Big Padel plans 7-court club in Guipavas
The Big Padel franchise continues its expansion in France and is planning a new site in Brittany. In Guipavas, just outside Brest, a modern padel complex with seven courts, including one singles court, is taking shape. Opening is scheduled for early 2027. Behind the project is Breton entrepreneur Marc Perouas, who is joining as a franchisee in partnership with the Couvercelle family, the founders of Big Padel. Together they aim to meet strong regional demand and turn the new venue into a reference facility for padel in the Finistère département.
True to the brand philosophy, the club is meant to be more than a place to play. Bright, airy spaces are planned to encourage meetings and extend social moments beyond the match. The family spirit that defines Big Padel clubs will also be central in Guipavas. The goal is an environment with optimal playing conditions and a clear welcome culture for recreational players as well as ambitious teams. The venue should support training, league and leisure matches and social gatherings in one place.
An idea born on the padel court
For Marc Perouas, the path into padel was far from predetermined. For nearly thirty years he worked in the automotive sector and built a dense professional network across Brittany. The decisive impulse came from his brother, who lives in Bordeaux and introduced him to padel about four years ago. That first experience set a longer reflection in motion and gradually shifted his professional outlook.
On later holidays the brothers played again – and kept running into the same problem: free courts were scarce. Over dinner they concluded that this shortage could become a business project. Both began analysing the market. Early calculations looked promising; after review by an accountant, the venture took concrete shape and moved from an idea to a robust business plan.
Why Big Padel was the choice
Before taking the leap, Perouas visited the Big Padel complex in Bordeaux and met the Couvercelle family, who drive the franchise’s development. In talks with Louis Couvercelle he found a model that matched his own vision. Experience, market knowledge and partner support proved decisive. Those factors gave him the confidence to launch in Guipavas under an established brand.
Beyond the brand name, the future operator stresses the backing given to franchisees – administratively, in marketing and through digital tools such as the booking app. That mix of brand recognition and operational help is meant to ease the Guipavas launch and secure club quality from day one. For players, that should mean clearer processes for booking, community life and everyday club operations.
A long road to the building permit
Before the first rallies can begin, many hurdles had to be cleared. Finding a suitable plot proved the biggest challenge. Local planning rules, the hall height needed for indoor courts and extensive approval procedures stretched the project over several years. Without close coordination with the authorities, a site of this scale would hardly have been feasible.
Perouas highlights dialogue with Brest Métropole and urban planning services, which helped identify a viable solution. The building permit is now approved. The next symbolic step is the groundbreaking ceremony in the presence of the mayor of Guipavas. Construction is then due to start in summer 2026, with opening expected after the works in early 2027. A Big Padel location for the region is thus moving within reach.
Growing demand in the Brest area
While padel is booming nationwide, Brest is part of the same dynamic. Until recently, Perouas says, booking a court was difficult because infrastructure was insufficient. Although a first private facility opened in 2025 and further projects are emerging step by step, development potential is still considered high. The gap between demand and available courts remains a central motive for the project.
Association clubs are growing, private investors are following – and the market keeps expanding. With seven courts, Big Padel Guipavas aims to close that gap and give players from greater Brest reliable capacity and modern conditions. A dedicated singles court adds flexibility for training sessions and special formats.
Ambition: become a regional reference
Beyond the opening, Perouas is already thinking ahead. First, Big Padel Guipavas is meant to become a regional reference; in the medium term he does not rule out further sites in Brittany. With a touch of humour he even dreams of an international tournament in Brest – for example a FIP Bronze event. In practical terms, though, he prioritises a timely launch and welcoming the first players alongside the Big Padel team and project partners.
For the Big Padel brand, Guipavas is another building block in its national network and underlines the strategy of being present where demand is rising strongly. For Perouas it is also a personal life project: he wants to end his career with a venture that inspires him – and perhaps one day pass it on to his sons. Finistère thus gains a new address for modern club sport around the padel court and a clear impulse for the local sports market.
