Ready for several days, the semi-trailers filled with rockets and mortars are now parked in an area now prohibited to the public, between the Trocadéro and the Eiffel Tower. The coaches take their mark, each on its perimeter of activity: the gardens of the Trocadero, the bridge of Iena, the different floors of the tower.
Fireworks, riggers, rope access technicians, sound engineers and sound engineers, lighting technicians, electrical distribution managers, security guards, cantiniers, it’s an XXL team that is busy, each in their own trade, under the direction of the manager. Its role: to ensure that everyone intervenes without disturbing each other. The goal being that this Thursday evening July 14 at 9 p.m., two hours before kick-off, everything is ready. “Finally… ideally” confides David Proteau, artistic director of the pyrotechnic company Ruggieri which produces the fireworks.
We responded to the call for tenders without really believing in it
Every year in February, the city of Paris launches a call for tenders, within the framework of a framework agreement in which four companies participate. This time, like last year, the Ruggieri Company won the contract, to the great surprise of David Proteau: “We responded to the call for tenders without really believing it: two years in a row, we mustn’t dream too much! To our great joy we learned that we had once again been selected to produce this great Parisian show.”.
There are about ten of them in the spring working on the development of the project and doing the simulations and 3D effects, with the help of the engineers. The whole difficulty consists in making it as concrete as possible during its presentation to the municipal team, explains the artistic director. “What is complicated is that we have to renew ourselves every year, offer a new recipe, continue to seduce. These novelties can go through the way in which we are going to treat the pyrotechnic product itself: it’s like a actor, we are going to make him play a role. A red sheaf which had such a function last year, this year we are going to make him play a totally different role. In another place. For example, this year, we had the possibility of working on the edges of the Eiffel Tower. This will bring major visual novelties to the fireworks display. The objective being to remain original. The objective being that the fireworks display be truly different from years past without for all that forgetting the codes of success such as palm trunks, weeping willows which are essential because the public awaits them”adds David Proteau who designed the show.
an artistic and technical commando operation
At the same time, the pyrotechnic enterprise must respond to a second challenge: to race against time. “Due to the administrative procedures for public contracts, the municipality does not communicate its choice until the beginning of June. From the moment we know that we have been chosen, we only have a month and a half ahead of us to make the project a reality, before July 14. It is then a “artistic and technical commando operation” which starts to be able to deliver the show on time.
A musical roadmap
Paris wants to celebrate the joy of meeting together on the Champ-de-Mars on the Trocadéro with a resolutely festive and sparkling show.
This year, the municipality sent candidate companies a list of thirty-four songs. She is free to choose some of them to design their pyrotechnic show. “We can do what we want, as long as we respect the technical and security constraints. The goal is to be as original as possible and to make Parisians and tourists who come to see the show dream. “explains David Proteau. “We will also pay tribute to Régine who left us this year, so we will be able to hear “Les petits papiers” and we will switch to a more dynamic musical universe with Stromae, Orelsan, Prince, Phil Collins, Billie Eilish… It will be a show very open musically, and it promises a very rhythmic, very rhythmic show”.
If the stage managers let go of the joystick, the show stops
Unlike the launch of the illumination of the Champs Elysées at Christmas, it is neither the mayor of Paris nor an official guest who gives the “go” by pressing a button to launch the fireworks. “It follows naturally after the Champ de Mars concert and the Marseillaise” confides the artistic director. “A dozen at the time of its development: to make simulations, 3D effects, we work with engineers to see if the project is realistic or not. It’s all very complex teamwork”.
Figures
500,000 euros: budget excluding tax for the fireworks display
70,000 spectators expected on the lawn of the Champ-de-Mars to attend the concert and the fireworks Thursday evening. Two security perimeters are set up with control of bags and luggage.