Located beneath the world’s most visited museum, Les Salles du Carrousel is one of Paris’ most distinctive event venues. Operated by Viparis, the leading holder of congress and exhibition venues in Paris, the site combines historic architecture with contemporary event facilities, offering 6,635 square metres of modular interior space capable of hosting conferences, product launches, exhibitions, and gala evenings.
The three primary spaces, the Le Nôtre Suite, the Soufflot Suite, and the Foyer, recently underwent a comprehensive technical FOH revitalisation delivered by Magnum, a Groupe Novelty company, who is also the official technical operator of the venue. The FOH of the last two venue spaces, the Delorme Suite and the Gabriel Suite, will also benefit from an upgrade this summer. On top of that, all Suites now benefit from a new generation of integrated sound, lighting, rigging, and network infrastructure designed to streamline event production while improving safety, operational efficiency, and sustainability.
“The spaces now offer a completely redesigned technical infrastructure, which includes changes on every level,” says Pierre-Marie Tournier, Magnum’s business manager for Les Salles du Carrousel.
The Le Nôtre Suite, the largest of the renovated spaces, offers 1,900 square metres of flexible event space and includes retractable bleachers capable of seating between 500 and 1,600 guests. Adjacent to it, the 925-square-metre Soufflot Suite provides an adaptable environment suited for conferences, workshops, and exhibitions.
The third renovated space, the Foyer, spans 1,310 square metres and is distinguished by a curved ceiling constructed from more than 3,000 wooden elements. With its vaulted ceiling and oak parquet flooring, the 750 sqm Gabriel space provides a large and cosy venue. It can be combined with the last Suite, Delorme, which spans over 1,600 sqm and is specially designed to accommodate large-scale scenography for up to 1,200 people.
Magnum, a major technical production company founded in 1986 and part of Groupe Novelty since 2016, specialises in designing and delivering technical systems for events and venues across France and Europe. “At Les Salles du Carrousel, Magnum has implemented complete technical room packages,” Tournier explains. “We’ve provided turnkey systems that include sound, lighting, and video for events. These specially designed packages deliver valuable time savings for every event organiser using the space.”
Central to the revitalisation was a total overhaul of the venue’s rigging infrastructure. New-generation curved trusses from Alu Soudure Diffusion (ASD) were installed with motorised GIS D8+ chain hoists using SONOS Altimate control systems to enable precise and secure lifting operations.
In total, 120 GIS LP500 D8+ electric chain hoists were deployed across the technical grid, while Altimate load monitoring systems were integrated at each rigging point to provide real-time supervision. “The electrical network has been completely rebuilt using StageSmarts power distribution units,” Tournier notes. “This provides reliable, scalable distribution perfectly suited to the diversity of events hosted here.”
Lighting across the spaces was modernised using Robe ESPRITE and LEDBeam 200 fixtures, providing lighting designers with flexible creative tools while maintaining an elegant visual aesthetic suited to the surroundings.
Magnum delivered audio reinforcement in all suites via a d&b audiotechnik Compact Cardioid Line Array configuration, with a total of 18 clusters of three CCL12 loudspeakers supported by 10 CCL-SUB subwoofers positioned according to the geometry of the spaces.
“The Robe fixtures deliver both creative and elegant illumination, while the d&b audiotechnik Compact Cardioid Line Array system guarantees consistent and intelligible sound coverage throughout the space,” says Magnum’s audio director, Edouard Dubus. “This configuration aims to deliver consistent coverage to the area, with controlled sound levels and seamless integration into the venue’s scenography and operational requirements.”
Supporting the entire technical environment is a new audiovisual network built on a spine-leaf architecture using Netgear and Luminex switches. The network supports multiple professional AV protocols, including AVB, AES67, ST2110/IPMX, and Dante. “Technical teams now benefit from instant interconnection between the different spaces thanks to a centralised nodal system,” says Fabrice Gosnet, Magnum’s AV network director. The paging sound system has also been redesigned around a Yamaha MRX7-D matrix and PGM1 microphones.
Sustainability was paramount for this upgrade. The installation made use of d&b’s Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) programme, providing professionally refurbished equipment that delivers an 80% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to purchasing new. Magnum was also able to count on Groupe Novelty’s expertise in this field, whose environmental commitment resulted in attaining ISO 20121 certification, the international standard for sustainable event management.
“This transformation is part of a precise eco-responsible approach,” says Christophe Piette, managing director of Groupe Novelty. “The new equipment is designed to be more energy-efficient, supporting the sustainable development goals from our clients and partners.”