A monumental musical experience

Launched in 2019, the Monumental Tour continues to bring audiences across France a musical multimedia experience like no other. Supported by the French National Commission for UNESCO, this ongoing series of concerts was originally conceived by French DJ and producer Michael Canitrot and in collaboration with the creative visual team of AV Extended. He wanted to bring together different creative disciplines and talents in an encounter with France’s historical monuments. The result is a unique cultural event that continues to delight audiences.

The Monumental Tour presents some of France’s most iconic historical sites from a new perspective, making them a canvas for immersive multimedia shows that combine electronic music, video projections, digitally mapped light shows and live performances. ESA has contributed to the project from the outset, providing stunning images from Earth observation satellites and the Hubble Space Telescope to add to the spectacular visuals for each show.

Michael Canitrot reflected on the extra creative dimension provided by collaborating with ESA: “The partnership with ESA has allowed us to push the boundaries of inspiration and instil strong symbolism. Using sublime satellite images from thousands of kilometres away as a creative basis for imagining entire paintings and projecting them onto iconic monuments produces a fascinating encounter between the past, present, and future, as well as a connection between space and our Earth. What a fascinating dialogue.”

The Monumental Tour concerts attract a diverse crowd, bringing generations together at a variety of historical venues, and are also viewed on TV and via livestreams on social media. Each show helps to raise awareness of how precious France’s heritage sites are and how important it is to preserve them for future generations. They also support fundraising efforts for local heritage projects. With an eye on the future, the opening section of each concert also provides a platform for up-and-coming talents to present their work.

The first three years of the tour have visited a wide range of venues, including monuments such as the Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel, the Château de Vincennes, the Palais-Royal in Paris, Lisbon City Hall, the Whale Lighthouse in Ile de Ré, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Laon and the Abbey of Maillezais.

There’s still a chance to catch the show in 2023 and experience it for yourself, with two dates remaining in September: a show at Place Stanislas in Nancy and another at the Château Royal de Blois. They are sure to be monumentally impressive musical experiences.

To find out more, or to book tickets, check out the Monumental Tour website.

For the latest news on future dates, see the Monumental Tour’s Facebook and Instagram.