Culturissimo Festival
Free readings, concerts, and literary encounters organized by E.Leclerc Cultural Spaces in Troyes
About Culturissimo
Culture for All, Free and Accessible
Born from the desire of E.Leclerc Cultural Spaces to make culture accessible to everyone, the Culturissimo Festival is a national event that takes place each year in dozens of French cities, from mid-April to the end of June. In Troyes, in the Aube department, the festival takes over the Théâtre de la Madeleine, a conventioned stage located on rue Jules Lebocey, to offer entirely free readings, concerts, and literary encounters. This cultural event, in its 12th edition in 2025, attracts a diverse audience, curious about literature and live performance.
Artists from the Comédie-Française and Renowned Writers
Culturissimo's programming is distinguished by the exceptional quality of its participants. Each edition brings together members of the Comédie-Française — such as Denis Podalydès, Dominique Blanc, Laurent Stocker, and Guillaume Gallienne — who come to read literary texts in an intimate and captivating vocal performance. Renowned contemporary writers also participate: David Foenkinos, Gaël Faye (Renaudot Prize), Miguel Bonnefoy (Femina Prize), Philippe Besson, Melissa Da Costa, and Agnès Martin-Lugand are among the festival's regular guests.
Musical Readings and Concerts: When Literature Meets Music
One of Culturissimo's original features is its musical readings, a hybrid format where an actor or writer reads a text accompanied by a musician, creating a unique artistic experience at the crossroads of genres. Concerts complete the program, with artists such as Camille et Julie Berthollet bringing a classical and popular musical dimension to the festival. In 2025, Denis Podalydès read L'ami de la famille, a unique portrait of the sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, at the Théâtre de la Madeleine in Troyes, offering the audience a memorable evening of living literature.
A Festival Rooted in the Troyes Region
While Culturissimo is a national festival, its roots in Troyes are particularly significant. The E.Leclerc Cultural Space in Saint-Parres-aux-Tertres, in the Troyes agglomeration, is the local relay for the event and coordinates the program in partnership with the Théâtre de la Madeleine. The free nature of the shows and the diversity of offerings — from contemporary literature to classical music, including theater — make Culturissimo a valued vector of cultural democratization in the Aube region, allowing audiences distant from culture to access top-tier artists.
Culturissimo — edition 2026
The 13th edition of the Culturissimo Festival by Espaces Culturels E.Leclerc takes place from April 1st to June 30th, 2026 in 60 cities across France, featuring a hundred free readings, shows, and concerts. In Troyes, the 2026 event is held on Thursday, June 11th, 2026 at 8 PM: actor Guillaume de Tonquédec reads Dear Mr. Germain…, Albert Camus's letter to his teacher, at L'Art Déco — Scène musicale in Sainte-Savine, within the Troyes urban area. Free admission upon reservation.
Culturissimo 2026: The 13th Edition of Free Culture for All
For its 13th edition, from April 1st to June 30th, 2026, the Culturissimo Festival by Espaces Culturels E.Leclerc hits the road again with a hundred free events in 60 cities across France, both in mainland France and overseas territories. Readings, shows, and concerts presented by renowned artists and authors foster dialogue between literary heritage and current publishing news, faithful to the event's principle: making culture accessible to the widest audience, without social or geographical barriers.
The Troyes Event 2026: Guillaume de Tonquédec Reads Camus
In Troyes and its urban area, the 2026 edition offers an evening on Thursday, June 11th, 2026 at 8 PM at L'Art Déco — Scène musicale, 70 avenue du Général Gallieni in Sainte-Savine. Actor Guillaume de Tonquédec will read Dear Mr. Germain…, the letter addressed by Albert Camus to his teacher in Algeria after receiving the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957. A sensitive reading lasting approximately 1h30, free of charge, for which reservations were quickly snapped up.
An Exceptional National Line-up of Artists
The 2026 national program brings together members of the Comédie-Française (Denis Podalydès, Laurent Stocker, Éric Génovèse), popular figures (Valérie Bonneton, Guillaume de Tonquédec, Thibault de Montalembert, Liane Foly, Félix Moati, Fanny Cottençon), festival regulars (Nicole Garcia, Philippe Torreton, Clotilde Courau, Marie-Christine Barrault, Julie Depardieu), and numerous best-selling writers — David Foenkinos, Cécile Coulon, Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, Philippe Besson, Michel Bussi, Mélissa Da Costa, Olivia Ruiz, Laëtitia Milot. Musical moments complete the lineup with Clara Ysé, Helena Noguerra, Camille Berthollet, Luiza, or the duo Birds on a Wire.
Programme Culturissimo 2026
Thursday, June 11th, 2026 — Sainte-Savine (Troyes)
- 8:00 PM — Guillaume de Tonquédec · Dear Mr. Germain… (reading of Albert Camus's letter to his teacher), L'Art Déco — Scène musicale, 70 avenue du Général Gallieni, Sainte-Savine. Duration 1h30 · Free upon reservation.
This is the Culturissimo 2026 event for the Troyes urban area. The national program (April 1st → June 30th, 2026, 60 cities) also offers a hundred free readings and concerts, notably featuring Denis Podalydès, Julie Depardieu, Philippe Torreton, David Foenkinos, Cécile Coulon, Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, Michel Bussi, or Mélissa Da Costa. City-by-city details are published on the Espaces Culturels E.Leclerc website.
Highlights Culturissimo 2026
- 13th edition of the Culturissimo Festival, from April 1st to June 30th, 2026, in 60 cities across France — 100 free events
- Troyes event: Thursday, June 11th, 2026 at 8 PM, L'Art Déco — Scène musicale in Sainte-Savine
- Guillaume de Tonquédec reads Dear Mr. Germain… by Albert Camus
- Completely free admission, upon reservation
- National program featuring the Comédie-Française and major contemporary writers
Prices Culturissimo 2026
Practical information — Culturissimo
Practical Information
Access
Culturissimo events in Troyes are held at the Théâtre de la Madeleine, rue Jules Lebocey, 10000 Troyes.
- By car: Troyes is accessible via the A5 and A26 motorways. Parking near the theater.
- By train: Troyes SNCF station (15 min walk).
Prices
- Free admission — booking recommended on Eventbrite or from the E.Leclerc Cultural Space.
Contact
- E.Leclerc Cultural Space: Avenue du Général de Gaulle, 10410 Saint-Parres-aux-Tertres
- Website: www.e.leclerc/e/festival-culturissimo
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Where does it take place — Culturissimo
Théâtre de la Madeleine
Rue Jules Lebocey, 10000 Troyes