La Ruche (the Hive), an area dedicated to street theatre and circus arts, is a treasure trove of delights, humming with creativity, hidden behind the quartier des Alpes. An unexpected clearing in the woods in which are located a series of « Honeycombs » or alveoli, the name given to the various performing spaces, installations and exhibitions that make up the hive. La Ruche is an open space that includes some original, raw, surrealist art exhibitions. It’s also an organic space that breathes, that teases us and that swallows us up, where myriad artists go about their business and where the various strolling players prepare before setting off to entertain the crowds across the Asse site. Active, honey-sweet and effervescent, its vocation is to surprise, enthral, fascinate and charm visitors of every generation.

"Du brut d’art en barre"

La Ruche is happy to welcome do-it-yourself-jack-of-all-trades-inventors of every shape and size. So come and discover the 900 m2 of factory floor from the Dynamogène Industries, makers of giant music boxes for several generations. Demonstrations of the secrets of fabrication, mechanical concerts, school-kid jokes and all sorts of anecdotes. The 20 actor-constructors will be delighted to provide all this. With "Chez Cocotte", you’ll have to listen carefully in order to follow the various ranges of pressure cookers, feeling the effects of being plunged for seventy minutes into the depths of a documentary about art brut. To complete your tour, come and discover the wall of sound and get in gear to the crazy sounds composed by the musicians of Mazalda. May your eyes shine like aluminium foil, your ears vibrate like loudspeaker membranes and your humours go up in smoke like a fog of steam.

The "Alvéole" Mielimélo

Imaginative, colourful and brought to life by a band of 32 enthusiastic teenagers, adults and students from the HES-SO, this play area situated within La Ruche is a real dream come true for the young and not quite so young alike. Catering for children from 6 to 12 years old, it has a host of activities, over-sized games, things to discover and all sorts of shows.

Opening time:

• Tuesday 20, Wednesday 21, Thursday 22 and Sunday 25 July until 10 p.m.
• Friday 23 and Saturday 24 July until 11 p.m