Éclats de Cirque Festival
Circus celebration in the heart of Lyon's 5th arrondissement
2026
About Éclats de Cirque
Éclats de Cirque — edition 2026
The Éclats de Cirque festival returns to the heart of Lyon's 5th arrondissement on Wednesday, September 9 and Sunday, September 13, 2026, for two entirely free days. The program, which is predominantly female-led, brings together five shows from regional and emerging companies — "Nôt Pièce", "Newroz", "Fragile", "Belle à mourir", and "Les Baudrières" — along with circus arts introductory workshops and activities for the whole family.
2026 Edition: two days, five shows
Éclats de Cirque returns to the heart of Lyon's 5th arrondissement for the 2026 season. Two days filled with circus arts, featuring shows from regional and emerging companies, workshops for the whole family, and festive entertainment — all 100% free, continuing the popular education project led by the MJC Ménival – École de Cirque de Lyon.
Wednesday, September 9, at the Diderot Gymnasium
The first day kicks off at 2:00 PM at the Diderot Gymnasium, behind the MJC Ménival (29 avenue de Ménival), with circus workshops. At 4:00 PM, Cie La Volière de Velours presents "Nôt Pièce", a show blending circus, memories, freedom, and poetry, centered on Emma's investigation and her meeting with Mauricette, a 94-year-old farmer. A walking group then leads the public to the Sœur Janin neighborhood, where Cie La Meute performs "Newroz" at 5:30 PM, at 33 rue Sœur Janin.
Sunday, September 13, at the 5th Arrondissement Town Hall Park
The second highlight takes over the 5th Arrondissement Town Hall Park (65 avenue du Point du Jour) starting at 10:00 AM. Three shows follow one another: "Fragile" by groupe Nuits at 11:00 AM, "Belle à mourir" by Cie Les Enfants Sérieux at 2:30 PM, and finally "Les Baudrières" by Cie L'Encordée at 5:00 PM to close the festival. Throughout the day, the public can enjoy circus arts introductory workshops and family-friendly activities: face painting, wooden games, and screen printing. A refreshment stand and food options are also available.
A predominantly female-led program
This edition explores deep and engaged subjects: the dictates imposed on women's bodies with "Belle à mourir", sisterhood and mutual aid with "Les Baudrières", and fragility as a driver of connection with "Fragile". "Newroz", led by Bahoz Temaux, tells the story of a man's identity crisis when faced with prejudices related to his gender, skin color, and dual culture, presented as a circus-concert with Persian sounds.
In advance: the 5th Arrondissement Circus Trail
"Newroz" is part of the 5th Arrondissement Circus Trail, conducted in partnership with L'Imprévisible Fabrique at Café Janin. Cie La Meute and the École de Cirque de Lyon offer mediation and circus workshops leading up to the show, notably on Friday, September 4 at 5:30 PM at 33 rue Sœur Janin.
Practical information
The festival is entirely free. Circus workshops must be booked through the École de Cirque de Lyon ([email protected], 04 72 38 81 61); detailed schedules are announced as they become available on the school's Instagram and Facebook accounts. The City of Lyon notes that the event is accessible to people with reduced mobility.
Highlights Éclats de Cirque 2026
- "Belle à mourir", Cie Les Enfants Sérieux — Sunday, September 13 at 2:30 PM at the 5th Arrondissement Town Hall Park: a woman willing to go to any lengths, even the absurd, to tame and constrain her body against societal dictates.
- "Les Baudrières", Cie L'Encordée — Sunday, September 13 at 5:00 PM: three women's bodies and six cotton ropes intertwine in a collective adventure driven by boldness and sisterhood, closing the festival.
- "Nôt Pièce", Cie La Volière de Velours — Wednesday, September 9 at 4:00 PM at the Diderot Gymnasium: Emma's personal investigation, having left at 15 to become a circus artist, and her encounter with Mauricette, a 94-year-old farmer.
- "Fragile", groupe Nuits — Sunday, September 13 at 11:00 AM: Astrid and Raphaël place fragility at the heart of relationships within an unstable environment.
- "Newroz", Cie La Meute — Wednesday, September 9 at 5:30 PM at rue Sœur Janin: a circus-concert with Persian sounds imagined by Bahoz Temaux, meaning "new day" in Kurdish.
- A predominantly female-led program that is 100% free, paired with circus workshops open to everyone on both days.
Programme Éclats de Cirque 2026
Wednesday, September 9, 2026 — Diderot Gymnasium, behind the MJC Ménival
- From 2:00 PM — Circus arts introductory workshops · Diderot Gymnasium, 29 avenue de Ménival
- 4:00 PM — "Nôt Pièce" · Cie La Volière de Velours
- 5:30 PM — "Newroz" · Cie La Meute, at 33 rue Sœur Janin — a walking group will lead the audience there from the Diderot Gymnasium, as part of the 5th Arrondissement Circus Trail
Sunday, September 13, 2026 — 5th Arrondissement Town Hall Park
- From 10:00 AM — Site opens: circus arts workshops, face painting, wooden games, screen printing, refreshments and food available all day
- 11:00 AM — "Fragile" · groupe Nuits
- 2:30 PM — "Belle à mourir" · Cie Les Enfants Sérieux
- 5:00 PM — "Les Baudrières" · Cie L'Encordée, festival closing performance
Prices Éclats de Cirque 2026
Practical information — Éclats de Cirque
Festival Venues
Wednesday, September 9th: Diderot Gymnasium, behind the MJC Ménival – École de Cirque de Lyon, 29 avenue de Ménival, 69005 Lyon.
Sunday, September 13th: Parc de la Mairie du 5e, 65 avenue du Point du Jour, 69005 Lyon.
Admission
The festival is 100% free. All shows, workshops, and activities are open to the public.
Bookings and Contact
To book circus workshops, please contact the École de Cirque de Lyon at [email protected] or 04 72 38 81 61. Detailed schedules are posted on the École de Cirque de Lyon Instagram and Facebook pages.
Accessibility
The City of Lyon has designated this event as accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.
Éclats de Cirque: When Lyon Vibrates to the Rhythm of the Big Top
Born from the desire of the École de Cirque de Lyon and the MJC Ménival to promote circus arts beyond the walls of their school, the Éclats de Cirque festival has established itself as a must-attend event for the start of the school year in Lyon. Every year in September, the Parc de la Mairie du 5e and the spaces of the MJC Ménival are transformed into a vast circus village where the public of all ages comes to discover the richness and diversity of contemporary circus.
A Demanding and Festive Program
The festival unfolds its program over several days with a common thread: making circus accessible to everyone. The discovery stage hosts regional and emerging companies that present their creations in an intimate and warm setting. Jugglers, acrobats, tightrope walkers, and clowns follow one another to offer shows where technical prowess blends with poetry and humor.
Workshops for Young and Old
True to its educational mission, the École de Cirque de Lyon offers introductory workshops open to all: trapeze, tightrope, juggling, balancing on a ball, and floor acrobatics. Supervised by professional artists, these workshops allow participants to experience the sensations of the circus in a safe and supportive environment. Children and adults alike leave with stars in their eyes and sometimes a budding vocation.
Strong Local Roots
Éclats de Cirque is more than just a festival: it is a neighborhood project that unites the residents of the 5th arrondissement around a living, joyful, and shared culture. Local associations, shopkeepers, and families mobilize to make this event a highlight of neighborhood life. The complete freeness of the event guarantees its accessibility and reflects the values of sharing that the MJC Ménival has upheld since its creation.
Contemporary Circus in Lyon
Lyon is fertile ground for circus arts, with renowned training structures and a dense network of companies. Éclats de Cirque is part of this ecosystem by offering a showcase for young talent and raising public awareness of new circus creations, blending physical prowess, storytelling, and emotion.
Where does it take place — Éclats de Cirque
Éclats de Cirque in brief
History of Éclats de Cirque
Edition 2025 Sep 2025Other festivals near Lyon
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