Jeunet & Captivante: A Brief History
Manufactured:
Ets André Jeunet
Dole (Jura)
The Jeunet company was founded in the early 1900s by Albert Jeunet. Production of bicycles began in 1928 in Dôle (Jura), one of their brands being Captivante. In 1948, under the name Ets Jean Jeunet the firm opened a second store in Dijon where they sold mopeds, and in 1964 Honda motorcycles were added to their range.
They began producing Jeunet and Captivante cyclomoteurs and motorcycles in the 1950s, and in 1958 they joined the SEVMA group. Their motorcycles were supplied to Manufrance who marketed them under the Hirondelle marque from 1964 to 1967, and at this point Jeunet ceased selling them under their own name. They did however create a new brand and sold Captivating mopeds which were rebranded VapSA machines - Vap was also part of the SEVMA group.
In 1973/74 the firm made a bid to import Hercules from Germany, but this was not successful. At this time Jeunet was exporting to America in considerable volume, the company there trading as Cycles Jeunet. The American company failed to pay its bills, and as a result Jeunet was bankrupted.
The Jeunet factory was taken over by the Mulhouse cycle firm Gottfried.
Models include:
Other brands marketed by Jeunet:
Radia, Eurocycles, Jurax and Sewa
These used De Boxon, VAP 48cc and probably other engines.
Sources: Cyclememory.org, zseft-zundapp.com, jeunetmoto.com, The Moped Archive at globalnet.co.uk.
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