The Grand Palais is 72,000 square meters, the largest nave in Europe with 13,500 m² and a glass roof of 17,500 m². And more iron than for the Eiffel Tower!
The nave was reopened during the Olympic Games for the fencing and taekwondo events. From December 14 to January 8, it will host the “Grand Palais des Glaces covering 4,000 m², the largest indoor ice rink in the world.”
But the work is far from finished. Last May, the site employed 1,200 workers and there are still hundreds busy today.
Examples: the number of visitors in the nave increased from 5,500 to 9,000 (for this it was necessary to open new emergency exits), we went from a few elevators to 43 elevators, there are twenty galleries, we find the magnificent views in the building, the sculptures and mosaics of the facade have been restored, etc.
Central squares
While a direct entrance to the nave will remain possible, there will now be a main entrance opening onto a reception hall and a “central square”, opening onto the galleries of the Grand Palais, the nave and the Palais de la Découverte. Visitors will have free access to 7,000 m², also with a restaurant and shops. “The Grand Palais will become an inclusive, festive place, open all year round, a place where people can meet. The Palace to be”, announces Didier Fusillier, who succeeded Chris Dercon in September 2023 at the head of this enormous project.
We know well his talent for opening culture to as many people as possible without losing the demand for quality. He had demonstrated his know-how both when he directed “Lille European Capital of Culture” in 2004 and when he managed the Grande Halle de La Villette.
The Grand Palais has established a close partnership with the Center Pompidou.
For exhibitions, it can count on a close partnership with the Center Pompidou, which will in turn close next spring for five years of work.
Two major exhibitions will open on June 6 at the Grand Palais for the whole summer, co-produced by the Center Pompidou. One is devoted to the trio of Niki de Saint Phalle, Jean Tinguely and Pontus Hultén (the first director of the Center Pompidou). The second will be devoted to Art Brut, starting with the donation of the Decarme collection.”
Previously, from January, an exhibition will be added to the very beautiful one of Chiharu Shiota and will be devoted to fashion with Dolce & Gabbana.
Renault 12s
The Palais de la Découverte, which is part of the Grand Palais, will remain under construction until 2026, but will also offer, from June 6, an exhibition devoted to a very topical theme: artificial intelligence.
Chiharu Shiota beautifully weaves the threads of emotion
There will be the “Children's Palace”specially designed for children and their families. First exhibition, June 6, on the theme of Transparency.
Didier Fusillier still announces the “Grand Palais d’été”. From now on, the Grand Palais will remain open all summer. We will find in the nave (always from June 6 and until the end of August) a monumental installation of textiles, bark, earth and spices by the Brazilian Ernesto Neto as part of a Brazilian season in Paris which will also bring the great Brazilian parade and a Brazilian ball.
Lille explores the borders of Europe
We will still discover the exhibition Euphoria on the world of inflatables. It is impossible to cite all the planned performing arts events, but let us cite My mother's Grand Palacewhere Mohamed El Khatib, the artist associated with our National Theater, will recount the journeys of immigrants and will exhibit, in the nave, objects as emblematic as twelve Renault 12s and Peugeot 504s. We also announce Circles by Boris Charmatz, discovered in Avignon, and a show by Rachid Ouramdane in the nave, overlooking it, with acrobats and aerialists. The party…
