Groupe Coutant
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Who are we ?

COUTANT Group, founded in the early 1960s, is n° 1 in the aquarium sector in Europe, with over 10,000 references worldwide.

Areas of expertise: design, production, and management of public aquariums and design of environment-oriented scenography. The founder, René COUTANT, an engineer with a passion for nature and the wonders of the deep sea, opened his first private exhibition of fish and marine invertebrates in 1960. The COUTANT Group continues to develop, under the leadership of the founder's children, Pascal Coutant (President of the COUTANT Group) and Roselyne Coutant Bénier (GM of the COUTANT Group), who share their father's passion for the accurate reproduction of marine ecosystems.

The COUTANT Group employs over 150 highly-qualified staff: technicians, installers, manufacturing staff, and biologists, in 3 business lines:

  • COUTANT AQUARIUMS:

Leading designer and producer of professional and public aquariums in Europe. A 4,000 m² production plant in La Rochelle on a 17,000 m² site, with an integrated design and engineering office. The firm's expertise covers several areas: supplying and installing transparent walls in underwater environments (swimming pools, research centres, laboratories, etc.). And via their sister company:

  • ALTER EGO:

Design and production of aquatic or environment-themed scenography (marine skyscapes, water ceilings, architectural designs, innovative underwater or open-air scenography, etc.)

  • AQUARIUM LA ROCHELLE (France):

The COUTANT Group owns and manages the La Rochelle Aquarium in France. It was opened in 2000 and receives an average of 800,000 visitors per year. This 8,414m² site containing a total of 3 million litres of sea water, entirely designed and built by Coutant Aquariums, is one of the most visited private aquariums in France and Europe. It is the result of 50 years experience in the study and conservation of marine species from various aquatic environments around the world.


Coutant Aquariums and Alter Ego are managed by:

Pascal COUTANT: President of the COUTANT Group since 1970.
- Designer and builder of public aquariums
- Founder member of the UCA (Union des Conservateurs d’Aquariums)
- Member of EUAC (European Union of Aquarium Curators)

Philippe de LACAZE: Director of Coutant Aquariums and Alter Ego since 1993
- Wharton Business School - Philadelphia - USA
- HEC (MBA – France).

Coutant Aquariums and Alter Ego staff are highly-qualified in a wide range of disciplines:

  • Architecture
  • Biology
  • Scenography and design
  • Construction engineering / building / site supervision
  • Installation in France and worldwide.
  • Manufacturing at the La Rochelle plant.

Coutant Group ethics:

Since the founding of the COUTANT Group, staff have been committed to the study and conservation of marine species.
The group's policy of reconciling business and ethics is illustrated in all their activities: raising awareness and educating the general public, assisting and supporting research, and compliance with international legislation on the protection of marine species.
The Group's policy is to ensure the well-being of humans and animals and reconcile preservation of the environment with efficient, high-quality services.

Coutant Aquariums sponsor:

  • EUAC: European Union of Aquarium Curators
  • AIZA: Asociación Iberica de Zoos y Acuarios
  • IAC: International Aquarium Congress
  • UCA: Union des conservateurs d’aquariums