Les Colporteurs

What Les Colporteurs does

Les Colporteurs is a French contemporary circus company (Association loi 1901, non-profit) founded in 1996 by tightrope walkers Agathe Olivier and Antoine Rigot, headquartered in Saint-Thomé, Ardèche. The company creates and tours circus productions combining aerial work (specializing in fil de fer/tightrope), theater, dance, and live music, primarily performed under its own 500-seat traditional big-top tent (chapiteau) and in public spaces. Its repertoire spans more than 20 productions since 1994, including flagship works such as Le Fil sous la Neige (2006, 270+ performances across 15+ countries) and Filao (1996, 220 performances), with newer creations including Coeurs Sauvages (2022), Sam & Will au-dessus du vide (2024), Blob (2025), and the upcoming Anamorfa (2027).

The company's core technology is its proprietary L'Étoile — a self-supporting steel tube and cable sculpture-structure created in 2007 that enables tightrope performances in outdoor and public spaces — combined with a custom historic chapiteau built in 1996. Les Colporteurs makes money through four revenue streams: ticket sales from touring performances; chapiteau rental when not in use; ongoing public cultural funding (DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes conventioned status, Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Département de l'Ardèche, Ville du Teil d'Ardèche); and co-production/commissioning fees from partner venues and festivals (La Ferme du Buisson, Bonlieu, Printemps des Comédiens, Maison de la Culture d'Amiens, Espace Malraux, Le Manège Reims, Le Carré Magique, Archaos, Le Pôle, RueWATT). Customer segments are general public and families attending tent-based performances and young audiences (ages 3+) for dedicated productions like Toyo!.

The organization operates with a lean permanent team of 7 staff including founders Agathe Olivier and Antoine Rigot, co-artistic directors Coline Rigot and Damien Levasseur (succession in progress through 2027), technical director Pierre-Yves Chouin, and production/administration staff. It is governed by a Board of Administration of 7 elected members, holds three entrepreneur de spectacles licenses, and benefits from a deep partnership with La Cascade, the Pôle National Cirque the company helped create in Bourg-Saint-Andéol. International touring collaborations have included a guest-creator commission for Cirque du Soleil's Amaluna (2011-2012) and an ongoing annual artistic partnership with Cambodian NGO Phare Ponleu Selpak since 2015.

Name

Les Colporteurs

Legal name

L'ASSOCIATION LES COLPORTEURS

Website

https://lescolporteurs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Les Colporteurs is a French contemporary circus company founded in 1996 by Agathe Olivier and Antoine Rigot, creating and touring tightrope-focused performances under its own big-top tent across France and 15+ countries, serving general public and family audiences with public funding and co-production support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Performing Arts / Contemporary Circus

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts (MPAGABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Contemporary circus
• Circus performances
• Tightrope walking
• Touring circus company
• Live performing arts

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Thomé

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Performance Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from ticket sales for circus performances presented under the company chapiteau, in theaters, and public spaces across touring dates in France and internationally.
2. Chapiteau Rental: The company rents out its historic circus tent with or without equipment when not on tour with their own productions.
3. Cultural Sponsorship and Public Funding: The company receives ongoing support from public cultural institutions including DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (conventioned status), Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Département de l'Ardèche, and Ville du Teil d'Ardèche.
4. Co-production and Commissioning Fees: Productions are co-produced with partner venues and festivals including La Ferme du Buisson, Bonlieu scène nationale Annecy, Printemps des Comédiens Montpellier, Maison de la Culture d'Amiens, and Espace Malraux Chambery.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Les Colporteurs is a contemporary circus company that creates, produces and tours original circus shows combining tightrope walking (fil de fer), theater, dance and live music. Performances are staged under a traditional 500-seat big top tent and in public spaces, with a touring schedule across France and 15+ countries. The company also rents out its historic chapiteau and develops tightrope-related cultural projects and educational workshops.

Product overview

Les Colporteurs is a contemporary circus company founded in 1996 by Agathe Olivier and Antoine Rigot. The company operates primarily as a touring circus under a traditional big top tent, presenting a portfolio of circus productions ranging from intimate tightrope performances to large-scale shows featuring multiple circus artists and musicians. The product portfolio includes: (1) Core circus shows - ongoing productions performed under the big top or in public spaces, including signature works like Le Fil sous la Neige (2006), Le Bal des Intouchables (2012), Sous la toile de Jheronimus (2017), Coeurs Sauvages (2022), and newer creations like Blob (2025) and Anamorfa (2027); (2) The 'Etoiles' repertoire - smaller tightrope pieces for public space including Le Chas du Violon, Evohé, Méandres, and Hautes Pointures & Tarina; (3) The 'L'Etoile' structure - a self-supported sculpture-structure used as a performance apparatus; (4) Services including tent rental, international tightrope gatherings, and documentary films. The company is currently undergoing artistic succession, with founders Agathe and Antoine transitioning direction to their daughter Coline Rigot and her partner Damien Levasseur.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Anamorfa Contemporary circus show created in 2027 as the first production by new co-artistic directors Coline Rigot and Damien Levasseur, featuring 7 artists on stage under a new 350-400 seat tent.
• Blob Unicellular performance for public space featuring 3 circus artists who improvise and discover their environment while searching for food. Designed as a 'tous terrains' performance adaptable to any space.
• Sam & Will au-dessus du vide Tragic-clownesque duo created by Antoine Rigot and Heinzi Lorenzen, marking Antoine's return to clown work after years of tightrope walking and directing.
• Coeurs Sauvages Show under the big top where circus artists explore their animal nature and instinctive, free and untamed feelings.
• Toyo! Musical and acrobatic duo for young audiences (ages 3+) featuring a contortionist-equilibrist and violinist discovering a construction pipe that becomes a character.
• Méandres Public space duo on the 'Etoile-mât' apparatus with Sandrine Juglair and Molly Saudek, exploring the meanders of human connection.
• Evohé Poetic and sensual tightrope duo based on the myth of Ariane and Bacchus, performed on the 'Etoile' structure.
• L'Echappée du Coryphée Solo tightrope performance with a funambulist and violinist-guitarist, inspired by Jérôme Bosch's 'Garden of Earthly Delights'.
• F(R)ICTION Show created with the 30th promotion of CNAC (National Circus Arts Center), blending circus creation with theatrical elements.
• Sous la toile de Jheronimus Acrobatic, musical and theatrical dream inspired by Jérôme Bosch's work, created under the big top.
• Le Chas du Violon Tightrope duo for public space featuring Agathe Olivier and Coline Rigot (mother and daughter), exploring family and circus history through balance and trust.
• Le Bal des Intouchables Show bringing together 12 circus artists and musicians exploring human relationship fragility, difference, exclusion, fall and rebirth.
• Sur la route... Intimate solo tightrope performance created by Antoine Rigot, exploring personal artistic journey and language reinvention.
• Hautes Pointures & Tarina Two public space duos ('Hautes Pointures' and 'Tarina') performed on the 'Etoile' self-supported sculpture-structure.
• Le Fil sous la Neige Exclusive tightrope and tightrope walker show, poetic evocation of challenges and emotions throughout existence. Presented over 270 times in 15 countries.
• Filao First show of the company, created in 1996, inspired by Italo Calvino's novel 'Le baron perché', blending circus, theater, dance and music.
• Historic Chapiteau (Tent) Rental Rental service offering the historic 500-seat big top tent (built in 1996) with or without equipment. Features a circular dome of 8.5m diameter, 500-seat arena-style seating including 8 accessible spaces, and sand/champagne exterior colors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 270+ performances in 15+ countries for flagship production Le Fil sous la Neige

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-AlpescoreOthersRegional cultural authority that has conventioned (officially recognized and funded) the company as part of its cultural policy for performing arts in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
• Région Auvergne-Rhône-AlpescoreOthersRegional council providing ongoing financial support to the company as part of regional cultural development initiatives.
• Département de l'ArdèchecoreOthersDepartmental council providing ongoing support to the company based in Ardèche.
• La Cascade - Pôle National Cirque de Bourg-Saint-AndéolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 1999, the company has partnered with La Cascade, a National Circus Pole. Les Colporteurs helped create this venue and remain a partner company. La Cascade opened in April 2008 in Bourg-Saint-Andéol.
• La Ferme du Buisson (Marne la Vallée)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of Filao (1996), providing production support and venue presentation.
• Cirque du Soleil (Montréal, Canada)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLes Colporteurs founders Agathe and Antoine were invited by Cirque du Soleil to design a tightrope act for four performers and four wires for the Amaluna production (2011-2012).
• Phare Ponleu Selpak (Cambodia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2015, Agathe and Antoine collaborate annually with this Cambodian NGO in Battambang and Siem Reap, teaching tightrope walking and stage writing, and participating in circus productions including Eclipse (2016) and White Gold (2018).
• Le Manège, scène nationale de ReimsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConfirmed co-producer of Anamorfa (2027), with performances scheduled at Manège de Reims.
• Le Carré Magique, Pôle National Cirque de LannionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConfirmed co-producer of Anamorfa (2027).
• Archaos, Pôle National Cirque de MarseillemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConfirmed co-producer of Anamorfa (2027).
• Le Pôle, scène conventionnée, Le Revest-les-eauxmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConfirmed co-producer of Anamorfa (2027).
• RueWATT / Coopérative De Rue et De CirquemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of Anamorfa (2027), with company in residence at RueWATT, Paris (75) from September-November 2026.
• CNAC (Centre National des Arts du Cirque)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAntoine Rigot co-directed F(R)ICTION, the graduation show of CNAC's 30th cohort in 2018.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Compagnie XY: French contemporary circus collective based in Metz, performing under their own tent and combining acrobatics, dance, and live music. Direct competitor for French public funding, festival slots, and touring audiences in the contemporary circus niche.
• Compagnie 111 / Aurélien Bory: French contemporary circus company with strong international touring profile, regularly co-produced by national circus poles and touring across Europe and Asia. Comparable scale and institutional positioning in the French conventioned ecosystem.
• Compagnie Käfig / Mourad Merzouki: One of France's leading contemporary circus/hip-hop companies, regularly co-produced by major Pôles Nationaux Cirque and touring internationally. Operates with a similar conventioned public funding model and equivalent scale of productions.
• Compagnie DCA / Philippe Decouflé: Highly regarded French contemporary circus/choreographic company with substantial conventioned public funding and international touring history. Comparable in reputation tier and institutional positioning within French circus.
• Compagnie Galapiat: French contemporary circus company touring under chapiteau with multiple productions. Direct competitor in the conventioned funding ecosystem and touring circuit across France and Europe.
• Cirque Éloize: Quebec-based contemporary circus company that tours its own productions internationally under a tent. Closely comparable business model: conventioned public funding, touring big-top shows, family and adult productions across multiple countries.
• Collectif Malunés: French contemporary circus collective producing tent-based shows with multiple artists and musicians. Competes directly for co-production slots at Pôles Nationaux Cirque and French festival programming.
• Compagnie Les Nouveaux Nez: French contemporary circus company and co-founder of La Cascade (the same Pôle National Cirque that Les Colporteurs co-created). Direct peer operating in the same geographic and institutional ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Cirque du Soleil: Global commercial circus giant. Already a collaborator (commissioned Les Colporteurs for Amaluna in 2011-2012). Functions as a large incumbent rather than a peer, but contextualizes the scale and commercial side of the broader circus industry.

Regional players

• Phare Ponleu Selpak: Cambodian circus and performing arts NGO with which Les Colporteurs has collaborated annually since 2015 on tightrope teaching and co-creations (Eclipse, White Gold). Comparable NGO structure and tightrope focus, but geographically and culturally distinct.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/les-colporteurs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Les Colporteurs