Flyer (front and back) available to passers-by on June, 7th 2025
The flyer
Tug of War
Nuit Blanche off-off, June 7th 2025
The last time I played tug of war was also during an off-off Nuit Blanche event , in 2010, with Isabelle Mayaud.
This year, I bought a rope ; tonight I’m breaking it with the sweat of your your hands. Playing this game makes people happy. I haven’t looked for any research paper about it, but I have confirmed it three times (in 2007, 2008 and 2010) : long live Tug of War ! My family is here to play this game, I don’t feel alone. And most importantly – YOU are here ! Thank you ! And sorry for your sore hands…
https://cecile-briand.com/experiences/experiences-a-faire-ou-a-refaire/le-tir-a-la-corde/
Under les Halles Canopée
Tug of War
At the start of Nuit Blanche 2025, we warmed up at the Villette Parc, with a family friendly audience.
As the sky turned dark, we headed through the metro underground way and exited under the Halles’ canopy, sheltered from the rain.
After a few minutes of hesitation in front of the installation 2, then 6 and 20 people got hold of the rope. We soon went from 8 to over 30 people each round. There were shouts of victory, phone fell from pockets, a girls-only round was organised – and once again everyone jumped in ethousiastically !
The new natural hemp rope was not too rough on the hands and my daughters barely let it go !
I can’t see any other more fulfilling public action as its quick to set up and to pack away. It brings so much joy to the participants and to the audience – the joy of the absurd and of a game combined.
Crédit photos : Benoît Quertier
A few days later
After the rain came the heat : 34°C on Music Day ! Who would want to take part in this game ? The kids of Place des Fêtes.
We wanted to stay close to our home, the square was perfect : flat and large enough. The other possible places were already taken by musicians.
Kids immediately jumped in and held so tight that it was difficult to set the middle above the line on the floor.
Place des Fêtes, Paris 19th arrondissement
Tug of war is for everyone !
The Tug of war comeback was happily celebrated.
I can’t wait to meet the next participants !
To be continued…
The first tugs of war
Of all the participatory projects I did with Isabelle Mayaud (see the head in the hole cutout), this one is my favorite: simple and efficient !
The idea came from a participant to our previous project Bonjour, which consisted into imagining devices to put on the terraces of 4 cafés of the East of Paris, in order to « trigger communication between the customers. »
We submitted it to the Off program of La Nuit Blanche but it wasn’t picked. We then decided to do it as an Off-off event during this night. 3 times. In 2007, 2008 and 2010.
Each time we would borrow the 20-metre long rope to the firemen who worked in the museum we both worked at. We gave it back the day after, on Sunday, when we went to work.
We set our event on the itinierary of La Nuit Blanche and the response was immediately positive. The teams were formed as the arms were inevitabely drawn by the streched rope. I’ve never seen so many people laughing together (thanks to me, I mean). The hands would quickly get sore so that participants turnover would happen naturally.
I would love for the Tug of War to become an official U.L.D: an Urban Leisure Sport. There would be playgrounds dedicated to it, in gardens, on large petanque grounds, on the central boulevard median… It makes people so happy.
Most of the pictures below were taken by Stéphane Epaillard.
devant la BNF
devant l’Hôtel de Ville
devant Beaubourg
sur le terre-plein à Belleville
Nuit Blanche 2010 off-off, avec Isabelle Mayaud