Artistic banter
Artistic banter

Artistic banter

The Compagnie Badinage Artistique , based at Les Vergers de la Cailleuse in La Vallée-au-Blé, Aisne (02) , runs a circus school accredited by the FFEC (French Federation of Circus Schools) focused on amateur practice, social circus, and community education. Under the big top, the association offers circus workshops and courses , combining artistic creation, cultural activities, and environmental awareness. Its rural eco-village also hosts artist residencies and numerous activities related to nature, live performance, and local life.
35 rue de Lemé
02140 La Vallée-au-Blé
La Vallée-au-Blé (02) France

Artistic Teasing Company

Founded in 2007 , Compagnie Badinage Artistique is an association dedicated to arts education , as well as environmental education and sustainable development . Its project combines circus arts, creation, community education, social circus, agroecology, and participatory actions. It is currently based in La Vallée-au-Blé , in the Thiérache region of the Aisne department.

History

The history of Badinage Artistique is closely linked to circus arts. The association initially developed various artistic projects before creating the Diabolo Museum in 2012 , a project combining performance, exhibition and documentary work around the history of this emblematic object of juggling.

Between 2012 and 2022 , she also ran a circus school in Tourcoing which welcomed more than 200 students and developed a significant social component.

Photo of the site/marquee — image to be added

Les Vergers de la Cailleuse — rural artistic eco-village

Since 2022 , the association has changed scale and territory with the creation of Vergers de la Cailleuse . It has invested in a former foundry located on a plot of land of approximately three hectares in La Vallée-au-Blé in order to develop a rural artistic eco-space.

  • Circus tent
  • Forest
  • Micro-farm
  • Reception and meeting spaces
  • Regular activities, workshops, events and artist residencies

Circus Arts and Recognition

Circus arts remain a core component of the project. Badinage Artistique is officially registered with the FFEC and holds FFEC accreditation number 59327 for amateur practice. It belongs to the FREC Grand Nord.

Educational project

Its educational approach promotes a method in which circus arts contribute to the physical, artistic, and personal development of the participant. The association adheres to the FFEC charter and offers activities that allow for both discovery and advanced training in circus arts. It particularly emphasizes the need to develop projects collaboratively with participants rather than simply providing top-down instruction.

  • Adapting interventions to the context and participants
  • Encouragement to experimentation
  • Development of autonomy
  • Stimulating creativity
  • Work on the collective

Social Circus

The organization also promotes a social circus approach. Circus arts are used as tools for encounter, inclusion, expression, and personal development, particularly in projects conducted with audiences who may be distanced from traditional cultural practices. This social orientation is now explicitly enshrined in the association's mission statement.

Activities and disciplines

Current sources confirm the existence of circus workshops and circus & nature camps, as well as creative and social circus activities. The historical Badinage Artistique project is strongly linked to juggling and diabolo.

However, I haven't found a 2026-2027 curriculum detailing, apparatus by apparatus, the disciplines currently offered under the big top at La Vallée-au-Blé. Therefore, I won't automatically include trapeze, aerial silks, unicycle, tightrope, etc. in the database without confirmation.

  • Circus workshops
  • "Circus & Nature" workshops (combining circus techniques and environmental awareness)
  • Creative activities
  • Social Circus Actions
  • Strong historical link with juggling and the diabolo

The diabolo

The diabolo holds a special place in the company's artistic history. Renaud Gras is the founder of the Diabolo Museum and several creations dedicated to this discipline, notably *Véridique* and *Merveilleuse Histoire du Diabolo *. He has also developed artistic projects around the diabolo and rings. For NetJuggler, this is therefore clearly a relevant structure to identify in research related to juggling and the diabolo, even though I would distinguish this historical specialization from the exact list of disciplines in the 2026-2027 workshops.

Recognitions and accreditations

The association also benefits from several additional recognitions:

  • JEP (approval)
  • Accreditation of the French Office for Biodiversity within the framework of educational areas
  • The Vergers de la Cailleuse orchards are also recognized as a Social Life Space

These recognitions complement the social and environmental anchoring of the project.

2026-2027 Season and Prices

The organization is very active in September 2026: Les Vergers de la Cailleuse is still hosting workshops, events, and artistic offerings this season, including events scheduled for September 2026. However, I haven't been able to find a reliable schedule and prices for the 2026-2027 circus workshops that is publicly available. Therefore, I will leave these two fields "to be confirmed with the association" rather than using the old prices from the Tourcoing period.

Big top / micro-farm — image to be added

Illustrative photo to be completed: remember to add an image of the site (marquee, outdoor spaces or micro-farm) and to confirm the times and prices directly with the association.

Contacts

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