Located beneath the Musée du Louvre, Les Salles du Carrousel is one of Paris’ most distinctive event venues, combining historic architecture with 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 Foyer – recently underwent comprehensive technical revitalisation by Magnum.
‘The spaces now offer a completely redesigned technical infrastructure, which includes changes on every level,’ says Magnum Business Manager for Les Salles du Carrousel, Pierre-Marie Tournier.
The venue is operated by Viparis, the leading holder of congress and exhibition venues in Paris, and Magum, a Groupe Novelty company that is its official technical operator.
The Le Nôtre Suite, the largest of the renovated spaces, offers 1,900sq-m of space capable of seating between 500 and 1,600 guests. Adjacent to it, the Soufflot Suite provides an adaptable environment suited for conferences, workshops and exhibitions. The third renovated space, the Foyer, is distinguished by a curved ceiling constructed from more than 3,000 wooden elements. With its vaulted ceiling and oak parquet flooring, the 750 sq-m Gabriel space can be combined with the last Suite, Delorme, which is designed to accommodate large-scale scenography for up to 1,200 people.
‘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. Magnum delivered audio reinforcement in all suites via a d&b audiotechnik Compact Cardioid Line Array configuration, with 18 clusters of three CCL12 loudspeakers supported by 10 CCL-Sub subwoofers positioned according to the geometry of the spaces.
‘Robe fixtures deliver both creative and elegant illumination, while the d&b audiotechnik cardioid line array guarantees consistent and intelligible sound coverage throughout the space,’ says Magnum Audio Director, Edouard Dubus.
The cardioid configuration provides controlled sound dispersion and uniform coverage across the audience area while minimising unwanted low-frequency spill into adjacent spaces. ‘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,’ Dubus explains.
The d&b system was specified by Edouard Dubus who worked with d&b on the system design. The CCL series was selected for its directivity control, energy-efficient operation and the German manufacturer’s Product Carbon Footprint programme, which enables clients to quantify the environmental impact of their system choices. The selection was further informed by d&b’s sustainability credentials – the company draws 49.1 per cent of its total energy consumption from renewable sources.
The installation also made use of d&b’s Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) programme, which provides professionally refurbished equipment at equivalent performance to brand-new products while delivering an 80 per cent reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to purchasing new.
Supporting the technical environment is a new audiovisual network built on a spine-leaf architecture using Netgear and Luminex switches. The network supports multiple professional A/V protocols, including AVB, AES67, ST2110/IPMX and Dante, enabling full interoperability between systems.
‘Technical teams now benefit from instant interconnection between the different spaces thanks to a centralised nodal system,’ says Magnum A/V Network Director, Fabrice Gosnet. ‘The paging sound system has also been redesigned around a Yamaha MRX7-D matrix and PGM1 microphones, all controlled through an intuitive interface developed by Magnum.’
Further infrastructure improvements were also incorporated into the renovation: ‘The control rooms have been redesigned to guarantee optimal comfort and safety,’ Tournier says. ‘Workstations are secured with guardrails, and the overall ergonomics have been significantly improved.’
Sustainability was paramount to this upgrade, and Magnum called on Groupe Novelty’s expertise led by MD Christophe Piette, whose drive for a formalised environmental strategy resulted in Groupe Novelty’s attainment of ISO 20121 certification, the international standard for sustainable event management. ‘This transformation is part of a precise eco-responsible approach,’ Piette says. ‘The new equipment is designed to be more energy-efficient, supporting the sustainable development goals from our clients and partners.’
For Magnum and Groupe Novelty, the revitalisation reflects a broader strategy of combining engineering, logistics and innovation to deliver sustainable and future-ready event environments.
FOH for the Delorme Suite and the Gabriel Suite is expected to benefit from a further upgrade this summer.
More: www.groupe-novelty.com