The Winter Circus is undergoing restoration: 19th-century frescoes rediscovered beneath wooden panels

Listed as a historical monument since 1975 and owned by the Bouglione family since 1934, the Cirque d'Hiver, located on Boulevard du Temple in Paris, began a major restoration project this summer. The building, designed in 1852 by architect Jacques Hittorff, is the last remaining vestige of the golden age of permanent circuses built in the 1th century for an audience passionate about equestrian arts. What was initially intended to be a simple replacement of the 600 aging seats has transformed into a comprehensive project after architect Stéphane Millet suggested to the Bouglione family that they seize the opportunity to restore the entire venue. The Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs (DRAC) and the Île-de-France region are providing financial support for this project, the total cost of which is expected to reach several million euros.

Twenty frescoes, forgotten since the 1950s, rediscovered under wooden panels

The biggest surprise of the restoration project was the rediscovery in February 2026, hidden behind several layers of canvas and panels nailed in place since the 1950s, of twenty ornamental frescoes located above the stands. Signed by the painters Félix-Joseph Barrias (1822-1907) and Nicolas Gosse (1787-1878), they represent, according to Stéphane Millet, "a kind of historical chronology of the relationship between man and horse," from Greco-Roman antiquity to the mid-600th century. Among them is Philip Astley, the English equestrian considered the founder of the modern circus, presenting his cavalry to Marie Antoinette. The frescoes are currently in poor condition, creased, torn, and faded by time and humidity. Four have disappeared. The remaining sixteen paintings, each just under six meters wide and nearly two meters high, have been entrusted to the Arcoa restoration workshop, which specializes in monumental paintings. Funded to the tune of 000 euros, this phase will last between one and eighteen months, with a return to their historical location hoped for by the start of the 2027 or 2028 academic year.

A construction project planned until 2030 to restore the original appearance of 1852

The frescoes are just the first step in a restoration program spread over six to seven consecutive summers, so as not to disrupt the circus's annual schedule. Stained-glass windows, stucco capitals on the columns, and the polychrome ceiling canvas will also be gradually restored to their original state. The goal is for the Cirque d'Hiver to regain its 1852 appearance by 2030, with the added benefit of improved accessibility for people with reduced mobility. "All of this will transform the aesthetics of the place. In just one week, our perception of the building has completely changed," Fabrice Bing, in charge of production and communication, told Beaux Arts Magazine. The Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs (DRAC) has also commissioned in-depth research to contextualize the creation of the frescoes and to locate studies and copies that will provide a solid documentary foundation for the restoration.