Celesta, a French pyrotechnician
Your pyrotechnic show, Written and photographed by Celesta.
With over five hundred displays to her name, Celesta specialises in pyrotechnic shows, writing, producing and setting off her own creations. There are no middlemen between your project and the pyrotechnician who will be operating the control panel.
- Over 500 shows adapted from
- F4-T2 pyrotechnicians (employees)
- A detailed quote within 48 hours
The question that decides everything
Pyrotechnic show and fireworks display: what separates them
A fireworks display is classified as a pyrotechnic show as soon as the products fall within category F4, or the charge exceeds thirty-five kilograms of active material. The decree of 4 May 2010 therefore requires a registered organiser, a pyrotechnician holding an F4-T2 certificate, and a minimum timeframe. Celesta operates exclusively within this framework: this is its core business, not simply an extension of its product range.
- Category F4 or more than 35 kg of active substance: the rules change
- The shot is taken by a holder of the F4-T2 certificate, who is specifically designated
- Celesta puts the file together, submits it to the prefecture and responds to it
Our projects
Gunfire which you can go and see
Each record shows the venue, the booking and what has been booked. Please enquire by telephone about upcoming public dates.
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Fireworks display for the Grandes Prairies festival in Arras
View the project: Fireworks display for the Grandes Prairies festival in ArrasArras celebrates 15 August with the Grandes Prairies fireworks display On 15 August, Arras celebrates the Fête des Grandes Prairies,…
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A spectacular concert at Plessis-Brion Castle
View the project: A spectacular concert at Plessis-Brion CastleA private estate, a much-anticipated event Although less well-known than other major estates, the Château du Plessis-Brion nevertheless attracts a…
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Musical Evening at Chantilly Castle with a fireworks display
View the project: Musical Evening at Chantilly Castle with a fireworks displayChantilly Castle: the setting for an exceptional evening With its moat, its park designed by Le Nôtre and its unmistakable…
What sets us apart
Why is Celesta considered one of the leading pyrotechnicians in France
Because nothing leaves the premises. The design, production, storage and firing are all carried out by the same teams, from the licensed storage facility at Aigremont in the Yvelines and from Normandy. A pyrotechnic service provider that resells a third party’s work cannot give you that guarantee.
- Salaried pyrotechnicians: the fireworks display is never entrusted to a third party
- Our own ICPE-licensed storage facility, with products tracked right up to the launch pad
- Over 500 performances, in France and across fifteen countries
- The Flambarts in Dreux, the Grandes Prairies in Arras, the Musical Night in Chantilly
The timetable
Two clocks, and they cannot be made up for
The administrative deadline is set by decree, not by us. The earlier you call, the more flexibility there is; the later you call, the tighter the window becomes. Celesta tells you this right from the first conversation, even if it means turning down a date.
3 to 6 months
before the date, to write, produce and rehearse
1 month
minimum timeframe for administrative authorisations
45 days
to authorise a drone light flight
48 hours
to receive a letter of intent and a quote
The contract
You deal directly with a pyrotechnic company
The quote you sign commits the team to drawing up the pyrotechnic plan, wiring up the site and staging the display. No more situations where you sign a contract only to discover the subcontractor the day before. For any collaboration or service provided by our pyrotechnic show company, the insurance certificate is sent out with the quote, without you having to request it.
- Certificate of due diligence and professional indemnity insurance attached to the quote.
- Certificates in the names of the pyrotechnicians who will be carrying out the display, submitted prior to the application.
- Drone light flights carried out within the framework set by the DGAC.
- A quote, a contact person, and a number to call on the night of the shoot.
The budget
How much does a pyrotechnic show cost? signed Celesta
The industry does not publish any figures. We do publish them, so that you know whether we’re within your budget before you ring.
What we are seeing in the French market
From 2,500 to 5,000 euros in a town with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, from 5,000 to 20,000 euros for a medium-sized town or a local authority group, and from 20,000 to 50,000 euros for a large city. A drone light show starts at 10,000 euros.
What causes the amount to vary
The venue and its access constraints, the expected audience size, the duration, the calibre of the acts involved and the standard of artistic writing. Even with the same budget, no two venues ever put on exactly the same show.
What Celesta never mentions along the way
The amount stated in the quote is what you pay. The regulatory documentation, declarations and transport from our depot are included in the first version of the quote, not in an amendment.
One direction only
From fire alone to fire and light show
Celesta manages all five disciplines in-house. This enables them to interact rather than simply coexist, and means there is just one number to dial when night falls.
Special effects
Controlled flames, cold sparks, mist and confetti, to bring the excitement to the ground and indoors.
Video mapping
The façade becomes the screen, and the shot punctuates the image rather than competing with it.
Sound and light show
Light shapes the space, sound sets the tempo, and pyrotechnics mark the moment.
Multimedia production
Performers on stage, a written script, and pyrotechnics as part of the whole rather than as a finale.
Light drones
Another discipline – silent and programmable – which Celesta often performs with great passion in the same show.
Let’s talk about your date
Request a quote from the team that will take the shot
Please provide us with the venue, date and capacity. Within 48 hours, you will receive a proposal and a detailed quote, signed by a Celesta pyrotechnician – not a sales representative.
- Aigremont and Normandy
- France and fifteen countries
- We’ll get back to you within 48 hours
Before you ring us
The six questions the ones we’re asked most often
What is the difference between a fireworks display and a pyrotechnic show?
The change is a regulatory requirement: category F4, or more than thirty-five kilograms of active ingredient. It requires a registered organiser, an F4-T2-certified pyrotechnician and a time limit. Added to this is a difference in nature: a pyrotechnic show is scripted, with the detonations timed to the second in line with a narrative. Celesta produces only choreographed displays.
How much should you budget for a pyrotechnic show?
A town with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants costs between 2,500 and 5,000 euros; a medium-sized town or an inter-municipal authority between 5,000 and 20,000; and a large city between 20,000 and 50,000. A drone light show starts at 10,000 euros. The final cost is determined by the venue, the audience capacity, the duration and the calibre of the equipment: no quote is drawn up without first inspecting the venue.
How long before the event should I contact Celesta?
Three to six months prior to the date for design and production. At the same time, obtaining the necessary administrative authorisations takes at least one month, or forty-five days if light drones are involved. These two timeframes run concurrently: they are neither added together nor reduced.
Does Celesta subcontract the fireworks display to another pyrotechnic company?
Never. The pyrotechnicians carrying out the displays are employed by Celesta; their F4-T2 certificates are issued in their own names and are included in the declaration file. The products are dispatched from the company’s licensed storage facility, not from an intermediary supplier. That is why a single quote is sufficient to cover the entire process.
Can we see a Celesta show before signing up?
Yes. Our public event dates are available on request, and twenty-six projects are documented on the website, ranging from the Grandes Prairies d’Arras to the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Saint-Lô, and from the Bagneux metro to the Heavy Week-End Festival. We’ll help you find the one that best matches your project.
What happens if an official order or the weather prevents the shooting?
The decision rests with the relevant authority and is sometimes made the day before. We discuss this when the quote is drawn up, rather than on the day itself: postponements, scaled-down arrangements or flameless alternatives are decided in advance, along with the implications each has for the budget.