Véronique Gillardeau was extremely impressed by the design of the Peugeot ‘Le Bistrot du Lion’ Foodtruck. Co-director of the company, she wanted to offer tasting sessions in town centres. At her request, Peugeot Design Lab designed an innovative travelling oyster bar. Equipped with a counter top and bar which slides out from the rear of a new Peugeot Expert, the Gillardeau food truck allows the oyster shucker to share the same space as their customers, creating a more personal experience than a standard food truck. Christened ‘La Marcelle’ in homage to the daughter of Gillardeau’s founder, the food truck has been on display since the 8th March near the island of Oléron in France.

The Peugeot Lab Design Team has designed a travelling oyster bar for Gillardeau, with the aim of creating a new and more personal customer experience. The shucker stands at the same level as their customers, who are able to watch him prepare their oysters just as they would in a sushi bar. Trained by a ‘Meilleur Ouvrier de France’ – a title won by French craftsmen at the top of their trade – the shucker has all their tools at their fingertips as they prepare the Gillardeau® oysters. Their custom built work surface remains spotless thanks to a hatch through which they can dispose of the shells.

Peugeot Design Lab has created a food truck which is as compact during transit as it is innovative in its design of the oyster bar, which folds out from the back of the vehicle. It can be set up by a single person in a matter of minutes. Created upon the new Peugeot Expert, it can be parked anywhere once the bar is folded away, with its 1.9m height and 4.96m length even giving it access into underground car parks. Designers have incorporated the sink, fridge, storage facilities, water heater and fold-out bar into the 5.8m3 usable volume.

“The design of the Peugeot Bistrot du Lion food truck, which I found out about soon after it was presented in April 2015, really impressed me. I wanted to be able to offer tasting sessions at markets with a ‘travelling shop’ that was stylish, modern and practical. Explaining our work to my customers has allowed me to continue trying new things”, said Véronique Gillardeau, co-director of the company.

Peugeot Design Lab created ‘La Marcelle’ as an ambassador for the Maison Gillardeau. The mobile rear wall is made from stainless steel, slate and wood, drawing inspiration from materials traditionally used by oyster farmers. Gillardeau® oysters are the result of a cultivation period that lasts between three and five years, during which the oysters are kept on carefully-maintained sites. Their shells are laser engraved with as a guarantee of exclusivity. Connoisseurs love their curved, uniform shape, which promise meaty, subtly scented flesh. Marcelle Gillardeau, the founder’s daughter, worked extensively for the company in the early years of the twentieth century with energy, poise and elegance.

‘La Marcelle’ was commissioned on International Women’s Day, on the 8th March 2017. It can be seen in Bourcefranc-le-Chapus, a town which sits on the coast facing the island of Oléron. This first moving showcase for the prestigious brand will not remain the only one of a kind.