Intrepid Says it Can Better Serve Quebec Following Acquisition of France’s Altaï Group
by Bruce Parkinson
Intrepid Travel recently announced the full acquisition of French adventure travel company Altaï Group from the investment company of Julien Leclercq, Chairman of global sporting goods retailer Decathlon and a key shareholder of Intrepid.
The move marks Intrepid’s largest acquisition ever and grows the company’s strategic footprint into France, one of the largest adventure travel markets in Europe, positioning it as the company’s fourth-largest market globally.
The deal is the latest move in Intrepid’s expansion into non-English speaking markets, and a clear signal of intent to grow its style of responsible small group travel in Europe, while also creating new opportunities for growth across the Americas and key outbound markets like the U.S. and Canada. In this case, Intrepid is eyeing growth in Quebec as a direct result of the France acquisition.
“Canada is now Intrepid’s fastest-growing market,” said Christian Wolters, General Manager for Canda, Intrepid. “This acquisition gives us the capability to expand our operations and better serve travellers in French-speaking Quebec, which represents a quarter of the Canadian population and billions in adventure travel spend.”
The deal Intrepid’s second major investment in Europe, following the acquisition of leading Dutch tour operator Sawadee Reizen in early 2025. The acquisition will add about $100 million in revenue and an additional 35,000 customers a year to Intrepid.
Headquartered in Lyon, the Altaï Group operates nature-based, active, small group and tailor-made travel experiences through several brands, including Atalante, Altaï Travel, Copines de Voyage, and Les Aventureurs.
Like Intrepid, Altaï Group is a vertically integrated business operating most of its trips across the globe through its own network of Destination Management Companies (DMCs).
The acquisition unlocks new opportunities for Intrepid around the world, and specifically in the America region through:
- Expanded DMC capabilities in Chile and Canada, including an operational base in Montreal and access to wilderness and adventure-led experiences in Northern Canada.
- Better engagement French-speaking travellers in Quebec with local language marketing and sales.
- Increased inbound travel demand from France to regional destinations like Canada, Peru, and Chile.
Julien Leclercq became a key shareholder and Board member of Intrepid in 2021 and the company has experienced significant growth since then, including record financial results each year since 2023.
“We’re delighted to welcome the Altaï Group to Intrepid. We see the French-speaking market as a massive opportunity to further propel our growth,” said James Thornton, Intrepid CEO. “We believe the world needs more Intrepid people – and now we can add French-speaking customers to that ever-growing list of Intrepid people.”
