Le Lude Renaissance
A biennial Renaissance historical reenactment festival in the streets of Le Lude
2026
About Lude Renaissance
Organized every two years by the Le Lude Renaissance association, this festival transforms the town of Le Lude and its castle into a vast open-air theater celebrating the Renaissance era. For two days in September, acrobats, minstrels, troubadours, artisans, and actors in period costumes take over the town streets and castle gardens to offer performances, costume parades, Renaissance dances, artistic fencing, juggling, early music, and street theater. The Château du Lude, an architectural gem located on the borders of Anjou and Touraine, unveils its 16th-century Renaissance interiors across five floors, from the moat room to the North Tower.
Lude Renaissance — edition 2026
Le Lude Renaissance 2026: September 19 and 20
The biennial festival Le Lude in the Renaissance era takes place on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026, coinciding with the European Heritage Days weekend. The entire town travels back in time with decorated streets, costumed troupes, musicians, artisans, and large wooden games.
The festival is driven by volunteer work: around a hundred people participate, including about fifteen seamstresses who create the costumes and handle the decorations. Without them, the festival would not exist.
Street performances throughout the town are free. Admission to the Château du Lude remains a paid service.
Highlights Lude Renaissance 2026
- Biennial festival: September 19 and 20, 2026, during the Heritage Days weekend
- Grand costumed parade on Sunday at 10:30 AM, departing from the château
- Free street performances: theater, acrobatic fencing, Renaissance music
- Traditional crafts, exhibitors, large wooden games, and the Beggars' Village
- Around a hundred volunteers, including fifteen seamstresses dedicated to costumes
Programme Lude Renaissance 2026
Saturday, September 19, 2026
- Afternoon: town tour, followed by performances in the town squares — Foubon the public entertainer, "Baudoin, a life as an executioner", Les Griboulets, La Tour de Guigui, Cie Coyotte, and acrobatic fencing by the Garde des Lys
- Music: L'Arbre de Souvenance, L'Oisel, Arcadia
- Evening: municipal band concert, Renaissance ball, followed by an Irish concert
Sunday, September 20, 2026
- 10:30 AM: grand costumed parade, starting from the château
- All day: street performances, festive music, traditional crafts and artisans, exhibitors, large wooden games, and the Beggars' Village
On-site catering available. Exhibitors are welcomed on Sunday starting at 8:00 AM at Place du Mail, with spots limited to a maximum of 5 meters.
Prices Lude Renaissance 2026
Practical information — Lude Renaissance
Practical Information
Access
By car: Le Lude is located 45 km south of Le Mans. From Le Mans, follow the D306 towards Pontvallain, then Le Lude. Free parking is available at Place du Mail. The town center is closed to traffic during the festival.
By train: Le Mans station (TGV from Paris in 55 min), then take a connecting bus or rental car (45 km).
Rates
The entertainment and shows offered in the streets of Le Lude are free for everyone: costume parade, street theater, fencing, Renaissance music and dances, wooden games village, and artisan crafts.
Visiting the Château du Lude is a separate, paid experience: €12 for adults, €8.50 for ages 13 to 18, €6 for ages 6 to 12, and free for children under 6 (castle and park, 2026 rates published on lelude.com).
Contact
Association Le Lude Renaissance
72800 Le Lude
Tel: +33 (0)6 78 93 23 46
Email: [email protected]
Le Lude Renaissance: Relive the Splendor of the Renaissance
The Le Lude Renaissance festival is a biennial historical reenactment event that immerses the town of Le Lude and its castle in the excitement of the Renaissance period. Supported by the Le Lude Renaissance association, this festive event brings together hundreds of costumed participants, live performance troupes, and master artisans to bring one of the most glorious periods of French history back to life.
A Weekend Out of Time
For two days, the entire town is transformed. The city center streets are closed to traffic and become the stage for constant entertainment:
- Costume parade through the town center starting from the castle gardens (Sunday morning)
- Giant wooden games
- Street performances: theater, juggling, artistic fencing, Renaissance dances
- Early music: minstrels, troubadours, and singers in period costumes
- Artisan crafts: demonstrations of ancient trades and traditional skills
- Culinary workshops: jam-making with fruit from the kitchen garden, served on crepes
The Château du Lude: An Exceptional Renaissance Setting
The Château du Lude, a listed historical monument, is the northernmost castle in the Loire Valley. During the festival, visitors can explore five floors (paid entry) to discover the sumptuous 16th-century Renaissance decor: the Italian Renaissance-style entrance hall, the polychrome wooden ceilings of the Gallery, the painting cabinet, and the North Tower, which offers a stunning panorama of the Loir Valley.
The castle kitchen garden
Open exclusively during the Le Lude Renaissance festival, the castle's kitchen garden reveals its traditional crops and heritage varieties. Culinary demonstrations are held there, keeping the recipes and techniques of yesteryear alive.
A Popular Family Event
Le Lude Renaissance is an event open to everyone and entirely free of charge, appealing to history buffs and families alike looking for a festive and immersive weekend. The Le Lude Renaissance association coordinates dozens of volunteers who manage the organization and entertainment of this event, which has become a major highlight of the Sarthe region's heritage.
Where does it take place — Lude Renaissance
Lude Renaissance in brief
History of Lude Renaissance
Edition 2024 Sep 2024Other festivals near Le Lude
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