Architecture Days 2026: head to the astonishing François Le Comte ice rink in Essonne

Published by Rizhlaine de Sortiraparis · Updated on September 29, 2026 at 06:55 p.m.
For the 2026 National Architecture Days, set course for Évry-Courcouronnes in Essonne to explore the François Le Comte ice rink, a modern-architecture gem by Jean Nouvel.

Glide under a futuristic shell imagined by one of France’s most illustrious architects? That’s the kind of feat tucked away in Évry-Courcouronnes, in Essonne. From 16 to 18 October 2026, the Journées nationales de l’architecture return to blow a fresh wind of discovery across the Île-de-France region. This major public event invites kids and grown-ups alike to view our everyday landscapes with new eyes, to understand the technical choices of builders, and to step inside facilities that are sometimes underappreciated. In the very heart of the Évry basin, the patinoire François Le Comte proves that a municipal complex can also become a genuine work of contemporary art.

When Jean Nouvel reimagines ice in Évry

Inaugurated in the mid-1970s within the old new town of Évry, the facility bears the mark of Jean Nouvel, then just starting his career. This building sits within the movement of the 1970s modern architecture, a era defined by technical audacity, the prominence of raw volumes, and the loosening of urban functions. The structure stands out for its expansive low profile, compact volumes, and a pronounced use of reinforced concrete and metal, conceived to harmoniously weave the freshness of the runway into the nascent urban fabric.

The site’s daily mission is to welcome figure skating practice sessions, the ice hockey games of the Evry Red Skins, and recreational skating for all families in Grand Paris Sud.

The Architecture Days 2026 program at the François Le Comte Ice Rink

  • Visites guidées de la patinoire François-Le Comte à Évry-Courcouronnes

    La patinoire François-Le Comte fête ses 50 ans cette année et vous ouvre ses portes pour des visites guidées en compagnie d’une guide-conférencière, à l’occasion des Journées nationales de l’architecture 2026.

    Accompagné par une guide-conférencière, vous découvrirez découvrez le fonctionnement, l’histoire et le rôle de cette patinoire, ouverte en 1975.

    Les coulisses de la patinoire font partie de la visite ! En effet, les parties techniques, d’ordinaire inaccessibles au public, sont également comprises dans le parcours.

    La visite sera aussi l’occasion de regarder différemment cet édifice contemporain, en identifiant les caractéristiques à l’origine de sa labellisation “Architecture contemporaine remarquable” en 2020.

    Conditions de participation : Limité à 25 personnes - Gratuit | Réservation obligatoire - patrimoine@grandparissud.fr

    Horaires : samedi 17 octobre 2026 - 10:00 ⤏ 11:30, 11:30 ⤏ 13:00

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Practical information

Dates and Opening Time
On October 17, 2026

× Approximate opening times: to confirm opening times, please contact the establishment.

    Location

    Allée de l'Agora
    91000 Evry

    Route planner

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