Festival de Sablé

The Festival de Sablé: cradle of the baroque revival in France

Founded in the late 1970s under the direction of Jean-Bernard Meunier, the Festival de Sablé has become over the decades one of the most important baroque music events in France. Born from the movement to rediscover ancient instruments and historically informed performance, it has accompanied the rise of the greatest French and European baroque ensembles.

A program between tradition and renewal

For four days, Sablé-sur-Sarthe and its region vibrate to the rhythm of intimate recitals and masterful concerts led by leading performers. The artistic orientation of the festival is structured around three axes: positioning itself at the heart of baroque creation by hosting, co-directing, and co-producing innovative projects; promoting the emergence of young artists; and opening baroque art to the widest possible audience with accessible and free offerings.

Exceptional artists

Over the years, the festival has hosted the biggest names in baroque and early music. The 2025 edition, dedicated to Jean-Sébastien Bach, brought together choreographer Béatrice Massin, countertenor Carlo Vistoli, viol player Salomé Gasselin, violinist Louise Ayrton, flutist Héloïse Gaillard, and harpsichordist Bertrand Cuiller.

Heritage sites at the heart of the festival

Concerts take place in several emblematic locations in Sablé-sur-Sarthe and its surroundings: churches, chapels, heritage halls, and outdoor spaces. Place Dom Guéranger hosts free outdoor concerts, convivial moments where baroque music meets a large and curious audience.

Alice Orange and Laure Baert at the helm

Since 2012, Alice Orange has directed L'Entracte and has infused new dynamism into the festival. Laure Baert has been responsible for the artistic programming since 2022, continuing the work of openness and renewal that is the strength of the Festival de Sablé. Together, they champion a vision of living, moving baroque that blends aesthetics and repertoires, mixing vocal and instrumental forms, sacred and profane, small and large ensembles.

A festival rooted in its territory

Supported by L'Entracte, a convention-supported venue in Sablé-sur-Sarthe, the Festival de Sablé is an essential cultural player in the south of Sarthe. It unites a network of passionate volunteers and is part of a territorial dynamic that enriches local cultural life throughout the year.