Cultural Programme

9:30 a.m. : Departure from Lyon

Couvent Sainte-Marie de la Tourette (Le Corbusier)
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. : Guided tour
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. : lunch on-site (single menu)
The Sainte-Marie de la Tourette Convent is currently home to a Dominican community of about ten people within a building designed by Le Corbusier and Yannis Xenakis. Built in 1956, this concrete structure is one of the architect’s most iconic works. The convent is conceived according to the three primary functions of monastic life: living, studying, and praying within simple and purified geometric volumes typical of the brutalist movement. Light plays a central role here thanks to ingenious transparency techniques with glass, openings towards the surrounding park, and other architectural perspectives. Nowadays, the place is shared between monastic life and openness to the public, who come to appreciate its architecture and contemporary art exhibitions presented throughout the year

Château de la Chaize
3:15 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. : Guided tour and wine tasting
After lunch at the convent, a visit of the château de la Chaize offers an interesting example of the restoration of a historical monument from the 17 century. This vineyard estate was established in 1676 according to plans by Jules-Hardouin Mansart and André Le Nôtre, architects of Louis XIV. The building is in a classical 17th-century style, characterized by harmony and symmetry. The French garden offers a characteristic example of this period, the entirety of which has been classified as Historical Monuments since 1972.
Today, after being in the hands of François de La Chaize d’Aix's descendants for 350 years, the Gruy family has been overseeing the estate since 2017. Developing the vineyard activity towards organic and ecoresponsible production, the castle will offer the opportunity for congress participants to taste wines on-site. The restoration project will be presented by Didier Repellin, Inspector General of Historical Monuments and Chief Architect of Historical Monuments (honorary).

6:45 p.m. : Return to Lyon

9:00 a.m. : Departure from Lyon

Museum of Art and Industry, Saint-Etienne
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. : Guided tour
The journey begins with the exploration of the Museum of Art and Industry and the city of Saint-Etienne. This museum focuses its collections on three emblematic objects that illustrate the city’s history: weapons, textiles, and bicycles. This eclectic mix combines art and industry, the beautiful and the useful, form and function, coexisting within an innovative museography, housed in its 19th-century building. From military design to a ribbon collection, the world's first collection tracing the history of technological advancements in fashion, the museum aims to portray the material history and industrial creation through its regional heritage.

12:45 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. : Free lunch in Saint-Etienne

Le Corbusier site - Firminy-Vert
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. : Guided tour
The lunch break offers an opportunity to explore the city center of Saint- Etienne. The tour continues to the neighboring town of Firminy and the discovery of the Firminy-Vert neighborhood designed by Le Corbusier in the mid-1950s. In response to the exponential increase in the number of inhabitants and the unsanitary conditions of the city, the then-mayor Eugène Claudius-Petit proposed the idea of building a new neighborhood. This was to challenge the reputation of a place polluted by factory smoke, with the city being nicknamed “Firminy la Noire.” The birth of Firminy-Vert offered a new conception of urbanism, giving way to large green spaces and light. The atypical architecture of its housing unit and stadium is based on concrete work and the brutalist aesthetic reaches its peak with the recently completed conical-shaped church.

6:30 p.m. : Return to Lyon

9:00 a.m. : Departure from Lyon

Royal Monastery of Brou
10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. : Guided tour
Built between 1506 and 1532, the Royal Monastery of Brou in Bourg-en-Bresse is a Gothic-style building with a unique history. Upon the death of her husband Philibert Le Beau three years after their union, Margaret of Austria had a monastery erected in the form of a mausoleum, housing the couple’s sumptuous tombs. The intricate carving work present throughout the architecture and the colorful lozenges typical of local roofing make it a unique place whose excellent state of preservation restores its original charm. The monastery was occupied by Augustinian monks until 1906, gradually losing its religious functions after the separation of Church and State. The main building now houses the municipal museum, which preserves collections ranging  from medieval objects to decorative arts and contemporary pieces. Visitors will have the opportunity to visit the temporary exhibition Nicolas Boulard, la galerie des pains.

12:45 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. : Free lunch in Bourg en Bresse

Château de Fléchères
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. : Guided tour
After a leisurely lunch in the city center of Bourg-en-Bresse, the tour continues to the château de Fléchères. Built in the early 18 century, north of Lyon, this castle reflects the lives of the prominent figures of the Lyon region and the
splendor of these constructions symbolizing their influence. One such figure is Jean Sèves, a Calvinist who became one of the wealthiest men in the region, serving as regent of the Hospice de la Charité in Lyon and municipal magistrate after escaping the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre. At the height of its grandeur, the castle was a means to assert his power and nobility. The place bears the traces of a troubled era, with its Calvinist temple located on the third floor, and the entirety of its frescoes painted by the Italian artist Pietro Ricchi.

6:30 p.m. : Return to Lyon

9:30 a.m. : Departure from Lyon

Curch of Saint-Nicolas
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. : Guided tour
The morning visit takes place at the stained-glass restoration site of the Church of Saint Nicolas, one of the three major churches in Givors. Its uniqueness lies in the characteristic eclectic style of the 19th century, drawing from Greco-Latin, neo- Gothic, and even Byzantine forms. The region's glasswork specialty is evident in the intricately detailed stained-glass windows, showcasing particular craftsmanship. The organ, built in 1865 by Joseph Merklin's workshops in Paris, has been classified as a Historical Monument since 1986.

12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. : Group lunch at the Brasserie du Fleuve in Givors (free menu - lunch not included in the excursion‘s fee)

Jean Renaudie’s Cité des Étoiles and urban heritages of Givors
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. : Guided tour
Lunch provides an opportunity to explore the city center of Givors. The afternoon is dedicated to visiting the Cité des Étoiles neighborhood, designed by French architect Jean Renaudie. Built between 1974 and 1981, this housing complex is located in a unique place, the Saint Gérald hill. This natural location became one of the architect's concerns, fueling his desire to balance housing and nature. The Cité des Étoiles embodies a renewal in urban planning at the time, in agreement with the municipality of the city, led by the communist mayor Camille Vallin. The place is an example of political will aiming to improve the daily lives of residents through adapted and innovative architecture.

6:30 p.m. : Return to Lyon

8:00 a.m. : Departure from Lyon

Château de la Bâtie d’Urfé
10:00 a.m. - 12:30 a.m. : Guided tour
The morning begins with a visit to the Château de la Bâtie d’Urfé, a 16th-century castlebuilt for Claude d’Urfé, now famous for its decorative program illustrating baroque opulence. The main attraction of this place is its artificial grotto, unique in France, and its chapel composed of marble and gilded stucco, adorned with eleven Italian paintings by Girolamo Siciolante. This sumptuous setting inspired Honoré d’Urfé’s novel L’Astrée. In the 19 century, the castle was left abandoned. Its classification as a Historical Monument in 1912 and subsequent significant restoration campaigns have allowed it to regain some of its former splendor.

12:45 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. : Free lunch in the Castle’s park (picnic to bring)

Vincent Breed’s art glass workshop
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. : Glass working demonstration
After a lunch break in the castle's green surroundings, the afternoon is dedicated to visiting Vincent Breed’s art glass workshop established in Forez. Trained at the École Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Strasbourg and in various glass workshops in Quebec and the Czech Republic, this artist aims to rehabilitate glass as a material for contemporary art. Through his practice, the artist plays with transparency and opacity, light refracting through the glass, and the apparent fragility of this material, which he will demonstrate during a guided workshop tour. His works redefine craftsmanship and are exhibited worldwide, from New York to Beirut to Moscow.

6:00 p.m. : Return to Lyon

8:30 a.m. : Departure from Lyon

ARC NUCLEART restoration workshop
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. : Guided tour
The morning begins with a visit of the ARC-Nucléart restoration workshop, a laboratory located in the city’s scientific polygon. Its missions include ensuring the conservation and restoration of objects made of organic materials (wood, leather, fibers) by exposure to gamma radiation. This laboratory develops new treatment methods for degraded materials. It has enabled the restoration of numerous objects found in the region, such as a seven-meter-long Carolingian dugout canoe, recovered in 2017 from Lake Bourget and now on display at the Savoy Museum in Chambéry. The visit must follow a protocol for safety reasons.

12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. : Free lunch in Grenoble

Grenoble Museum
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. : Guided tour
After a lunch break allowing exploration of the city center of Grenoble, the afternoon is dedicated to visiting the Grenoble Museum. Created in 1798 under the impetus of revolutionary events, the museum offers an overview of regional, national, and international visual arts from antiquity to present day. The visit to the temporary exhibition Miró. A Blaze of Signs in partnership with the Pompidou Center and the reserves allows for a perspective on conservation and restoration issues within the museum.

Musée de l’Évêché
3:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. : Guided tour
The day continues with a tour of the Musée de l’Évêché located in the 13th-century Bishop's Palace. Laden with history, this historic building has harmoniously integrated contemporary reorganization, with the use of glass, steel, and concrete. It now houses the permanent exhibition Isère in History, which covers the history of the region from prehistory to the 20 century. The museum's basement hosts the archaeological remains of the baptistery (3rd - 4th centuries), testimony to the religious history of the early Christian times.

7:00 p.m. : Return to Lyon

8:30 a.m. : Departure from Lyon

Le Magasin, National Center for Contemporary Art
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. : Guided tour
During the morning, the excursion stops at the National Center for Contemporary Art in Grenoble, also known as Le Magasin. Inaugurated in 1986, this exhibition space is housed in a hall built at the beginning of the 20th century in the Eiffel workshops for the 1900 Universal Exhibition in Paris. One of the first national centers for contemporary art in France, the space is divided between several temporary exhibitions organized in collaboration with artists. Since 1987, one of the missions of this art center has been to offer curatorial training through the École du Magasin. The visit will focus on the exhibition DROP by Robberto & Milena Atzori.

12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. : Free lunch in Grenoble

Grenoble Museum
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. : Guided tour
After a lunch break allowing exploration of the city center of Grenoble, the afternoon is dedicated to visiting the Grenoble Museum. Created in 1798 under the impetus of revolutionary events, the museum offers an overview of regional, national, and international visual arts from antiquity to present day. The visit to the temporary exhibition Miró. A Blaze of Signs in partnership with the Pompidou Center and the reserves allows for a perspective on conservation and restoration issues within the museum.

Hébert Museum
3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. : Guided tour
The day continues with a visit of the Hébert Museum, the home of French painter Ernest Hébert associated with late 19th-century art. In this wooded estate of almost two hectares, the intimate
atmosphere of the house highlights the memories of the painter’s life. Since its opening in 1979, the museum has had a dual focus: to promote a better understanding of art from this period and to confront it with the practice of contemporary artists, whether young or established. Two exhibitions are presented during this visit : Clothing & Elegance. 1800-1900 which invites visitors to delve into the evolution of fashion from the past to the present day, and Denis Rouvre. Photographs, which offers a critical view of our consumption habits through clothing.

7:00 p.m. : Return to Lyon

9:00 a.m. : Departure from Lyon

Moly-Sabata Museum/A. Gleizes Foundation, Sablons
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. : Guided tour
The morning visit takes place in Sablons, a small village in Ardèche, where Cubist painters Albert Gleizes and Juliette Roche-Gleizes established the oldest active artists' residence in France, starting in 1927. Moly-Sabata is the name that the couple gave to this hospitality venue located in an 18th-century mansion. After the couple's death, the place was bequeathed to the Artists’ Foundation, which ensures two main missions: the recognition and dissemination of Albert Gleizes’ work, and the support of contemporary artists welcomed in the Moly-Sabata workshops. These two missions are at the heart of the visit, with the exhibition of Albert Gleizes’ studio collection and the work of Juliette Roche’s and of the ceramicist Anne Dangar, a disciple of the Cubist painter.

12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. : Free lunch in the Fondation’s Park (picnic to bring)

Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval, Hauterives
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. : Guided tour
After a lunch break in the Foundation's park, the afternoon is dedicated to the visit of the architectural masterpiece erected by Ferdinand Cheval in Hauterives, Drôme. In 1879, at the age of 43, he stumbled upon a strange stone during his rounds as a postman in his village, and came up with the idea of a monument building. According to legend, the postman Cheval spent thirty-three years of his life building his Ideal Palace. Inspired by nature and the postcards passing through his hands, the palace was built with the stones he collected daily. Completed in 1912, this extraordinary palace followed no architectural rules or artistic movements. André Malraux initiated its Monument Historic classification in 1969 under the title of “naive art.” The palace’s legacy is ensured by the imagination it nurtures, that of surrealists like Max Ernst and his painting Facteur Cheval (1932).

6:00 p.m. : Return to Lyon

8:30 a.m. : Departure from Lyon

Cloister and Cathedral complex of Le Puy-en-Velay
10:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. : Guided tour
The journey begins with a guided tour of the cloister and the cathedral complex of Le Puy-en-Velay. The Romanesque buildings are famous for their polychrome arcades, adorned with a mosaic of white, red, and black lozenges, and their historiated capitals. Perched on a volcanic mound, the complex is notably one of the stops on the routes of the Way of Saint James.

12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. : Free lunch in Le Puy-en-Velay

Urban heritage of Le Puy-en-Velay
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. : Guided tour
After a lunch break in the historic center of the city, the afternoon is dedicated to the visit of the urban heritage of Le Puy-en-Velay, a millennium-old city whose Gallo-Roman origins, popularized since the early centuries of Christianity by the dedication to the Virgin Mary, mark the starting point of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. The city center is now a preserved historic sector covering thirty-five hectares. It includes the Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Hôtel-Dieu, both UNESCO World Heritage sites, and is enhanced by lively or digital scenography, which artfully tell the stories of the past.

6:00 p.m. : Return to Lyon