La PERLE

La Perle cycles was located in Saint Maur des Fosses. The company produced a full range of bicycles.

La Perle is perhaps best known for Hugo Koblet’s Tour de France win in 1951 and for giving Jacques Anquetil his first professional contract.

La Perle fielded real powerhouse teams in 1954 and 1955 with Jacques Anquetil, Andre Darrigade, Hugo Koblet, Ferdi Kubler (1950 TdF winner) and Miguel Poblet (1954 only). They had 45 victories in 1954 and 28 in 1955.

Apprarently the company filed for bankruptcy in 1955, although a remnant of it seems to have been kept going by Monsiur Guyot for a year or so. There were racing teams in 1956 and 1957 with none of their previous star riders.