L'Azimut

What L'Azimut does

L'Azimut is a French non-profit cultural association (Association du Théâtre Firmin Gémier / La Piscine, Pôle National Cirque) operating a multi-venue performing arts complex in the southern Paris suburbs of Antony and Châtenay-Malabry, founded in 1967 and staffed by approximately 45 employees under co-directors Delphine Lagrandeur and Marc Jeancourt. The organization runs four distinct performance spaces — the 500–800-seat Théâtre La Piscine (a converted 1930s swimming pool), the modular 442–700-seat Théâtre Firmin Gémier / Patrick Devedjian, a 4,400 m² outdoor Espace Cirque dedicated to contemporary circus, and the 120-seat Le Pédiluve intimate concert hall — with a multidisciplinary program spanning theater, dance, circus, classical and contemporary music, and family programming. It holds the state-conferred Pôle National Cirque designation from the French Ministry of Culture, placing it among a small set of nationally recognized circus poles, and is licensed as an entrepreneur de spectacles across five categories.

The business model is a hybrid of public subsidies and earned income typical of French cultural non-profits. Public funding flows from DRAC Île-de-France, Région Île-de-France, Département des Hauts-de-Seine, and the two host municipalities (Ville d'Antony and Ville de Châtenay-Malabry), constituting the dominant revenue base. Earned income is generated through tiered ticket sales (€2–€35 across full, reduced, super-reduced, youth, and social-minimum pricing), season memberships and adhesion cards (Pass MARTO, family passes, multi-show bundles), on-site ancillary services (Boutik'Azimut merchandise, bar and restaurant, Salle des Machines dining), corporate venue hire, and co-programming partnerships with organizations such as Paul B, Scène nationale de l'Essonne, and Cirqu'Evolution. Distribution is multi-channel via a Mapado-powered online ticketing platform, telephone sales, and physical box offices at both main theaters, supported by Brevo newsletters, Matomo web analytics, and Payline Monext payment processing. Customer segments span general public and families (primary), school groups, corporate clients, and community associations, with explicit outreach programs for each.

Name

L'Azimut

Legal name

Association du Théâtre Firmin Gémier / La Piscine, Pôle National Cirque

Website

https://l-azimut.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

L'Azimut is a French non-profit cultural association (founded 1967) operating a four-venue performing arts complex in Antony and Châtenay-Malabry under the national Pôle National Cirque designation. It serves suburban Paris audiences across theater, dance, circus, and music via tiered ticketing, memberships, and public funding from regional and municipal authorities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Circus & Physical Theatre (MPAGABAL), Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Live theater programming
• Contemporary circus
• Concert venue
• Cultural programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Châtenay-Malabry

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from sale of tickets for theatrical performances, concerts, circus shows, and dance productions across multiple venues. Offers various pricing categories including full price, reduced rates, super-reduced rates, and youth-specific pricing.
2. Membership/Adhesion: Season memberships and adhesion cards offering discounted access to performances, with multiple purchase options including family passes.
3. Ancillary Sales: Boutik'Azimut merchandise store, bar and restaurant services, and on-site refreshments.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Dedicated corporate engagement programs offering venue access for company events and sponsored performances.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

L'Azimut is a multi-venue performing arts complex operating across two cities in the southern Paris suburbs (Antony and Châtenay-Malabry), hosting a diversified program of live theater, dance, circus, classical music, jazz, and contemporary music performances across four venues. The organization sells tickets directly to consumers via online, telephone, and box office channels, supplemented by memberships, merchandise (Boutik'Azimut), bar and restaurant services, and corporate venue hire. As a designated Pôle National Cirque, it holds a regional leadership position in contemporary circus arts.

Product overview

L'Azimut is a pluridisciplinary cultural theater complex operating across three venues in Antony and Châtenay-Malabry, France. The network includes Théâtre La Piscine (500-800 seats), Théâtre Firmin Gémier / Patrick Devedjian (442-700 seats), and Espace Cirque (4,400m² outdoor circus space), plus the intimate Le Pédiluve concert hall (120 seats). The offering combines venue management with a diverse programming spanning theater, dance, circus, and contemporary music, supported by online ticketing services and ancillary offerings like the Boutik'Azimut merchandise shop and para-spectacle services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Théâtre La Piscine: Main theatre venue in Châtenay-Malabry, formerly a 1930s swimming pool, hosting 500-800 seat performances
• Théâtre Firmin Gémier / Patrick Devedjian
• Espace Cirque
• Le Pédiluve
• Le Pédiluve

Products and services

• Live Performance Programming (Theater, Dance, Circus, Music)

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, secondary and minor.

• MapadocoreTechnology or IntegrationTicketing software provider powering the online ticket sales platform. L'Azimut uses Mapado's system for event management, seat selection, and secure payment processing. Mapado stores customer personal data on behalf of L'Azimut but has no independent usage rights to that data.
• BrevocoreTechnology or IntegrationEmail newsletter service provider used for distributing promotional communications, show announcements, and schedule updates to subscribers. L'Azimut stores subscriber email addresses through Brevo's platform.
• Ville d'AntonycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner hosting Théâtre Firmin Gémier / Patrick Devedjian. Collaborates on classical music season programming and co-presents the Place au Jazz festival with L'Azimut.
• Ville de Châtenay-MalabrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner hosting Théâtre La Piscine headquarters. Primary municipal partner for venue operations and local cultural development.
• Région Île-de-FrancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional council providing funding support and co-presenting arrangements for various performances and cultural initiatives.
• Département des Hauts-de-SeinemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDepartmental council providing institutional funding and partnership for performing arts programming in the department.
• DRAC Île-de-FrancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirection Régionale des Affaires Culturelles - Ministry of Culture regional directorate providing state funding, licensing oversight, and National Circus Pole designation support.
• Paul BsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerScène de musiques actuelles (musical current scenes) in Essonne - co-programming partner for contemporary music events such as the Vincent Delerm concert.
• Scène nationale de l'EssonnesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational stage in Essonne - co-producer and partner for various performances including the L'Eau et les rêves exhibition-atelier.
• Cirqu'EvolutionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for circus programming, co-presenting performances such as Immobile & Rebondi #2 and Dans Nos Bras.
• Cirque ÉvolutionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for circus programming, co-presenting with L'Azimut as part of National Circus Pole activities.
• Le Plus Petit Cirque du MondeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentre Culturel de Rencontre (Cultural Meeting Center) in Bagneux - co-programming partner for performances such as Tendre.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CIRCa - Pôle National Cirque: Another of France's national Pôles Nationaux Cirque (Gers, Occitanie). Shares the same Ministry of Culture designation as L'Azimut, runs a dedicated circus venue under a marquee, and hosts creation residencies and touring circus companies, making it the closest institutional peer.
• La Brèche - Pôle National Cirque: National Circus Pole in Cherbourg (Normandie), focused on contemporary circus creation and dissemination. Same PNC designation, similar public-funded venue model, and operates residencies and touring productions intersecting with L'Azimut's Espace Cirque activities.
• MCB - Maison de la Culture de Bourges: French Scène Nationale with multi-disciplinary programming across theater, dance, music, and circus. Comparable publicly funded venue with a season-based programming model and partnerships with regional authorities.
• Le Volcan - Scène Nationale du Havre: Two-hall Scène Nationale in Le Havre with comparable mix of theater, dance, music, and family programming. Similar institutional model, public funding stack, and repertoire-driven season planning as L'Azimut.
• Théâtre de Cornouaille - Scène Nationale de Quimper: Scène Nationale in Quimper offering multi-disciplinary performing arts programming on a comparable scale. Same public funding model and similar function as a regional cultural anchor to L'Azimut, though in a different geography.
• Le Channel - Scène Nationale de Calais: French Scène Nationale with multi-venue programming across theater, dance, music, and circus. Directly comparable to L'Azimut in being a multi-disciplinary publicly funded performing arts venue with strong local authority backing.
• Scène nationale de l'Essonne: Existing co-programming partner of L'Azimut (e.g. L'Eau et les rêves), and a neighboring Scène Nationale in Île-de-France. Comparable suburban Île-de-France institutional positioning and shared audience base.
• Le Cirque Jules Verne - Pôle National Cirque: National Circus Pole based in Amiens (Hauts-de-France), operated as a public performing arts venue with a dedicated circus and creation component. Directly comparable to L'Azimut in label, public funding base, and mixed circus/theater programming model.
• La Cascade - Pôle National Cirque: National Circus Pole dedicated to emerging circus, based in Bourg-Saint-Andéol (Ardèche). Comparable to L'Azimut in label and in hosting circus creation residencies, and competes for the same national touring circus companies.

Broad incumbents

• Théâtre National de Chaillot: Major Paris national theater (much larger institution) competing for the same touring productions and audiences in the broader Paris region. Offers overlapping theater and dance programming but at a far larger scale and central location.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/l-azimut

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about L'Azimut