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Paris expo Porte de Versailles: Forging new ties with the city

#Group News
Paris Expo Porte de Versailles takes a major step forward with the inauguration of Pavilion 6 and a 450-room hotel complex.

On November 20, the urban transformation project at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles—renowned for its trade fairs and congresses—took a major step forward with the inauguration of the new Pavilion 6 and a 450-room hotel complex. Spanning across 15,000 sqm and equipped with the latest technologies, this new-generation exhibition hall brings Paris Expo Porte de Versailles into a new era, centred on visitor experience, conviviality, and hospitality.

The inauguration marked the end of the second phase of the site’s modernisation project, operated by Viparis— a subsidiary of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and the Paris Île-de-France Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and European leader in Conventions & Exhibitions. Key regional leaders attended the event, such as Jean-François Martins, Deputy Mayor of Paris in charge of Sports, Tourism, and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Philippe Goujon, Mayor of Paris’ 15th arrondissement, André Santini, Mayor of Issy-les-Moulineaux, Bernard Gauducheau, Mayor of Vanves, Sébastien Bazin, CEO of AccorHotels, Didier Kling, Head of the Paris Île-de-France Regional Chamber of Commerce and industry, alongside our Group CEO, Christophe Cuvillier, among others.



Pavilion 6 marks a key stage in the transformation of Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, particularly in the way it creates a new district for the capital. Since launching the project, the architectural firm Valode & Pistre has been overseen this restructuring: in addition to seeking to enhance the pavilions’ technical performance, the goal was to open the complex to the city and allow more space for nature. The area is organised around two public squares – a central upper level plaza that opens onto the Avenue de la Porte de la Plaine featuring a monumental sculpture by Arne Quinze, and a second, lower plaza, illuminated by Pavilion 6’s monumental canopy designed by Jean Nouvel. Fitted with “digital banners”, it can be used to create large-scale luminous compositions and animations, thus creating exciting opportunities at the crossroads of art and new technologies.

With this project, Paris confirms its status as a top destination for large-scale events. As part of these efforts, Viparis is reinventing both its venues and the services it provides. In spring 2020, Pavilion 6’s roof will be inaugurated, and will feature Europe’s largest urban rooftop farm, together with a restaurant, bar and a corporate event space. The pavilion is versatile and outfitted with cutting-edge technology – a flagship for next-generation exhibition halls.

Thanks to high-profile partnerships with Jean Michel Wilmotte and Accor, Paris Expo Porte de Versailles has become a meeting place where local residents and guests alike can share convivial, everyday moments. Altogether, its exhibition hall, hotels, spaces for events, restaurants, bars, a rooftop farm, shared cultural areas, gardens and walkways form a new urban centre for Paris.

‘‘Our goal in renovating Paris Expo Porte de Versailles is to keep Paris at the forefront of the international business tourism market. We are reinventing the site for users, organisers, exhibitors, visitors and our neighbours – transforming it into a flagship 21st-century complex that is more sustainable and open: an elegant, vibrant and cutting-edge place.”

Pablo Nakhlé Cerruti, CEO of Viparis


Building innovative and more sustainable assets is at the core of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield’s strategy and CSR engagement. This novel project illustrates our ambition to develop locally anchored, multi-purpose places in the world’s most dynamic cities, with visitor experience at the forefront.

For more information, read the full press kit.