Overview
Paris Nord Villepinte is the largest exhibition centre in France, positioned as a benchmark B2B hub on a European scale. Located 15 minutes from Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle Airport and around 30 minutes from central Paris, the site totals nearly 243,500 sqm of modular covered space, complemented by 200,000 sqm of green outdoor space across a 135-hectare estate.
The centre is operated by Viparis, a joint venture owned in equal shares by the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie Paris Île-de-France and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield. Inaugurated in December 1982 with an initial phase of 70,000 sqm, the site has undergone several rounds of expansion to reach its current configuration of 9 halls (8 main halls numbered Hall 1 to Hall 7, plus the standalone Hall 8). Each year it welcomes more than 2 million visitors, leading international trade shows, corporate conventions, congresses and consumer events.
Halls and configuration
The centre is organised around a central glazed reception gallery that distributes the halls. Seven halls are interconnected and two halls operate independently. All offer a minimum clear height of 9 metres, rising to 12 or 15 metres in certain areas.
- Hall 1: 16,455 sqm, mezzanine and meeting rooms, connects with Hall 2.
- Hall 2: 16,389 sqm, mezzanine and meeting rooms, connected to Hall 1.
- Hall 3: 19,347 sqm, mezzanine, gives access to Hall 4.
- Hall 4: 19,316 sqm, clear heights up to 15 m, adjacent to a conference centre featuring a 628-seat auditorium.
- Hall 5A: 49,734 sqm, internal patio, central convergence point linking Halls 4, 5B and 6, with 18 meeting rooms nearby.
- Hall 5B: 26,611 sqm, column-free, divisible and combinable with the neighbouring halls.
- Hall 6: 46,598 sqm, two dedicated entrances, integrated restaurant and shop.
- Hall 7: 34,065 sqm, HQE-certified, 17,000 sqm green roof, internal dimensions 90 to 120 m wide by 350 m long.
- Hall 8: 15,000 sqm, divisible and independent, located closest to the Parc des Expositions RER station.
The centre also offers 38 equipped meeting rooms and 2 auditoriums (a large one seating 628 and a second seating around 170), as well as several conference centres distributed across the halls.
Access & transport
RER B: line B of the RER serves the centre at the Parc des Expositions station, located right on the edge of the site. The journey from Gare du Nord takes around 20 minutes, and 5 to 7 minutes from Paris-CDG Airport. Note that not all line B trains stop at Parc des Expositions: check the service displayed on the platform.
Car: the centre is accessible via the A1 motorway (Paris-Lille axis) and the A104 motorway (la Francilienne), in the immediate vicinity of the ZAC Paris Nord 2. Several visitor car parks are distributed around the halls (P1, P2, P3, P10, P11). Accessible parking spaces are reserved in most car parks.
Bus: several lines serve the site, including the RATP 350 line and the buses of the T'Bus network run by the Terres d'Envol conurbation.
Event shuttles: during major trade shows, free shuttles are frequently set up between central Paris, Paris-CDG Airport and the centre, generally running every 30 minutes during opening hours.
Airport: Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle is 15 minutes away by car, and international carriers operate direct connections there from all the major global hubs.
Future metro: line 17 of the Grand Paris Express will serve the Parc des Expositions station from 2028 (phase 2 opening between Le Bourget Aéroport and Parc des Expositions), with an elevated station whose platforms sit 14 m above ground. Phase 3, scheduled for 2030, will extend the line as far as Le Mesnil-Amelot via Roissy-CDG.
On-site services
Catering: fixed catering outlets (food courts, sit-down restaurants) and takeaway kiosks are located in the reception gallery and within the main halls. Hall 6, for example, includes a catering area and a shop. Exhibitors can also order on-stand catering services through the site's official service providers.
Exhibitor services: on-stand delivery, furniture hire, stand security and surveillance, business centre, meeting rooms equipped with high-speed WiFi, reception concierge.
Accessibility: fully accessible routes, accessible parking spaces in the car parks (P1: 15 spaces, P2: 5 spaces, P3: 16 spaces) and an internal shuttle service between car parks and the esplanade.
Connectivity: high-density WiFi across the halls, network infrastructure sized for major international events.
News
In September 2010 the centre inaugurated Hall 7, a 34,065 sqm facility certified HQE and fitted with a green roof of more than 15,000 sqm, for an investment of around 67 million euros. It is the most recent and most sustainable hall on the site, designed to host up to 1.5 million visitors a year and 900 to 1,200 stands.
In 2024, Eurosatory introduced the use of Hall 5B to meet the growth of the global defence trade show. The 2026 edition of Eurosatory (15 to 19 June) marks the first use of Hall 4 for the event, which will thus span Halls 4, 5A, 5B and 6, i.e. more than 185,000 sqm occupied, reflecting the strong momentum of the defence and security sector.
The centre also hosted, in 2024, several events of the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games (preliminary boxing rounds, modern pentathlon fencing, Paralympic sitting volleyball), confirming its versatility beyond B2B.
Flagship trade shows hosted
Paris Nord Villepinte concentrates a very significant share of the largest French and international B2B trade shows held in Paris:
- Industry & defence: Eurosatory (land defence, biennial), Milipol Paris (homeland security), Euronaval (naval defence), World Nuclear Exhibition (civil nuclear).
- Food & beverage: SIAL Paris, the global food trade show, biennial.
- Materials & composites: JEC World, the global benchmark for composites.
- Construction: Batimat, the international construction trade show.
- Agriculture: AgriSIMA, the agricultural equipment trade show.
- Home & decor: Maison&Objet, the biannual art-of-living event.
- Fashion & textiles: Première Vision Paris, the global high-end textile trade show.
- Packaging & logistics: ALL4PACK Emballage Paris, SITL (transport and logistics).
- Consumer B2C: Japan Expo, Comic Con France.