opertes in more than 80 countries. JCDecaux's history is that of an ambitious vision, embodied since its creation in 1964 by its founder, Jean-Claude Decaux. He invented a new business based on service-oriented street furniture and a unique economic model allowing its financings through brand communication. Barely two years after its creation, JCDecaux was already crossing the French borders. In 1966, the first bus shelters were installed in Brussels, marking the beginning of an international expansion. Lisbon soon followed as the group’s first non-French-speaking subsidiary.

Discover our history

The Bus Shelter

At the age of 27, Jean-Claude Decaux revolutionised the urban landscape by imagining a new concept: street furniture financed by brand advertising. In 1964, the city of Lyon became the first city to adopt this model, commissioning JCDecaux to install the first 40 bus shelters. This model, which provided municipalities with furniture at no cost to taxpayers, financed through advertising revenues, marked the beginning of a transformation of urban spaces.

This innovation not only improved the experience for public transport passengers but also laid the foundations for a sustainable business model that combines public service and outdoor advertising. The bus shelter was just the first step in a long line of street furniture that has since become iconic in cities around the world.

Outdoor advertising can only endure if it provides a dual service: first, public information, and second, the service rendered by the bus shelter or by the telephone booth or other services that I may not yet have imagined but which my colleagues or competitors might also invent.
Jean-Claude Decaux

City Information Panel

In 1972, just a few years after transforming the urban space with the bus shelter, JCDecaux unveiled a new innovation: the City Information Panel (CIP), sometimes known by its nickname "lollipop". This furniture has a serves a dual purpose: to displaying municipal city information on the one side, and advertising on the other.

With the CIP, JCDecaux developed a unique expertise in supporting cities in the creation of their communication plans. This furniture enables municipalities to share essential information with citizens, such as cultural events, mobility updates or local news, while offering brands a prime platform to connect urban audiences and promote their products and services.

Self-cleaning public toilets

Until the early 1980s, public toilets were scarce, outdated, poorly maintained, and only accessible to men.

In 1981, JCDecaux transformed access to public hygiene by inventing the self-cleaning toilet, then known as "sanisette", making toilets accessible to everyone.

For more than 40 years, JCDecaux continuously introduced new features and improved its sanitary facilities to provide greater hygiene, comfort, simplicity, and accessibility for all users.

Today, JCDecaux operated the world's largest network of public toilets, with more than 2,500 installations in 28 countries serving 31 million users each year. A new generation of self-cleaning toilets was deployed in Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games, reaffirming the company's.

JCDecaux initiates the roll-out of next-generation public toilet facilities for the City of Paris

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Self-service bicycles

Now an integral part of JCDecaux's history, our self-service bicycles are designed to meet the challenges of urban living and the needs of our time. Inspired by functionality and accessibility, they provide citizens with an alternative way to get around, supporting sustainable mobility, and offering a stress-free, accessible cycling experience.

The self-service bicycle adventure began in Vienna, Austria, in 2003. In 2005, the launch of Vélo'v in Lyon marked an important milestone, attracting over 90,000 annual subscribers today. Paris followed in 2007 with Vélib'. When this first service operated by JCDecaux ended in 2017, it had enabled more than 300 million journeys!

JCDecaux's commitment to innovation has since extended this model to many cities around the world. In 2025, Vélo'v will celebrate its 20th anniversary with the introduction of a new generation of electric bikes, reinforcing JCDecaux's dedication to offering sustainable and accessible mobility solutions.

JCDecaux wins the contract for the City of Toulouse's self-service bikes for 12 years, renewing its partnership that began in 2007

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