Azay-le-Rideau Castle hosts Calder exhibition on 15 October
Published on 09/27/2026 at 09:50 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
A new Alexander Calder exhibition at Azay-le-Rideau Castle, the Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, begins on 15 October 2026 in Azay-le-Rideau, France. Calder au cœur de la France will bring a monumental work into the castle’s historic setting and continue until 25 April 2027.
Calder exhibition opens at Azay-le-Rideau Castle on 15 October
The exhibition is part of the 2026 Ar(t)Chipel programme, which brings Calder-related presentations to museums, castles and art venues across the Centre-Val de Loire region. The official castle agenda lists Calder au cœur de la France from 15 October 2026 to 25 April 2027 as an upcoming exhibition, while the festival’s English press material identifies the castle as one of its venues.
The work announced for the site is Reims, Croix du Sud, a monumental sculpture by Alexander Calder. It will be displayed in the grounds near the water mirror, where the festival describes it as entering into dialogue with the Renaissance architecture and the surrounding landscape. The official exhibition dates place the opening inside the current 22 September to 27 October 2026 travel period.
A Renaissance setting for Calder’s monumental work
The castle rises on a small island in the Indre. Its two principal wings were built in the early sixteenth century under Francis I, with Gilles Berthelot associated with the building campaign and Italian influence visible in the decoration.
The building acquired much of its present appearance in the nineteenth century, when the Marquis de Biencourt’s work included a corbelled corner tower and a landscaped park. The State bought the property in 1905, and the Centre des monuments nationaux now manages it and opens it to visitors. That layered history gives the Calder presentation a specific setting: a modern sculpture will stand beside a building shaped by both Renaissance construction and nineteenth-century reinterpretation. The custodian’s history of the castle records those successive phases.
Ar(t)Chipel links Azay-le-Rideau with Calder venues
Ar(t)Chipel is a regional programme rather than an event confined to one room or one monument. Its 2026 presentations connect Calder’s work with historic buildings, museums and contemporary art centres, placing the Azay-le-Rideau installation within a wider Loire Valley itinerary.
The festival press kit gives the castle address as 19 rue Balzac, 37190 Azay-le-Rideau, and dates its presentation from 15 October 2026 to 25 April 2027. It also describes Reims, Croix du Sud as a monumental work shown by the Centre des monuments nationaux and the Centre Pompidou. The festival press kit places the installation at the castle and in its grounds.
Visiting Azay-le-Rideau Castle: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Dates and venue: Calder au cœur de la France is scheduled at Azay-le-Rideau Castle from 15 October 2026 to 25 April 2027, with Reims, Croix du Sud in the grounds.
- Access and setting: the exhibition forms part of the visitor destination at the castle, with the sculpture positioned near the water mirror and the historic building as its architectural backdrop.
- Location: the address is 19 rue Balzac, 37190 Azay-le-Rideau, about 27 kilometres south-west of Tours in the Loire Valley.
- Terrain: the monument stands on a small island in the Indre and is surrounded by a landscaped park, so the visit combines an historic building with outdoor grounds.
- Language and currency: French is the official language in France, and the national currency is the euro.
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Frequently asked questions about Azay-le-Rideau Castle
When does the Calder exhibition take place at Azay-le-Rideau Castle?
Calder au cœur de la France is scheduled from 15 October 2026 to 25 April 2027.
What is being shown at Azay-le-Rideau Castle?
Reims, Croix du Sud, a monumental work by Alexander Calder, is planned for the castle grounds near the water mirror.
Where is Azay-le-Rideau Castle and how do you get there?
The castle is at 19 rue Balzac in Azay-le-Rideau, about 27 kilometres south-west of Tours, France.
