Festival d'Anjou
The second theater festival in France
About Festival d'Anjou
Festival d'Anjou: 75 years of theater in Anjou
Born in 1950 from a prestigious evening at the Château de Brissac, the Festival d'Anjou has become over the decades the second theater festival in France, just after the Avignon Festival. It was Prefect Jean Morin who, seduced by the majesty of the castle, entrusted the Angevin René Rabault with the organization of a performance of Romeo and Juliet on June 9, 1950. The success was immediate.
A history marked by great names
In 1952, actor and director Marcel Herrand took over the artistic direction and renamed the event "Festival d'art dramatique d'Angers". After his death in 1953, Jean Marchat and Albert Camus shared the direction for a time. In 1973, the event took the name Festival d'Anjou to reflect the growing involvement of the department. From 1984 to 2001, Jean-Claude Brialy transformed the festival by multiplying shows and attracting the greatest actors. Nicolas Briançon succeeded him from 2003 to 2020, introducing contemporary themes and creating Les Hivernales in 2018. Since 2020, Jean Robert-Charrier has been the artistic director.
Exceptional heritage sites
The Festival d'Anjou stands out for the beauty of its performance venues. The Château du Plessis-Macé, a medieval jewel surrounded by moats, hosts open-air performances in its inner courtyard. The Grand-Théâtre d'Angers, Place du Ralliement, offers an Italian-style setting for indoor plays. The Dôme de Saumur and the Théâtre Bouvet Ladubay in Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Florent complete this unique theatrical map in the Loire Valley.
An eclectic and demanding program
Each edition offers about twenty shows mixing comedies, dramas, contemporary creations, and revivals of great classics. The festival regularly hosts leading artists: Isabelle Carré, François Morel, Stéphane Freiss, Joël Pommerat, and many others have performed on its stages. In 2009, the festival became a Public Interest Group (EPCC) under the name Anjou Théâtre, uniting the Department of Maine-et-Loire and the host municipalities.
Festival d'Anjou — edition 2026
The 76th edition of the Festival d'Anjou takes place from June 1st to 26th, 2026 in five emblematic venues in Maine-et-Loire: the Château du Plessis-Macé, the Grand-Théâtre d'Angers, Le Quai CDN, the Dôme de Saumur and the Théâtre Bouvet Ladubay in Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Florent. Under the artistic direction of Jean Robert-Charrier, the program brings together about twenty shows with Fabrice Luchini, Josiane Balasko, Vincent Dedienne, Alex Lutz, Marilou Berry, Pierre Arditi, Nicolas Briançon, Guillaume de Tonquédec and many contemporary artists.
76th Edition — From June 1st to 26th, 2026
For its 76th anniversary, the Festival d'Anjou reaffirms its role as a major summer event for French theatre. Under the artistic direction of Jean Robert-Charrier (director of the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin), the 76th edition takes over five venues in Maine-et-Loire from June 1st to 26th, 2026: the Château du Plessis-Macé (historic open-air venue), the Grand-Théâtre d'Angers, Le Quai CDN, the Dôme de Saumur and the Théâtre Bouvet Ladubay in Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Florent.
A Program Featuring Headliners and Contemporary Creation
The festival opens on June 1st and 2nd at Plessis-Macé with Fabrice Luchini reading Victor Hugo, and closes on June 25th and 26th at the Grand-Théâtre d'Angers with Michel Fau's «Concert très chic». Between these two highlights, about twenty shows combine popular comedies, contemporary dramas, and original creations. Headliners: Josiane Balasko and her daughter Marilou Berry in Ça, c'est l'amour (June 19-20), Vincent Dedienne in Un lendemain soir de gala (June 23), Alex Lutz in Sexe, Grog et Rocking Chair (June 16-17), Patrice Thibaud in Une histoire de France (June 10).
A Festival for All Budgets
Ticket sales for 2026 opened on April 29th, 2026. Prices range from 13 € (youth / reduced rates) to 48 € for opening nights, with a usual cap of 44 € for most shows. The festival also offers solidarity tickets (1 to 10 €), a Pass Culture program, and a carpooling service to reach outlying venues.
Programme Festival d'Anjou 2026
Tuesday, June 1st and Wednesday, June 2nd — Château du Plessis-Macé (9:00 PM)
- Fabrice Luchini reads Victor Hugo — opening night, reading-performance (single price 44 €).
Wednesday, June 3rd, Thursday, June 4th and Friday, June 5th — Château du Plessis-Macé (9:30 PM)
- On ne se mentira jamais — comedy by Éric Assous.
Monday, June 8th, Tuesday, June 9th and Wednesday, June 10th — Château du Plessis-Macé (9:30 PM)
- Mon jour de chance — comedy by Philippe Haudecœur and Gérald Sibleyras (23-44 €).
Wednesday, June 10th — Le Dôme, Saumur (8:30 PM)
- Une histoire de France — Patrice Thibaud.
Thursday, June 11th — Château du Plessis-Macé (9:30 PM)
- Le Banquet de la Sainte-Cécile — Jean-Pierre Bodin.
Monday, June 15th
- 7:00 PM — Le Quai (T400), Angers : Mélancolikea. Comment meubler sa peine — Maïanne Barthès.
- 9:30 PM — Château du Plessis-Macé : Coucou ! — Moguiz, directed by Thibault Segouin.
Tuesday, June 16th
- 7:00 PM — Le Quai (T400), Angers : Cowboy ou indien ? — A. Meunier, S. Lazennec.
- 8:30 PM — Le Dôme, Saumur : Au Bon Pasteur, Peines Mineures (2) — Sonia Chiambretto.
- 9:30 PM — Château du Plessis-Macé : Sexe, Grog et Rocking Chair — Alex Lutz.
Wednesday, June 17th
- 7:00 PM — Le Quai (T400), Angers : Unfuckables — A. Bapst, A. Harté, L. Lejeune, W. Vitse.
- 8:30 PM — Bouvet Ladubay : L'Abolition des privilèges — Bertrand Guillot.
- 9:30 PM — Château du Plessis-Macé : Sexe, Grog et Rocking Chair (continued) — Alex Lutz.
Thursday, June 18th
- 7:00 PM — Le Quai (T400), Angers : Seule comme Maria — Marilou Aussilloux.
- 8:30 PM — Bouvet Ladubay : L'Abolition des privilèges (continued) — Bertrand Guillot.
Friday, June 19th
- 6:00 PM — Le Quai (T400), Angers : intro — Dylan Roncin.
- 9:00 PM — Le Quai (T900), Angers : Lack — Guillaume Poix.
- 9:00 PM — Grand-Théâtre d'Angers : Ça, c'est l'amour — Josiane Balasko and Marilou Berry, directed by Jean Robert-Charrier.
Saturday, June 20th — Grand-Théâtre d'Angers (3:00 PM)
- Ça, c'est l'amour — Josiane Balasko and Marilou Berry (matinee performance).
Monday, June 22nd — Château du Plessis-Macé (9:30 PM)
- Article 353 du Code pénal — based on Tanguy Viel.
Tuesday, June 23rd
- 7:00 PM — Le Dôme, Saumur : Il ne m'est jamais rien arrivé — based on Jean-Luc Lagarce.
- 9:30 PM — Château du Plessis-Macé : Un lendemain soir de gala — Vincent Dedienne.
Thursday, June 25th and Friday, June 26th — Grand-Théâtre d'Angers (7:00 PM)
- Concert très chic — Michel Fau, closing night.
Sources: official program festivaldanjou.com/programmation-2026 (consulted on May 24th, 2026). Several shows may be sold out; waiting list possible.
Highlights Festival d'Anjou 2026
- Exceptional opening with Fabrice Luchini reading Victor Hugo at the Château du Plessis-Macé (June 1-2).
- Josiane Balasko and her daughter Marilou Berry in Ça, c'est l'amour (Grand-Théâtre d'Angers, June 19-20).
- Vincent Dedienne in a solo performance of Un lendemain soir de gala (June 23).
- Alex Lutz in Sexe, Grog et Rocking Chair (June 16-17).
- Festival closing with Michel Fau's Concert très chic at the Grand-Théâtre d'Angers (June 25-26).
- 5 heritage venues: Plessis-Macé, Grand-Théâtre d'Angers, Le Quai CDN, Dôme de Saumur, Bouvet Ladubay.
- Solidarity tickets from 1 to 10 €, Pass Culture partnerships, carpooling service.
Prices Festival d'Anjou 2026
Practical information — Festival d'Anjou
Practical Information
Performance Venues
Château du Plessis-Macé, Longuenée-en-Anjou (open-air performances).
Grand-Théâtre d'Angers, Place du Ralliement, 49000 Angers.
Le Quai CDN, Angers (T400 and T900 theaters).
Le Dôme, Saumur.
Théâtre Bouvet Ladubay, Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Florent.
Ticketing
Online booking at festivaldanjou.mapado.com or by phone at 02 41 88 14 14.
Access
By car: A11 motorway from Paris, exit Angers-Centre. Parking near the performance venues.
By train: Angers Saint-Laud station, then tram or bus to the various venues.
Contact
Phone: 02 41 88 14 14
Email: [email protected]
Address: 49 boulevard du Roi René, 49000 Angers
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Where does it take place — Festival d'Anjou
Château du Plessis-Macé et Grand-Théâtre d'Angers
49 boulevard du Roi René, 49000 Angers