UGC Ciné Cité Strasbourg Étoile

UGC Ciné Cité Strasbourg Étoile is a multiplex cinema located in Strasbourg, France, near Place de l'Étoile and the Presqu'île André Malraux. It opened on 29 November 2000 and is operated by UGC Ciné Cité, a subsidiary of the French cinema group UGC. The cinema is notable for being the largest UGC Ciné Cité in Europe, with 22 screens and a seating capacity of 5,400, making it the second-largest cinema in France and the fifth-largest in Europe. It is situated in the Fronts de Neudorf district, bordering the Bassin d'Austerlitz and facing the Rivetoile shopping centre. The cinema was built following a 1997 decision by the Strasbourg municipal council, led by Mayor Catherine Trautmann, to authorize a multiplex under specific conditions: it had to be located in the then-undeveloped Étoile district, be architecturally exemplary, have at least 20 screens, and adhere to programming quotas. UGC won the tender and commissioned architects Denis Valode and Jean Pistre (with Georges Berne, Annie Tribel, and engineering firms Ingérop, Fusée, Inex) for an investment of 250 million francs. The opening was marked by protests from two independent cinemas, Star and Star-Saint-Exupéry, which closed symbolically on the same day. In its first week, the cinema recorded 20,000 admissions, making it the twelfth most frequented cinema in France outside Île-de-France. In 2010, UGC equipped ten screens with 3D projectors and glasses, including one at this cinema, following the success of Avatar. By 2011, annual attendance reached 1.9 million, with 65% of spectators being subscribers. In April 2012, ticket prices were increased to encourage subscription. In March 2023, a new reserved seating policy sparked controversy, leading to a petition and media coverage. As of 2025, the full-price ticket is €14.90. The cinema offers various amenities including a ciné-café, a confectionery area, and a Bert's fast-food outlet. It is well-connected by public transport, with tram lines C and E at Winston Churchill station, and lines A and D at Étoile Bourse, as well as bus lines G, C1, and C8. Two covered parking lots provide 1,750 spaces.

Before the opening of UGC Ciné Cité in Strasbourg, the city lacked a multiplex cinema. The cinema offering was below the French average, with 18.2 screens per 1,000 inhabitants compared to 27.1 for France as a whole. In 1997, the municipal council presided over by Catherine Trautmann decided to authorize the creation of a multiplex under certain conditions: it had to be built in the still-undeveloped Étoile district, be 'architecturally irreproachable', have at least 20 screens to offer sufficient programming variety, and respect quotas for certain types of works. The tender was won by Union générale cinématographique (UGC). The company entrusted the construction to architects Denis Valode and Jean Pistre (with Georges Berne, Annie Tribel and engineering firms Ingérop, Fusée, Inex) for an investment of 250 million francs. The cinema was inaugurated on 27 November 2000 (some sources say 29 November). The two independent cinemas in Strasbourg, Star and Star-Saint-Exupéry, closed symbolically on the same day to protest against the multiplex's opening, fearing a drop in attendance. In its first week of operation, the cinema recorded 20,000 admissions, making it the twelfth most frequented cinema in France outside Île-de-France. In 2010, the UGC group decided to urgently equip ten cinema screens with 3D glasses and projectors, including one screen at UGC Ciné Cité Strasbourg, after the major success of the film Avatar, which benefited cinemas with such equipment. In 2011, attendance at UGC Ciné Cité Strasbourg Étoile was 1.9 million spectators, 65% of whom were subscribers. In April 2012, the cinema increased ticket prices. The goal was to set a dissuasive price for single tickets to encourage consumers to buy a subscription and thus build customer loyalty. By 2025, the full price had risen to €14.90. The European Confederation of Universities of the Upper Rhine (EUCOR), grouping five universities in the region, offers students a 'carte culture' program providing discounts on cultural products, with support from the Alsace Region and the Eurométropole de Strasbourg (EMS). UGC Ciné Cité Strasbourg Étoile participates by offering cinema tickets at €5 to card holders, compared to €10 for the normal student rate. In March 2023, a new reserved seating system caused controversy. The cinema required customers to choose a seat number before entering the auditorium. UGC defended it as providing better service, but the measure encouraged customers to book in advance and create an online account, removing the freedom to sit wherever they wished. A petition was launched, quickly gathering over a hundred signatures, and a humorous column by Jean-René Lidy aired on France Bleu Alsace. The cinema is served by Winston Churchill station on tram lines C and E, a few hundred meters behind the complex. It can also be reached via tram lines A and D, and bus lines G, C1 and C8 at Étoile Bourse station, and via lines C, D and E at Landsberg station. Two covered parking lots (P1 Commerces Rivetoile and P2 Cinéma) provide 1,750 spaces. A ciné-café, a confectionery area, and a Bert's fast-food outlet allow the purchase of various dishes, drinks and popcorn before screenings.

• 2025

  Full-price ticket reaches €14.90.

• 2023

  Reserved seating policy introduced in March, sparking controversy and petition.

• 2012

  Ticket prices increased in April to encourage subscriptions.

• 2011

  Attendance reaches 1.9 million spectators, 65% subscribers.

• 2010

  UGC equips ten screens with 3D projectors and glasses, including one at this cinema, after Avatar's success.

• 2000

  UGC Ciné Cité Strasbourg Étoile inaugurated on 27 November (or 29 November).

• 2000

  First week records 20,000 admissions, twelfth most frequented cinema in France outside Île-de-France.

• 1997

  Strasbourg municipal council authorizes creation of a multiplex under conditions; UGC wins tender.

Large-scale multiplex cinema offering a wide variety of films and premium amenities, targeting both casual moviegoers and subscribers.

• Cinema screenings

  22 screens showing a variety of films, including 3D.

• UGC Illimité subscription

  Unlimited access subscription card.

• Concessions

  Ciné-café, confectionery, and Bert's fast food.

1. 1Salles de cinéma UGC à Strasbourg - UGC.frugc.fr
2. 2UGC Ciné Cité Strasbourg Étoile - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3UGC Ciné Cité Strasbourg Étoile - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org