The Toboggan
Le Toboggan is a publicly-funded multi-disciplinary cultural center in Décines-Charpieu (Lyon metropolitan area, France) offering theater, dance, concerts, comedy, cinema screenings, and exhibitions to local residents and school groups, funded by municipal, metropolitan, regional, and national cultural institutions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersLes Auvergnes, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Toboggan does
The Toboggan (legal name: Régie Autonome du Toboggan) is a publicly-funded multi-disciplinary cultural center located at 14 Avenue Jean Macé, Décines-Charpieu, in the Lyon metropolitan area of France. Founded in 1996 and operating as a French Régie Autonome (public administrative entity) under municipal oversight, the venue combines three core programming pillars: Spectacles (theater, dance, concerts, comedy, and circus performances), Cinéma (movie screenings including new releases, independent, foreign, and classic films with both dubbed and original-version options), and Expositions (visual art exhibitions), supplemented by an on-site bar and season subscription packages. The institution serves the eastern Lyon population with a primary catchment of Décines-Charpieu and the broader Grand Lyon / Métropole de Lyon area.
The business operates on a mixed revenue model combining transaction-based ticket sales (individual show tickets €7-48, cinema tickets), recurring subscription packages (Abonnements) with free exchanges, on-site bar services, and significant public subsidies from a tiered institutional funding base that includes Ville de Décines-Charpieu, Métropole de Lyon, Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Préfecture Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, and CNC (Centre National du Cinéma). Ticketing is operated through two dedicated third-party platforms: Tickandlive for spectacles and TicketingCine for cinema. The venue maintains tripartite French entertainment licenses (Licences 1, 2, and 3) covering venue operation, theatrical production, and distribution.
Beyond its venue operations, Le Toboggan functions as a regional co-production partner for contemporary dance and performing arts, with documented partnerships including Kader Attou / Cie Accrorap ('Un petit pas de trop'), Mourad Merzouki / Cie Käfig ('Folia', originally created for Les Nuits de Fourvière), and Cie Chatha ('Bal Clandestin'), alongside institutional collaborations with Scènes & Cinés, Maison de la danse de Lyon, Espace des arts de Chalon-sur-Saône, Pôle en Scènes, and CCN de Belfort. Marketing and distribution rely on a dedicated website (letoboggan.com), segmented Facebook and Instagram accounts for theater and cinema, LinkedIn presence, email newsletters, and annual season-reveal events.
The Toboggan firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Toboggan
- Legal name
- Regie Autonome du Toboggan
- Website
- https://letoboggan.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Le Toboggan is a publicly-funded multi-disciplinary cultural center in Décines-Charpieu (Lyon metropolitan area, France) offering theater, dance, concerts, comedy, cinema screenings, and exhibitions to local residents and school groups, funded by municipal, metropolitan, regional, and national cultural institutions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Toboggan industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Venue
- NAICS
- Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Musical Groups and Artists (71113)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Live Music Clubs & Venues (MPAGAIAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Dance Performances (THAJAFAD), Live Music Venues & Concert Bars (THAFAEAD)
Keywords
Where The Toboggan is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Les Auvergnes
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Toboggan business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Ticket sales - Spectacles: Revenue from individual show tickets sold for theater performances and concerts, with pricing varying by production and seat location. Tickets sold through tickandlive.com platform.
- Ticket sales - Cinema: Revenue from cinema screenings sold individually or as part of subscription packages, through ticketingcine.fr platform.
- Season subscriptions: Annual and multi-show subscription packages offering discounted access to the programming season, with free exchanges for subscribers.
- Venue bar services: On-site bar services for theater and cinema patrons.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Theater shows - GANGSTER.E.S |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Theater shows - Un petit pas de trop |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Concerts - Arma Jackson et Camille Yembe |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Concerts - Caravan Palace |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Concerts - Fatoumata Diawara |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Theater - Mur Mure |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Theater - La Jalousie |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Comedy - Alex Lutz |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Theater - L'expérience Théâtrale |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Theater - Du charbon dans les veines (award-winning production) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Comedy - Jérôme Commandeur |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | School performances - Dimanche |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Toboggan product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Le Toboggan operates a multi-disciplinary cultural venue in Décines-Charpieu (Lyon metropolitan area), presenting live performances (theater, dance, concerts, comedy, circus), cinema screenings, and visual art exhibitions. Revenue comes from individual show tickets, cinema tickets, season subscription packages, and an on-site bar. Programming combines touring productions with co-productions developed with major French cultural institutions.
Product overview
The Toboggan is a cultural center venue offering a unified portfolio of live entertainment and arts experiences. The core offerings consist of Spectacles (theater shows, dance, concerts, comedy), Cinéma (movie screenings), and Expositions (visual art exhibitions). Supporting services include Le Bar (on-site refreshments) and subscription packages (Abonnements) for season-long access. Ticketing for both theater and cinema is available through dedicated online platforms. The venue operates as a multi-disciplinary cultural space with programming spanning multiple art forms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Spectacles (Live Performances) Live performances including theater, dance, music concerts, comedy, and circus shows presented at the venue. The programming includes both touring productions and co-productions with various theater and dance companies (e.g., Compagnie Accrorap, Compagnie Käfig, Cie Chatha), aimed at local audiences in the Lyon metropolitan area.
- Cinéma (Cinema Screenings) Movie screenings featuring new releases, independent cinema, foreign films (VOST), classic films, and 3D screenings. The cinema offers both dubbed (VF) and original version (VOST) screenings, supported by institutional partnership with CNC and Europa Cinemas.
- Expositions (Visual Art Exhibitions) Visual art exhibitions presented at the cultural center as part of the multi-disciplinary programming.
- Le Bar (On-site bar services) On-site bar services offered to theater and cinema patrons visiting the venue, supporting the audience experience before and after events.
- Abonnements (Season Subscriptions) Annual and multi-show season subscription packages offering discounted access to theater performances throughout the programming season, including the 2026-2027 season, with free exchanges for subscribers.
- Billetterie Spectacles (Theater Ticketing) Online ticketing platform for theater shows and performances, provided through Tickandlive, enabling self-serve booking of the venue's performance program.
- Billetterie Cinéma (Cinema Ticketing) Online ticketing platform for cinema screenings, provided through TicketingCine, enabling self-serve booking of cinema sessions.
Companies that use The Toboggan
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Toboggan technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Toboggan partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- Ville de Décines-CharpieumajorCity of Décines-Charpieu, the host municipality, is a key partner supporting the cultural center's operations and programming in the Lyon metropolitan area.
- CNC (Centre National du Cinéma et de l'Image Animée)coreFrench National Center for Cinema and Animated Image provides institutional support and funding for cinema programming at the venue.
- Europa CinemasminorEuropean cinema network providing support and recognition for quality European film programming.
- Scènes & Cinés, Scène conventionnée Art en TerritoirecoreCo-production and institutional partnership supporting circus and street arts programming, with 'Un petit pas de trop' by Kader Attou - Cie Accrorap coproduced at Le Toboggan.
- Espace des arts scène nationale de Chalon-sur-SaônemajorCo-production partner for 'Bal Clandestin' by Cie Chatha. National stage arts venue collaborating on dance and performance productions.
- Maison de la danse de LyonmajorMajor dance institution in Lyon co-producing 'Bal Clandestin'. Key partner for contemporary dance programming in the region.
- CCN Viadanse de BelfortminorNational Choreographic Center in Belfort providing studio residency and support for dance company Chatha.
- Pôle en ScènesminorCoproduction partner for 'Folia' by Mourad Merzouki - Cie Käfig, supporting dance and performing arts programming.
- Les Nuits de FourvièremajorMajor Lyon festival coproducing 'Folia', originally created for the festival's opening. Key partner for major dance productions.
- Centre chorégraphique national de Créteil et du Val-de-Marne / Compagnie KäfigcoreNational choreographic center coproducing 'Folia' with director Mourad Merzouki's company Käfig.
- Compagnie AccrorapcoreDance company led by Kader Attou, coproducing 'Un petit pas de trop' with Le Toboggan as coproduction venue.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Toboggan competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- L'Épicerie Moderne: Concert venue and cultural space in Feyzin, southern Lyon metropolitan area. Smaller-scale multi-format venue serving suburban Lyon with concerts and contemporary music, comparable to Le Toboggan in geography and operational scale.
- Théâtre National Populaire (TNP) Villeurbanne: National theater located in Villeurbanne, immediately adjacent to Le Toboggan's Lyon metropolitan catchment. Presents a comparable multi-genre season of theater, dance, and circus, drawing from the same public funding pools (Villeurbanne / Métropole de Lyon) and competing for the same suburban audience.
- Théâtre de la Croix-Rousse: Scène nationale in Lyon's Croix-Rousse district presenting theater, dance, music, and circus. Functions as a structurally similar regional cultural venue with public-partner funding and subscription programming, competing for the same regional subscribers.
- Comédie de Lyon: Lyon comedy and variety theater offering sketch, stand-up, and theatrical productions. Overlaps with Le Toboggan's comedy tier (Alex Lutz, Jérôme Commandeur programming) and competes for the same comedy-going audience in the Lyon metro.
- Les Nuits de Fourvière: Premier Lyon summer performing arts festival held in the Roman theaters of Fourvière. Co-produces dance productions with Le Toboggan (e.g., 'Folia' by Mourad Merzouki) and competes for the same touring productions, audiences, and institutional funding.
- Le Transbordeur: Major Lyon concert hall in Villeurbanne focused on contemporary music, concerts, and club-style live performance. Overlaps with Le Toboggan on concert programming (e.g., Caravan Palace, Arma Jackson) and targets a similar demographic of Lyon-area live music audiences.
- Comédie Odéon: Lyon theater hosting comedy, theater and contemporary performance seasons. Comparable to Le Toboggan in offering tiered, mixed-genre programming at mid-range ticket prices to Lyon metropolitan audiences.
- Maison de la danse de Lyon: Major dance venue and producer in Lyon, direct co-production partner with Le Toboggan on shows like 'Bal Clandestin' (Cie Chatha). Operates the same multi-disciplinary dance/performance model at a larger scale within central Lyon, making it the closest functional peer.
Regional players
- Scène nationale de Saint-Étienne: Scène nationale in Saint-Étienne operating the same public-funded, multi-genre performing arts model as Le Toboggan but in a different Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes sub-region. Useful as a comparable for institutional structure and funding mechanics, though not a direct competitor in Décines.
Emerging players
- Ciné Toboggan's national art-house cinema network (e.g., Le Comœdia, Lyon): Independent art-house cinemas in Lyon classified under Europa Cinemas, the same network as Le Toboggan's cinema arm. Directly comparable on repertory/art-house programming, exhibitor economics, and CNC institutional support.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Toboggan social profiles
Digital presenceThe Toboggan compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
The Toboggan financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Toboggan leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Toboggan funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Toboggan M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Toboggan
What does The Toboggan do?
Le Toboggan operates a multi-disciplinary cultural venue in Décines-Charpieu (Lyon metropolitan area), presenting live performances (theater, dance, concerts, comedy, circus), cinema screenings, and visual art exhibitions. Revenue comes from individual show tickets, cinema tickets, season subscription packages, and an on-site bar. Programming combines touring productions with co-productions developed with major French cultural institutions.
Is The Toboggan a public or private company?
The Toboggan is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was The Toboggan founded?
The Toboggan was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Toboggan based?
The Toboggan is headquartered in Les Auvergnes, France, in the Europe region.
How does The Toboggan make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket sales - Spectacles are the primary driver. The others are ticket sales - Cinema, season subscriptions and venue bar services.
Who are The Toboggan's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are L'Épicerie Moderne, Théâtre National Populaire (TNP) Villeurbanne, Théâtre de la Croix-Rousse, Comédie de Lyon, Les Nuits de Fourvière, Le Transbordeur, Comédie Odéon and Maison de la danse de Lyon. Scène nationale de Saint-Étienne is listed as a regional player. Ciné Toboggan's national art-house cinema network (e.g., Le Comœdia, Lyon) is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Toboggan have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Toboggan.
What industry is The Toboggan in?
The Toboggan's product category is Performing Arts Venue. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAIAB, Live Music Clubs & Venues, with a secondary code of THAJAFAD, Dance Performances. Its NAICS code is 7111 and its SIC code is 7830.