The INSEAD Summer Ball 2023

Lights out, Stars on

Lights out, come on baby, turn the lights out
Romeo and Juliet, we can be like them
Come on, Ladies & Gents, turn the lights out
Drive out to the woods with the music
A busy night for summer parties
Let the stars watch over you
As the dream starts when you turn out the light

Saturday, 24 June 2023
10:00 pm - 03:30 am

The Château de Fontainebleau holds special meaning for INSEAD. It was here, in a wing of this 12th century Château that INSEAD was born half a century ago. Due to this link with the Château, the INSEAD Summer Ball will be held in the magnificent rooms that are not normally open to the general public.

The INSEAD Summer Ball is one of the oldest INSEAD traditions. Initially held annually on the last weekend of May, it has now been moved to June and timed to coincide with the Alumni Reunion Weekend for the 5, 10 & 15 years. Expect DJs and performances and music to suit all tastes. The Summer Ball is a unique event for all members of the wider INSEAD community: alumni, current students, staff, faculty, friends and families.

MBA classes of '18J&D, '13J&D and '08J&D will reconnect with their former classmates. Join us for a weekend of social & networking events, faculty lectures and updates on the school.

23-25 June 2023 - Reunions for MBA classes of 5, 10 & 15 years after

Leave the forest behind you, and under the moon and the stars, enter the dream to find your escape.
The mirage becomes reality as you pass through the royal gateway.

Cour d’Honneur

Explore the illusions before you enter in the Cour d’Honneur. Is it really the famous horseshoe-shaped staircase dating back to the reign of Louis XIII, where Napoleon stepped down from when he bade a final farewell to his Old Guard and went into exile in 1814?

10:00 pm - 12:00 am Main entry into the Château and Ball.
Dont miss the Selfie Point for an oh-so-instagramable shot with the Château. #INSEADball
Official photographers will be located in the Techno Marquee as well as in the Salle des Colonnes from 22:30 to 01:00. (please follow the signs and queue in the dedicated lanes)

03:30 am Don’t miss the Survivors’ photo

Galerie des Cerfs - Cosmic Feelings

Take a rest and be royally looked after in the Galerie des Cerfs, a majestic room decorated in Henry IV’s time with bird’s eye view pictures of the royal châteaux and their hunting grounds. This vast gallery is also adorned with bronze statues cast by Francesco Primaticcio for François I at Fontainebleau.

10:00 pm – 03:30 am
Enjoy a sumptuous and exquisite stand-up dinner and experience the hospitality of the oasis.

Cour Ovale - Constellations

Dance your cares away at the Cour Ovale where a special techno marquee will be mounted and transformed into a vibrating discotheque.

10:00 pm - 11:00 pm      Pump up the volume with DJ Paco!

11:00 pm - 11.35 pm      C-Sweet live band (MBA'18J class)  

11.35 pm - 12:10 am      The infamous Inshades reunited on stage for the 4th time (MBA'08D class)

12.10 am - 02:30 am      Be electrified by the enigmatic tunes of Bro2Bro, a DJ duo (Gui Issa MBA'09J and his brother)

02:30 am - 03:30 am      Put your hands up in the air with the vibes of DJ Paco

Salle des Colonnes - Magic Forest

Refresh yourself and relax at the Salle des Colonnes, a beautiful room which was originally the royal guests' waiting room for the wedding of the son of King Louis Philippe. Its rich, golden interior blends statuesque twin columns, mirrors and elements of Renaissance style. This room will be your serene chill-out lounge.

10:00 pm – 03:30 am Cool your heels and catch up with old and new friends. A great place to recharge with canapés and drinks

Food & Drink - All rooms

A stand-up dinner created by our Parisian chefs will be served throughout the evening in all the venues. A mixture of cocktail and buffet serving savoury, sweet, hot, cold, vegetarian, cheese platters and amazing desserts. There will be free flow drinks and champagne (including fresh and home-made virgin cocktails, sodas, hot beverages). A panini, soup and pasta buffet will also be available near the end of the evening.

As the Ball starts at 10:00 pm, we recommend that you have a light dinner before you arrive.
Please note that due to security reasons, the Ball will end promptly at 03:30 am. The Survivors photo will be taken under the marquee at 03:30 am sharp.

Summer Ball Pricing policy

- Early-bird price until 15 May 2023: €344
- Regular price: €429
- No sales at the gate!

Summer Ball Cancellation Policy

In order to provide you with quality service, INSEAD applies a no refund policy for the Summer Ball.

Tickets

When you registered on Eventbrite, you received an email confirmation with a PDF ticket that you will have to show at the Château entrance. Make sure to save it on your mobile phone or bring a printed copy.

Please note that tickets are required for admission into the Ball.
Your ticket is nominative, non-transferable and can only be used by yourself.
Guests without tickets will be refused entry --strictly no sales at the gate!

Getting there

Château de Fontainebleau
77300 Fontainebleau

For more information on the Château de Fontainebleau, its history and its location.
Entrance to the Ball is via the Cour d’Honneur (main entrance of the Château). Here is a map of the Château.
The Château is a historical monument. Note that, for security reasons, smoking is strictly prohibited in all the rooms in the Château and in the Marquees. Smoking is only permitted in specially designated outdoor smoking areas.
Children are not allowed at the Ball. Entry is reserved for 18 years and above.

Transportation

Due to limited parking spaces at the venue, we do not encourage you to drive. We recommend that you take one of the following modes of transportation to ensure a hassle free evening:

There are options to drinking and driving!

Taxis, trains, buses - We have them all!
But if you have to drive - BE SMART! DRIVE SAFE!

Shuttle service - in and around Fontainebleau

At 03:45 am, two buses will leave promptly and will stop at the train station or at the Mairie (town hall) of each village.

Bus 1 leaving at 03:45 am will run to: Thomery, Moret-sur-Loing/Veneux-les-Sablons, La Grande Paroisse, Villecerf, Montigny-sur-Loing, Bourron-Marlotte
Bus 2 leaving at 03:45 am will run to: Ury (Novotel), Arbonne, St Martin-en-Bière, Fleury-en-Bière, Chailly-en-Bière, Barbizon, Macherin

Due to security reasons, the Ball will end promptly at 03:30 am.

Special taxi fares

Need a drop-off at the Château to go to the Ball?
Need a lift to drive you home?
Book a taxi: +33 677 941 006 or the online booking website.

Taxis will be available from midnight onwards at the main entrance of the Château, and will apply the negotiated taxi fares below:

€10: In town and Fontainebleau/Avon train station
€25: From/to nearest villages (Bourron-Marlotte, Recloses, Bois-le-Roi, Samois-sur-Seine, Vulaines-sur-Seine, Héricy, Moret-sur-Loing, Champagne-sur-Seine, Montigny-sur-Loing, Moret-sur-Loing, Veneux-les-Sablons, Barbizon, Macherin, St Martin-en-Bière)
€35: From/to other surrounding villages (Nemours, Ury, Arbonne, Fleury-en-Bière, Chailly-en-Bière, Villecerf, Villemer)

Parking

If you wish to drive, please park at the Parking Château, rue de Ferrare (in front of the Château de Fontainebleau).
PLEASE DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE.

Dress code

The dress code for the event is 'black tie and evening dress' or national costume.
For men, it means wearing a tuxedo or equivalent attire.
For women, it entails wearing an evening gown. You might choose a floor-length dress, an elegant cocktail dress, sophisticated separates or even a smart pantsuit.
However, this is not mandatory. Men have come in black suits (with tie) and women in cocktail dresses. The idea is that this is a prestigious formal event…which means no jeans, T-shirts, casual dresses and definitely no sneakers.

Cloakroom

Fontainebleau in June can be quite chilly, and it may even rain! Cloakroom is available in Cour Ovale, for you to leave your jackets, shawls, umbrellas and shoes should you wish. We recommend that ladies wear flat/comfortable shoes to go from the entrance of the Château to the ball venue because of the cobblestone paths. You can then change into fancier shoes.

For your own safety, please do not take off your shoes to dance, as there is a risk of broken glass from breakages. Should you need to, a limited number of slippers are available at the Cloakroom for your use.

Unfortunately, local hotels no longer allow INSEAD to pre-book rooms for the reunions or other events. However, the hotels are pleased to receive individual room requests directly from alumni. Please feel free to contact your preferred hotel as soon as possible to secure your booking now.
For additional bed and breakfast places, you can consult the tourism office. Do book early as spaces are limited.

Question: Where do I buy tickets?

Answer: We have created an easy online system for purchasing tickets on Eventbrite dedicated to Alumni & current participants (MBA, EMBA, PhD, Executive Education programme) as well as for Staff & Faculty.

Q: Where and when can I collect my tickets?

A: You will receive a PDF version of your ticket with a personalized QR Code in your confirmation email. Make sure to save it on your mobile phone or bring a printed copy. This QR Code will be required and scanned at the entrance by our hostesses.

Please note that tickets are required for admission into the Ball.
Your ticket is nominative, non-transferable and can only be used by yourself.
Guests without tickets will be refused entry --strictly no sales at the gate!

Q: What happens when the online registration is closed?

A: A wait-list will be opened and we will get back to you should we get cancellations. If a ticket becomes available, you will be contacted automatically with further instructions on how to purchase your ticket. No further action is required.
Strictly no sales at the gate!

Q: What does the ticket price include?

A: The price includes a full stand-up dinner (mixture of cocktail & buffet formats), champagne & free flow drinks all night long, exciting entertainment and special surprises to make this a memorable evening!

Q: What about dietaries ?

Managing allergies, dietary or religious requirements for each of the 1500 guests is not so easy! That's why we propose a stand-up dinner where each guest will be able to choose carefully (all plates are labelled) from a large selection of food.
There will be something for everyone: savoury, sweet, hot, cold, vegetarian, gluten free, cheese platters and amazing desserts… Not forgetting the panini/pita, soup & risotto/pasta buffet at the end of the evening.
Same process for the drinks, as we know that some of you may not drink alcohol. Free flow drinks will be served all night long, including champagne, wines, beers, hard liquor as well as fresh and home-made virgin cocktails, sodas, water stations and hot beverages.

Q: Are friends invited?

A: Absolutely! We encourage you to share this night with your friends. Tickets will be sold online on a 'first-come-first-served' basis. Hence, purchasing your tickets early is advisable.

Q: Do I need a date for the ball?

A: No. The Summer Ball is a celebration of friendship - we encourage you to come with your group of friends.

Q: Where can I stay?

A: INSEAD has made block bookings in local hotels for our alumni returning for the Reunion Weekend and the Summer Ball. For additional bed and breakfast places, you can consult the tourism office. Do book early as spaces are limited.

Q: What is the dress code?

A: The dress code for the event is 'black tie and evening dress' or national costume.
For men, it means wearing a tuxedo or equivalent attire.
For women, it entails wearing an evening gown or cocktail dress. You might choose a floor-length dress, an elegant cocktail dress, sophisticated separates or even a smart pantsuit.
However, this is not mandatory. Men have come in black suits (with tie) and women in cocktail dresses. The idea is that this is a prestigious formal event…which means no jeans, T-shirts, casual dresses and definitely no sneakers.

Q: Is there only ballroom dancing at the Ball?

A: Not at all! Alumni and MBA student DJs as well as professional DJs will entertain you with a variety of pop and house music.

Q: Can I bring along my children?

A: Only if they’re over 18! For security reasons, children under the age of 18 are NOT authorized to attend the Summer Ball. The space is crowded and definitely too noisy for young kids.
This is the reason why The Summer Ball Committee and the INSEAD Security Department decided few years ago NOT to accept any children to this particular event as it is not a suitable place for them.
We can provide you with a list of babysitters, please contact us if you wish to receive a copy of this list. Any arrangements are to be made directly with the babysitter. Parents and babysitters must deal directly with each other for all questions of scheduling, availability and payment.

Q: What is the COVID protocol in place?

A: Masks are no longer required in places such as university classrooms, shops, and in the workplace. Masks will remain mandatory in certain situations such as in public transport, in hospitals, and on planes. You may refer to this government website (in French) for full details.