Enjoy the festive season at the Folies Gruss!

Tribute to Alexis Gruss

The legend of the track

Alexis Grüss was much more than a talented man; he was a pillar, a master of the equestrian arts, of showmanship, whose imprint will remain forever engraved in our hearts. He has dedicated his life to keeping the equestrian arts alive on the track through his teaching and passing on, inspiring entire generations.

“But sir, Gruss, does that mean horse?”

That’s what the children thought of this exceptional man, who had such a special bond with horses.

Commemoration

– 1981: Grand Prix National du Cirque

– 1984: Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres

– 1988: Oscar-Carré Circus Prize in Amsterdam

– 1998: Knight of the Legion of Honor

– 2001: Golden Clown at the Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival

– 2009: Winner of the Trophée Epona d’Or

– 2011: Knight in the Order of Agricultural Merit

– 2019 : Ambassador of Circus by the World Circus Federation

– 2020 : Prix Alphonse-Allais

The foundations of his life were, right up to the end,
his family, the horses, the track.

The love of a family

Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire – Alexis Gruss borrowed from Gustav Mahler

Thanks not only to the transmission of knowledge, but also to the love and solidarity that emanate from this family, Alexis has made his art immortal, an art that will live on through his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren…

THE EQUESTRIAN ARTS
FOREVER

"Art is work, erased by work".

To create is to repeat tirelessly, to learn every day, and this is what Alexis Gruss has accomplished throughout his life. The excellence of his art reflects a relentless tenacity in his work.

THE TRACK:
A WORLD WITHIN A WORLD

"The runway is an infinite scenic space".

The runway is a fertile ground, mixing topsoil and sawdust, where the most beautiful creations are born, where the most intense emotions come to life. It’s in these 13 meters that Alexis Gruss has infused his art all his life.

A great family friend and photographer, Serge Fleury has immortalized this exceptional family over the years, and now pays tribute to Alexis Gruss in pictures.