What website did BlaBlaCar's founder buy in 2006?

BlaBlaCar founder Frédéric Mazzella bought the website Covoiturage.fr in 2006. The French name means “carpooling,” and the site became the foundation for the service that later developed into BlaBlaCar.

Mazzella’s idea grew from a personal travel problem. In December 2003, he wanted to travel from Paris to visit family in the French countryside, but trains were full and he did not own a car. His sister made a 150-kilometre detour to collect him, prompting him to notice how many cars travelled with empty seats.

Covoiturage.fr had been created in 2004. After the purchase, Mazzella worked with Nicolas Brusson and Francis Nappez, and the company expanded its marketplace model. By 2008, the BlaBlaCar service was being developed; in 2013, Covoiturage.fr was rebranded BlaBlaCar.fr.

Comuto.com is a related company name, not the website asked for. Carpooling.com was a later competitor acquired by BlaBlaCar in 2015.