Le Mans fait son Cirque

Le Mans fait son Cirque: Twenty-Five Years of Circus Creation

Since 2002, the Le Mans fait son Cirque festival has offered an annual panorama of contemporary circus creation. Organized by Le Plongeoir, National Circus Center of Le Mans, in partnership with the City of Le Mans, this event has become one of the most anticipated circus events in France over the years.

A Festival Between Tents and Stars

For eleven days, the Newton promenade in Le Mans transforms into a true circus village. Seven tents host around twenty circus shows, concerts, and activities for all audiences. From flying trapeze to aerial acrobatics, from juggling to circus dance, from contemporary clowning to contortion, the festival embraces the full diversity of today's circus arts.

A Springboard for Creation

Le Mans fait son Cirque stands out for its commitment to contemporary creation. Each edition features world premieres and original creations, offering companies a privileged platform and the public a first look at new shows. The festival also hosts professional meetings and training sessions in partnership with higher education circus schools.

Le Plongeoir: A National Center for Circus Arts

The festival is driven by Le Plongeoir, one of the twelve national circus centers in France. Located at 6 boulevard Winston Churchill in Le Mans, Le Plongeoir works year-round on residencies, creation, and dissemination for contemporary circus. The festival is the highlight of its season, concentrating the creative energy of dozens of companies from all over France and abroad into a few days.

A Popular and Accessible Festival

With very affordable prices—most shows are offered between 5 and 12 EUR, and many performances are free—Le Mans fait son Cirque cultivates a popular and family-friendly approach to contemporary circus. The 2025 edition broke an all-time attendance record with over 27,600 spectators, confirming the festival's strong presence in the cultural landscape of Le Mans.

2026: An Anniversary Edition in May

For the first time, the festival will be held in May (from the 20th to the 31st), instead of June as in previous editions. This calendar change, linked to the constraints of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and summer weather conditions, will allow the festival to celebrate its twenty-fifth anniversary under the best circumstances.