Our history
The entire history of our Group is clearly reflected in its name.
Humeau: the name of our family, which has led the Group for five generations.
Beaupréau: this charming town at the heart of the Mauges (Maine-et-Loire) where our story has always been written. It is here that it all began, and where the production of a large part of our shoes continues to this day.
Proud of our roots and deeply connected to the region, the Humeau-Beaupréau Group is a French shoemaker that has upheld the family legacy for nearly 120 years and continues to focus on innovation to shape the future.
Five Generations
Tied to a Region
The Origin
The story begins in 1869, when Pierre Humeau, just 12 years old, discovered his passion for cobbling. In 1905, in the south of Angers, at the heart of the Mauges region in Beaupréau, he set up his workshop and began crafting leather shoes with immense skill and great ambition.
His expertise? The production of high-quality products dedicated to children.
With the Bopy brand and its exclusively leather models, this marks the beginning of a great adventure that involves several generations of artisans and members of the Humeau family.
Developement
Since 1947, the Group has been investing in the production of PVC shoes in Beaupréau-en-Mauges. This new expertise was strengthened in 1997 with the acquisition of the Baudou company, which specializes in manufacturing work and safety shoes.
This new brand, which joined our Group and dates back to 1910, has undergone significant changes thanks to the investments made. A new factory and state-of-the-art equipment were established to develop new injected products: boots, garden clogs, safety shoes, and footwear for leisure activities such as hunting, fishing, or gardening.
A New Turning Point
In 2003, the Humeau-Beaupréau Group acquired the historic “La Sarraizienne” molds. True symbols of French heritage, they were created in 1946 in Auvergne to manufacture the iconic plastic beach sandal, the Sun, which has managed to endure through generations. However, facing competition from Asia, bankruptcy seemed inevitable.
With this acquisition, the Humeau-Beaupréau Group successfully preserved this craftsmanship in France and even gave it a new boost. Borrowing the nickname given to the legendary sandal, our Group registered the Méduse brand, making it the French reference for PVC footwear.
Un nouveau tournant
En 2003, le Groupe Humeau-Beaupréau rachète les moules historiques « La Sarraizienne ». Véritables symboles d’un patrimoine français, ils ont été créés en 1946 en Auvergne pour fabriquer l’iconique sandale de plage en plastique, la Sun, qui a su traverser toutes les générations. Pourtant, face à la concurrence asiatique, le dépôt de bilan s’annonçait inévitable.
Avec ce rachat, le Groupe Humeau-Beaupréau a su conserver ce savoir-faire en France et lui a même donné un nouvel élan. Empruntée au surnom donné à la mythique sandale, notre Groupe dépose la marque Méduse et en fait la référence française de chaussures PVC.
In 2009, Humeau-Beaupréau acquired the company Plasticana, thereby integrating the production of recyclable PVC sandals made with hemp fibers.
Our Group became the last manufacturer of injected PVC footwear in France.
Today, the Méduse brand has been relaunched with a focus on fashion and trends, and has begun its diversification. No longer reserved exclusively for children, Méduse now caters to the entire family, becoming a true footwear brand that combines leather and PVC. It now offers both summer and winter collections, including models such as boots, sandals, and more recently, sneakers.
