Du Côté des Renoir

Essoyes, Renoir's village in Champagne

Essoyes, a small village in the Ource valley in the Aube region, is intimately linked to the history of Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The impressionist painter regularly stayed there from 1888, charmed by the luminous landscapes of this Champagne countryside, and set up his studio there. It was in Essoyes that Renoir painted some of his most beautiful canvases, and it is in the village cemetery that Pierre-Auguste, Aline, and their sons Pierre, Jean, and Claude Renoir are buried.

A unique cultural journey

The Du Côté des Renoir festival offers a complete cultural journey around the world of Renoir. Visitors can discover the Renoir Cultural Center, which hosts temporary contemporary art exhibitions and retrospectives related to Impressionism. A visit to the Renoir House, restored in the spirit of the time, and the painter's Studio, preserved in its original state with its brushes, palettes, and easel, is a moving and unique experience.

Exhibitions, activities, and festive events

From May to November, the festival unfolds a rich program: temporary exhibitions by contemporary artists at the Cultural Center, themed guided tours, painting workshops, conferences on Impressionism, and festive events. The 42nd edition in 2025 coincided with the 150th anniversary of Impressionism, offering an exceptional program combining art and sport from the Belle Époque. Artists such as Manuel Costa (CostaM) and Julie Karl, a watercolorist of Champagne landscapes, exhibited there.

A classified living heritage

The Du Côté des Renoir site is a place of living heritage that contributes to the cultural and tourist influence of the Aube region and the Côte des Bar. Renoir's garden and studio, the village alleys dotted with reproductions of paintings, and the "On the footsteps of Renoir" walking trail offer an immersive experience in the painter's world, at the crossroads of art, history, and the Champagne terroir.