À Ciel Ouvert
Contemporary art trail — Plaine de la Rivoire, Riorges
About À Ciel Ouvert
À Ciel Ouvert: Contemporary Art at the Heart of Nature
Since 2008, the À Ciel Ouvert trail has transformed the Plaine de la Rivoire in Riorges into an open-air art gallery. This remarkable 10-hectare natural site, crossed by the Renaison river and located between the Prieuré park and the Beaulieu park, hosts new visual creations designed specifically for the location by renowned national and international professional artists every two years.
An Artistic and Civic Project
Each edition is based on a call for projects open to visual artists, architects, designers, landscape architects, and photographers. A jury, chaired by an associated artist duo, selects seven to nine proposals to be realized in situ. The works must be original, unpublished, interact with the landscape and visitors, and withstand the weather for the five months of the exhibition. The associated artists for each edition also conduct participatory creation workshops with schoolchildren, families, and seniors, resulting in collective works presented along the trail.
Accessibility and Mediation
À Ciel Ouvert stands out for its commitment to universal accessibility. Free specialized tours are offered throughout the exhibition: adapted tours for people with reduced mobility (in partnership with Petits Sabots et Grandes Oreilles), audio-described tours for the visually impaired (Mon Regard association), and French Sign Language tours for the deaf and hard of hearing (Mots Croisés association). 3D printed labels also allow visually impaired visitors to discover the works through touch.
A Living Artistic Heritage
Over the editions, some works are acquired by the City and remain permanently visible on the Plaine de la Rivoire, forming a lasting artistic trail that walkers can discover between biennials. The site, also classified as an LPO (League for the Protection of Birds) refuge, is home to 45 species of birds, making the visit an experience that blends art and nature.
History of Editions
- 2008 — 1st edition (under the name « Land Art »)
- 2012 — 2nd edition
- 2014 — 3rd edition
- 2016 — 4th edition
- 2018 — 5th edition
- 2020 — 6th edition
- 2022 — 7th edition (associated artists: Lika Guillemot and Ludovic de Valon)
- 2024 — 8th edition (associated artists: Tereza Holá and Hynek Skoták)
- 2026 — 9th edition (associated artists: Muro Atelier — Joana Tomás and Vincent Rault)
À Ciel Ouvert — edition 2026
The 9th edition of À Ciel Ouvert will be held from June 6 to November 8, 2026 on the Rivoire plain in Riorges, with free access every day. The route features ten in situ works conceived by nine invited artists and collectives, centered around a sensitive dialogue with the Renaison river, the grasses, and the changing sky. The associated artists for this edition are Muro Atelier (Franco-Portuguese duo Joana Tomás and Vincent Rault, based in Lisbon), who chaired the selection jury and created two works: Chlore (life-size empty swimming pool, 'dry' synchronized swimming performance at the inauguration) and Jacques (monumental seashell on the banks of the Renaison). The program is full of free activities: a festive opening on June 6, a concert walk on July 11, wildlife awareness workshops with the LPO, a French Sign Language visit and an audio-described visit, and a bat festival in August. A fun route for children, tactile labels, and audio-video QR codes enhance the visit.
9th Edition — À Ciel Ouvert 2026
The 9th edition of the contemporary art trail À Ciel Ouvert takes over the Rivoire plain from June 6 to November 8, 2026. Ten works are presented along a 2.5 km trail with free access, to be discovered in 1h30 to 2h, with family, alone, on foot or by bike along the 23-station fitness trail. Visits meet at the entrance of Beaulieu Park, rue de Saint-André.
Muro Atelier, Associated Artists
The Franco-Portuguese duo Muro Atelier, formed by Joana Tomás and Vincent Rault (based in Lisbon), are the associated artists for the 2026 edition. Already present in 2024 with Ruines Mirage, they continue their research on water and the memory of places. Chairs of the 2026 jury, they participated in the selection of projects while conceiving two new works: Chlore, a life-size empty swimming pool dressed with tarpaulins painted during twenty days of workshops with schoolchildren, families, and seniors, and Jacques, a monumental seashell on the banks of the Renaison. The collective explores notions of ephemerality and circularity, at the crossroads of land art, installation, and micro-architecture.
The Ten Works of the 2026 Selection
- Rivoire Nature Reserve — Olivier Thomas (Paris) — recycled pallets, paint. Eight elements along the route that subvert the codes of animal parks to observe contemporary humans.
- Vinci the Ant — Matthew Burton (Jonquières, Hérault) — raw wood. Monumental sculpture and walkable art structure, a symbol of cooperation and resilience.
- Welcome / Interdependence — Marisa Merlin (Padua, Italy) — recycled chairs, branches. Chairs linked by braided branches forming a welcoming structure evoking connection.
- Jacques — Muro Atelier (Lisbon) — recycled PVC tarp, metal structure. Monumental seashell on the banks, an open sanctuary with a perforated skin.
- All the Blue of the Sky — Charlotte Goffette (Lyon) — wood, metal, linseed oil. Cyanometer inspired by Saussure, inviting comparison of 53 shades of blue with those of the real sky.
- Picnic Area — Cyprien Desrez (Caen, Calvados) — wood, plywood, battens. Full-scale reproduction of the highway picnic pictogram.
- Take the Bull by the Horns — Lika Guillemot (Domaize, Puy-de-Dôme) — ceramic, cotton threads, sheep's wool, rebar. Installation inviting one to proudly ride the bull, a symbol of fertility and joyful power.
- Ariane — Audrey Devaud (Besançon, Doubs) — wood, metal. Sculptural path inspired by the myth of Ariadne's thread, with wooden hands that the visitor slides along a circuit.
- Chlore — Muro Atelier (Lisbon) — recycled PVC tarp, metal structure. Life-size empty swimming pool, a participatory work dressed with tarpaulins painted with six classes of Riorges schoolchildren, families invited by the CCAS and the Social Center, and a group of seniors from Foyer Pierre Laroque.
- Wind Flowers — Artisans du Vent (Bruno Tondellier and Didier Ferment, Amiens, Somme) — bamboo, lace, wind. Bamboo wind harps capturing whispers improvised by the wind.
Three Permanent Works from Previous Editions
- The Moon Above the River — Tereza Holà and Hynek Skotàk (2024)
- The Hypothetical Place of the Tree — Christian Bigirimana and Tristan Cassir (2020)
- Marked — Jarek Lustych (2016)
Network and Partners
À Ciel Ouvert belongs to the international network AININ — Artists in Nature International Network. The 2026 edition is organized by the City of Riorges (Cultural Department) with the support of the Loire Department, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, the Regional Prefecture, and the Academy of Lyon. Material support: MFM Bâches (Melay).
Programme À Ciel Ouvert 2026
From May 23 to June 5, 2026 — Installation of the Works
Come meet the artists and see them work on the Rivoire plain.
- Friday, May 29 — 6 PM · Meeting with Matthew Burton about the construction of Vinci the Ant (meet at the artwork)
- Wednesday, June 3 — 4 PM · Meeting with the Artisans du Vent duo about discovering wind games and instruments (meet at the artwork)
Saturday, June 6, 2026 — Festive Opening of the Trail
- 10 AM – 10:15 AM · Gourmet welcome, Beaulieu Castle forecourt
- 10:15 AM – 11:30 AM · Free discovery of the trail, meeting with the artists
- 11:30 AM · Participants' performance ('dry' synchronized swimming) and official speeches, at the artwork Chlore
- 12 PM · Wine of honor, at the artwork Chlore
Wednesday, June 17, 2026 — 10 AM to 12 PM · Family Workshop-Visit
Soundscapes and Introduction to Birdsong — In partnership with the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO). From 6 years old, duration approximately 2h. A three-voice visit inviting discovery of the works, the ecological management of the site, and the species that inhabit it. Meet at the entrance of Beaulieu Park.
Saturday, June 27, 2026 — 6 PM · Public Visit
Duration approximately 2h. Meet at the entrance of Beaulieu Park.
Saturday, July 11, 2026 — Concert Walk 'Works and Notes'
- 5 PM – 7 PM · Continuous acoustic musical capsules along the trail:
- La Chips — Brass band and impromptu music (at the artwork Welcome/Interdependence)
- Amazigh — Kabyle music (at the artwork Jacques)
- Les Tendres Soupirs — Baroque violin duo (at the artwork Rivoire Nature Reserve)
- 7 PM – 10 PM · Electro set by El Machete until sunset (at the artwork Chlore)
- Food truck and refreshment stand on site by Le Camion Rouge
Saturday, July 18, 2026 — 6 PM · Public Visit
Duration approximately 2h. Meet at the entrance of Beaulieu Park.
Friday, August 28, 2026 — Bat Festival
Evening in partnership with the League for the Protection of Birds.
- 5 PM – 7 PM · Public visit
- 7 PM – 8 PM · Picnic possible in the park
- 8 PM – 10 PM · Workshop-visit to discover bats (1st part in a room at Beaulieu Castle, then a nocturnal walk). From 6 years old, limited places, mandatory registration for the workshop: [email protected]
Saturday, September 12, 2026 — 10 AM · French Sign Language Interpreted Visit
In partnership with the Mots Croisés association. Duration approximately 2h. Meet at the entrance of Beaulieu Park. A presentation video translated into FSL is available on www.riorges.fr.
Monday, September 14, 2026 — 2 PM · Audio-Described Visit
In partnership with the Mon Regard association. Intended for people with visual impairments. Duration approximately 2h. Meet at the entrance of Beaulieu Park.
Saturday, October 17, 2026 — 10 AM · Public Visit
Duration approximately 2h. Meet at the entrance of Beaulieu Park.
From June 6 to November 8, 2026 — Free Access Trail
The trail is accessible every day, free of charge, without reservation. Tactile labels (produced by the 3D Modeling and Prototyping Bac Pro from Lycée Carnot de Roanne) and audio-video QR codes enhance the visit. A fun route for children is offered on site. All guided tours are free and do not require registration (except for the bat workshop on August 28).
Highlights À Ciel Ouvert 2026
- 2026 Dates: from June 6 to November 8, 2026
- 9th edition of the contemporary art trail — free admission
- 10 in situ works by 9 invited artists and collectives
- Muro Atelier (Joana Tomás and Vincent Rault), Franco-Portuguese duo associated artists and jury chairs, created Chlore and Jacques
- Festive opening Saturday, June 6 with a 'dry' synchronized swimming performance at 11:30 AM
- Concert walk Saturday, July 11, 5 PM-10 PM (La Chips, Amazigh, Les Tendres Soupirs, El Machete) with food truck
- Universal accessibility: FSL visit (Sept. 12), audio-described visit (Sept. 14), 3D printed tactile labels
- Bat Festival with the LPO Friday, August 28 (registration required)
- 2.5 km trail along the Renaison — visit duration 1h30 to 2h
Prices À Ciel Ouvert 2026
Practical information — À Ciel Ouvert
Practical Information
Location
Plaine de la Rivoire, along the Renaison river, Riorges (42153). The trail extends for approximately 2 kilometers in a protected natural area.
Access
Free and open access, every day, from June to November. The trail is accessible to strollers and partially accessible to people with reduced mobility.
Price
Free and open access.
Guided Tours
Free guided tours are offered throughout the exhibition, including adapted tours for people with disabilities (visually impaired, deaf and hard of hearing, mobility impaired).
How to Get There
By car: From Roanne, follow signs for Riorges centre, then « Plaine de la Rivoire ». Free parking nearby.
By train: Roanne station (TER from Lyon or Saint-Étienne), then a 10-minute drive or bus ride to Riorges.
Contact
Cultural Service of the Ville de Riorges
- Phone: 04 77 23 80 27
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: Mairie de Riorges, 411 rue Pasteur, 42153 Riorges
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Where does it take place — À Ciel Ouvert
Plaine de la Rivoire — Bords du Renaison
Plaine de la Rivoire, 42153 Riorges