LES VOYAGES – COLLECTIF XY

LES VOYAGES – COLLECTIF XY

With Les Voyages, Collectif XY transforms Paris La Défense into a vast acrobatic and poetic playground. Photographer Samuel Buton captured these suspended moments, now presented in an open-air exhibition on the forecourts of La Défense from 17 September to 18 October 2026.

Image credits: © Samuel Buton

Published on 1 September 2026

LES VOYAGES – AN EXHIBITION BY SAMUEL BUTON

In June 2026, the acrobats of Collectif XY spent a week in La Défense with a single aim: to create the conditions for a poetic encounter with the people who live and work in the area. Carried along by the flows of the district and drawn into the immense verticality of its towers, they moved through this space at human scale, opening sensitive breaches in the everyday lives of those passing through. Samuel Buton’s photographs capture this suspended moment, where the joy of movement and technical prowess respond to one another, creating, for an instant, a perfect harmony between people and the city.

INFORMATION :

17 September to 18 October 2026

La Défense forecourts

PAST EVENTS

LES VOYAGES BY COLLECTIF XY

With Les Voyages, Collectif XY transforms Paris La Défense into a vast acrobatic and poetic playground. Over several days, the artists take over everyday spaces — squares, passageways, shopping centres and forecourts — bringing the unexpected to life at the heart of the city. Through aerial journeys, collective lifts and spontaneous appearances, familiar routes become sensory experiences, inviting residents, employees and passers-by to slow down and see their surroundings from a new perspective.

Conceived as an immersion in the urban environment, Les Voyages blurs the boundaries between performance and reality. Bodies enter into dialogue with the monumental architecture of La Défense, transforming the verticality of the towers into living, shifting landscapes. Through these collective performances, Collectif XY celebrates cooperation, balance and the power of human connection in public space.

8 JUNE AT 6 PM – at CNIT, Paris La Défense

For more information: https://archie.parisladefense.com/event/les-extatiques/les-voyages-et-mobius#les-voyages-rendez-vous-au-cnit-P1

8 JUNE AT 6.30 PM – at 4 Temps, Paris La Défense

For more information: https://archie.parisladefense.com/event/les-extatiques/les-voyages-et-mobius#les-voyages-rendez-vous-dans-les-temps-P2

MÖBIUS

Möbius, created by Collectif XY in collaboration with choreographer Rachid Ouramdane, unfolds as an impressive acrobatic choreography at the foot of the Grande Arche. Inspired by the movements of flocks of birds, this spectacular piece brings around twenty acrobats together in a continuous flow of lifts, flights and controlled falls. Combining technical virtuosity with collective poetry, Möbius offers a powerful visual and emotional experience, in which bodies become a symbol of fluid, deeply human interdependence.

9 JUNE AT 12.30 PM – at the foot of the Grande Arche

For more information: https://archie.parisladefense.com/event/les-extatiques/les-voyages-et-mobius#mobius-P3

9 JUNE AT 6.30 PM – at the foot of the Grande Arche

For more information: https://archie.parisladefense.com/event/les-extatiques/les-voyages-et-mobius#mobius-P4

ACROBATICS CLASS WITH COLLECTIF XY

An acrobatics class led by two artists from Collectif XY, offering an introduction to the fundamentals of working in pairs and as a group.

Divided into two groups of 12, participants aged 15 and over explore lifts, balances and group dynamics in a safe and supportive environment. This practical session develops trust, coordination and team spirit, while offering a playful and accessible physical experience.

A unique opportunity to experience, first-hand, the strength of the collective.

10 JUNE AT 5 PM – Westfield shopping centre – CNIT, Level -1

Booking link: https://archie.parisladefense.com/event/les-extatiques/les-voyages-et-mobius#cours-dacrobatie-P5

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