Frac Auvergne Moves into Restored Halle aux Blés in Clermont-Ferrand
After six years of renovations, the Halle aux Blés in Clermont-Ferrand reopened its doors on September 26, 2026, and will now serve as the home for the Frac Auvergne. Originally designed by François-Charles Dijon between 1762 and 1771, the building was left abandoned and designated as a Monument historique in 2002. In 2018, the Region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes acquired it for €650,000. Renovation work commenced in 2020 but was postponed to 2026 due to Covid-19 and other complications. The total expenditure reached €27 million, sourced from multiple channels. The Frac now boasts 3,000 m² of space, enhancing exhibition capacity threefold, along with new galleries and educational facilities. Its annual budget stands at €1.4 million. The opening exhibition, 'Les Mues éternelles', showcases artists such as Claire Tabouret and pieces from the IAC.
Key facts
- The Halle aux Blés in Clermont-Ferrand reopened on September 26, 2026, after six years of renovation.
- The Frac Auvergne moves into the Halle aux Blés, tripling its exhibition space from 350 m² to 900 m².
- The renovation cost €27 million, up from an initial estimate of €10 million.
- The Region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes bought the building in 2018 for €650,000.
- Architects Nicolas Ferault (Ateliers Lion Associés) and Christian Laporte supervised the renovation.
- The inaugural exhibition 'Les Mues éternelles' is a retrospective of the Frac's collection.
- The Frac's annual budget is €1.4 million, and it has hired three new staff.
- The Puy-de-Dôme department increased its annual subsidy from €40,000 to €70,000.
Entities
Artists
- François-Charles Dijon
- Nicolas Ferault
- Christian Laporte
- Adeline Rispal
- Louis Ledru
- Claire Tabouret
- Abdelkader Benchamma
- Clément Cogitore
- Élise Girardot
- Isabelle Reiher
- Brice Hortefeux
- Agnès Tricoire
- Christine Coste
- Emmanuelle Dreyfus
- Stéphanie Lemoine
Institutions
- Frac Auvergne
- Halle aux Blés
- Le Journal des Arts
- Ateliers Lion Associés
- Direction régionale des affaires culturelles (Drac) Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Conseil départemental du Puy-de-Dôme
- Clermont Auvergne Métropole
- Fonds européen de développement régional
- École supérieure d'art de Clermont Métropole
- Institut d'art contemporain (IAC)
- Fondation Michelin
- Théa
- Club de mécènes du Frac
- L'ŒIL
- Ligue des droits de l'Homme
- Observatoire de la liberté de création (OLC)
- Praemium Imperiale
Locations
- Clermont-Ferrand
- France
- Puy-de-Dôme
- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Villeurbanne
- Paris
- Japon