EPHEMERE SARL is based on the knowledge and experience of Jean-Marie Chesnais, founder of Ephémère (1975 – 1990) and of Art Ephémère (1998-2005).
Primary aim of the company is to continue the creation of pyrotechnic experiences as a source of spectacle events unlike any other, unique and original, and with the necessary structure to guarantee proper management.
Our second aim, is to develop cultural events through urban scenography, thus creating, step by step, a place for cultural encounters in local settings.

Our manager, Herman Geertman, has long and wide experience in (outdoor) shows, spectacles and cultural events. He participated in numerous festivals in The Netherlands, such as the Oerol Festival on Terschelling. He is a qualified professor of photography and art history, and with his broad European experience he offers Ephémère Sarl the opportunity to develop and to spread its wings.

Jean-Marie Chesnais has been working toward the same goals for over thirty years, always as an independent designer and producer. Over the last years, management requirements have increasingly obstructed his artistic drive. That is why he has now set up an SARL, a limited company, in which he is responsible for concept, artistic design and pyrotechnic creativity.

With an academic education, Masters degree in Ethnology at Paris VII University under Robert Jaulin, his interest in pyrotechnics was aroused when he met Jean-Claude Sevestre in 1972. At the same time he started his own research into ‘the art of fire’ in the western hemisphere. This research has led to his vision that the art of pyrotechnics should always be presented as a performance and show unlike any other, but with profound roots in each country’s culture and in its manufacturing history and traditions.

From 1972-1975, and under the wings of Pack Promotions and of Esquerre-Sevestre Pyrotechnie, Jean-Marie Chesnais worked on many events, such as the kick off for the Europe 1 and RTL program schedules and events for the Provost Group, Racing Team Simca, the anniversary of Pierre de Coubertin and many others.

For all these events, pyrotechnical shows were staged at the leading edge of creativity and artistic design. At the same time, and under the artistic direction Francis Morane, fireworks shows were produced for town halls all over France, celebrating for example the French Revolution, the Marseillaise and Moïse.

In 1975, Jean-Marie Chesnais set up Ephémère, his own group, under his own artistic leadership.

In this group he worked with Alain Burkhalter, Ruben Terminassian, Patrice Couteaux and Nano Chesnais. They were the talented core of craftsmen that attracted many others who have since formed their own companies. More than any other in the field, Ephémère chose for innovation in the use of pyrotechnics, their proposals for town halls and other clients always included a large cultural elements. Since 1978, Ephémère productions has distinguished itself with a signature style and aura, combining traditional fireworks products into a theme, a concept or even a story.
Their approach could be admired in shows such as the Titi Circus in Sully sur Loire, Blaguebolle in Aix en Provence during Ville ouverte aux saltimbanques, Le Puits aux Images in Vierzon, at the Festival Césarines Pleine Lune in St Céré with Gwendal and Elvis Platiné, or with Raoul Petite in Florac, Nil Admirari In Joinville le Pont and in Conflans Ste Honorine, with Urban Sax at the inauguration of Forum des Halles in Paris, with Nicolas Frize in Paris, in Berck or with Group Julie in Cosne...
Ephémère succeeded in bringing together the festive and fantastic aspects of pyrotechnics with the more intimate and personal aspects of live shows.

This development gained further momentum when a leading street theatre group launched the idea to bring together all pioneering and inventive companies for the Falaise des Fous in Chalain in 1980.
After that festival came a long string of trademark shows:
- Closing show at the Festival in Avignon in 1982 and in 1984, under the direction of Bernard Faivre d’Arcier and with Luc LeMasne and Pierre Sauvageot and the Ensemble of Be-kummernis with Nicolas Frize and Els Commediants.
- Festival St Jean de Braye (from 1980 through 1989) under the direction of Paul Gremeret, with Xavier Juillot, Gilles Ebersolt’s Aeroscope, Els Comediants, Da Da Dang, Décor Sonore, Théâtre de l’Unité.
- Festival de Pays de Loire (1986 through 1990) in St Sébastien sur Loire.
- And many others, such as : Juin dans la Rue in Le Havre, Festival de Jazz in Rive de Gier, Festival du Cinéma Italien in Annecy, the Carnaval in Ténèbres (with Théâtre de l’Unité, Urban Sax and Jacques Higelin), Festival de Danse in Lyon, the quays in St Nazaire.
As well as these well known events, Ephémère produced smaller shows, such as the Hommage à Marcio Garcia in Capdenac, an outdoor blues festival which opened the opportunity to design fireworks shows directly to the music at the end of the festival, working with musicians such as Alison, J.J. Milteau, St Louis Kings of Rhythm (Billy Gales) and many others.

In fact, group Ephémère has designed numerous pyrotechnical effects and shows for all sorts of organizations and companies that allowed productions companies to finalize and continue development of the materials used in the shows.

Ephémère has offered cities and towns a new way to approach festivities and events at which firework shows are inevitable. Many people who at first thought of fireworks as nothing more than a lot of noise, have become fans and followers of pyrotechnic events.

Fête de la St Jean at the Sacré-Cœur in Paris with Urban Sax, 14th of July in Carcassonne with Théâtre de l’Unité, local festivals in Vitrolles with La Marmite Infernale, Dog Troep and Teatro Nucleo, the carnaval in Crosne with Plasticiens Volants and the Compagnie de Bains-Douches...

They all led to international reputation with performances at international pyrotechnic festivals (first non-producing group ever to participate) and other shows outside France, such as: The International Pyrotechnics Festival in Montreal and Toronto (Gold and Silver awards) and the International Festival in Blanès, Spain (Silver award).
Ephémère performed at the Carribean Jazz Festival with Irakéré, at the Summer Festival in Houston with La Bastille Volante (Théâtre de l’Unité), at the 1989 Festival in Abidjan, at the inauguration of the Indian Ocean botanical preservation institute in St Gilles (La Réunion), and produced special effects for shows by Claude Moreau such as Allain Colinet in Rodez and Toussaint Louverture in Dakar...

Then came 1989: a year great commemorations of the French Revolution. It was also the year in which Jean-Marie Chesnais decided to change the organization of Ephémère, it had become too big handling too many contracts. After having instilled many with his love of the art of pyrotechnics, he closed Ephémère in June 1990.

Between 1990 and 1996, he designed and created a pyrotechnics show with Jean-Philippe Hemery and later with George Lladi, called 'Le Palanquin des Fleurs de Feu' (The Palanquin of the Flowers of Fire). The show was created originally for the Carnaval in Crosne and it included the performance of seven actors among an amazing use of fireworks. The show was performed in Lille, at the GREC Festival in Barcelona, at the Olympic Winter Games in Tigne, at the Oerol Festival in the Netherlands, at Corbeil … but its tour came to a sudden end with the outbreak of the first Gulf War.
Since then a number of shows and performances were produced while at the home front family life demanded more time. Still, in the Netherlands for example shows were created for the inauguration of the Groningen Museum, the Horn Festival and the Rotterdam Festival (with Urban Sax). Jean-Marie Chesnais also participated in collective projects with Henri Texier, Group Zhivaro, Sylvain Kassap, Yves Robert, Louis Sclavis and Denis Tricot. He designed special effects for Dom Juan by Théâte de l’Unité and for Passion plays with Toni Casalonga in Cagliari, Ajeccio and Corte.

In 1997 Jean-Marie Chesnais started a new company, called ‘Art Ephémère’, again under his own artistic direction and management, this time with Babeth Slootman, Abdel Boukeroui and David Farine. The new company enabled him to operate independently and to act on a series of propositions and opportunities in the Benelux.

Since 1998, Art Ephémère is based in the Cher. It operates on the same principles as the earlier companies, and designs and produces large scale pyrotechnics shows with a unique character, for example in Antwerp, Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
The Port of Antwerp Festival in 1997 and 2001 (Belgium), the Oerol Festival, the Port of Amsterdam Festival, the Eurotop in Amsterdam, Amsterdam-South Festival, inauguration of the town hall in Amsterdam-North (all in the Netherlands), Festival in the Zug Canton (Switzerland), Capo d’Ano and August 15 Festival in Sardinia (Italy).
In France Art Ephémère was at the Festival de l’Insolite in Goussainville, the Festival Ideklic in Moirans, Festival de la Lumière in Valence, Reveillon 200 in Belfort, Egarez-vous in the Franche-Comté, Fête du Parc du Haut Jura, Fête de l’INSEAD in Fontainebleau, Reveillons de Boulons in Montbéliard, Fête du Patrimoine in Sceaux, Fête des Lumières in Lyon, local festivities in Chevilly la Rue, at the Fête National in La Guerche, Nevers, St Etienne, and at the Fête de l’Essonne in Chamarande...
Art Ephémère was discontinued in 2005.

All these references are of projects where we were responsible for creative design and production of pyrotechnics shows that we proposed.
We believe that our experience and our continuous source of creative imagination can only lead to new shows with a unique and original character.
Ephémère Sarl works with a loyal, experienced and qualified group of technicians specialized in shows and events. This new team is set to take pyrotechnical creations and urban scenography to the next level, always looking for new heights in our art.