It’s not easy to shake up funeral habits. However, this is what a Parisian funeral company has been trying to do for a few days with its “Corbicylette”. The idea? Replace the essential hearse with a thermal engine by an ecological, silent and furiously fashionable vehicle: the bicycle. “I’ve had this project in mind for a long time and I thought it was time to get started,” says Isabelle Plumereau, founder of the company. Heaven & Earth. I wanted to offer something different, to show that we can put people back at the center of farewells by infusing a little softness and modernity. »
Besides the fact that it is non-polluting and non-noisy, the hearse-bike would have the advantage of transporting the coffin more slowly. “There is a whole reflection underway in society to slow down the pace, to take advantage of the moments. This is even truer at the funeral, a trying moment when you don’t want to be pushed around. »
A gallery and a handrail
To design her machine with a “warm” design, Isabelle Plumereau therefore approached a Nantes-based company specialized in the creation of mini-caravans. The vehicle, adapted on a cargo bike basis, cost him nearly 20,000 euros. 3.60 m long, it can carry a payload of 250 kg. The crankset is electrically assisted, the main structure is made of steel and wood.
“The coffin slides forward, then hangs,” explains the manager. It is surmounted by a kind of gallery on which one can place bouquets and objects. Several regulatory constraints had to be taken into account, such as the ban on not exposing a coffin in public space. Outside the cabin, bars allow the vehicle to be held by hand to “accompany it while walking”. Another detail that owes nothing to chance: the coffin is placed “in front of the driver rather than towed behind” like in a van.
Also disadvantages
The concept, which already exists in Bern, Switzerland, however, is not suitable for cities that are too steep or for distances that are too long, recognizes Isabelle Plumereau. It also does not allow the carriers essential to move the coffin to be transported. And despite the fuel savings, the cost of the service is the same as with a traditional hearse. “I tested it in several cemeteries and people’s feedback is very encouraging. One or two people told me that it was a funny idea but most find that it is an obvious solution, ”assures Isabelle Plumereau, who has not yet carried out a funeral in Corbicyclette.
In the meantime, she is convinced to innovate in the right direction. “I’ve been supporting grieving families for several years and I’ve noticed that there are more and more eco-responsible requests, for sober products, made in France, or personalized services. It is normal that expectations also evolve in the face of death. »