Le Centquatre-Paris

Overview

Le Centquatre (104) is a vast public cultural center in the 19th arrondissement, occupying the 26,000 m² site of Paris's former municipal funeral services. With 200 artists in residence, two auditoriums, and an enormous nave open to the public, it is one of the most ambitious and genuinely democratic cultural institutions in the city.

Highlights

• Scale: A 19th-century industrial complex of extraordinary size, classified as a historic monument, with 25,000 m² of usable space — one of the largest cultural venues in Paris.
• Artists in Residence: 200 resident artists work on-site, with studios regularly open to the public for rare access to creative processes in progress.
• Programming: Two auditoriums host year-round shows, festivals, dance, and circus arts; exhibitions and spontaneous performances fill the nave throughout the week.

History

The site was established in 1874 as the Pompes Funèbres de Paris — the city's central funeral services depot — designed by architects Delebarre de Bay and Godon under Victor Baltard, chief architect of Paris. The building was classified as a historic monument in 1997 and reopened as a cultural center on 11 October 2008.

Visitor Tips

• The main nave is free to enter and always worth a visit even without a specific event — resident artists often work in view of the public.
• Guided tours of the facility run once a month and are an excellent way to understand the building's history and current artistic community.
• Located in the 19th arrondissement near the Canal de l'Ourcq — combine with a walk along the canal for a full afternoon.