Abstract: An installation for covering and uncovering a surface includes a series of slats of adjustable inclination supported by pivot pins via a set having a first carriage and a second carriage. A movement system has, for each head slat, movement motors on board the first and second carriages. For the even-numbered slats, firstly a retractable coupling (A) is fastened between the first carriage of said slat and the first carriage belonging to the head slat or to the neighboring slat of lower number, and secondly a drive system (S) is provided for driving the second carriage of said slat in translation. For each odd-numbered slat that is present, a retractable coupling (A) is fastened between the second carriage of said slat and the second carriage belonging to the neighboring slat of lower number, and a drive system (S) is provided for driving the first carriage of said slat in translation.