Les Nuits Auréliennes

Les Nuits Auréliennes: Live Theatre in the Stones of Rome

In the heart of the ancient city of Fréjus, listed among the best-preserved Gallo-Roman sites in France, Les Nuits Auréliennes has made one of the most beautiful Roman theatres in the Mediterranean a unique venue for live performance. Since its creation in the mid-1990s, these summer theatrical evenings have become a must-attend event in the cultural life of the Var region during the summer.

The setting is one of a kind: the ancient Roman theatre of Fréjus, whose stone tiers have welcomed thousands of spectators since antiquity, rediscovers its original purpose every summer thanks to the magic of contemporary theatre. In this 2,000-seat amphitheatre, the Provençal nights — mild, starry, scented with lavender and pine — become the natural backdrop for the great comedies that have made the festival's reputation.

A Programme Dedicated to Theatrical Pleasure

Les Nuits Auréliennes has made a clear choice for popular and demanding theatre. The programme favours comedies of manners, classic and contemporary boulevard, major plays from the repertoire, and recent creations that have marked the Parisian season. The festival thus hosts the most popular actors and actresses in France — stars of television, cinema, and the Parisian stage — in works that combine entertainment and literary quality.

The formula is simple and effective: offer a different play each evening, from Tuesday to Monday, for eight days in July, with carefully chosen casts for the immediate enjoyment of the audience. No experimental staging or avant-garde proposals, but a real commitment to theatre that makes you laugh, move you, and makes you think, accessible to all audiences.

The Legacy of Sacha Guitry and Classic Boulevard

The programming of Les Nuits Auréliennes often leans towards Sacha Guitry, Feydeau, Labiche, or contemporary authors who continue this tradition of well-written and well-performed boulevard theatre. These plays, with their sharp dialogue, plot twists, and keen observations of society, find a particular resonance in the Roman setting of Fréjus: customs change, comedy endures.

The Roman Theatre of Fréjus: A Place Steeped in History

The city of Forum Julii — modern-day Fréjus — was founded by Julius Caesar in 49 BC and developed by Augustus, who made it one of the main naval bases of the Roman Empire in the Western Mediterranean. The Roman theatre, built in the 1st century AD, could then accommodate up to 2,000 spectators in its semi-circular tiers.

Long buried under the centuries, partially restored in the 20th century, this listed historic monument is today one of the best-preserved in the south of France. Its characteristic silhouette, with its red sandstone arcades, stands out against the starry sky of the Var like a film set — except this set has two thousand years of history.

Remarkable Natural Acoustics

Roman architects had an instinctive understanding of acoustics. The semi-circular tiers, the raised stage, the clever proportions of the space — everything is designed so that every word spoken on stage reaches the back row of the stands clearly, without artificial amplification. Les Nuits Auréliennes fully exploits this natural acoustics, strengthening the connection between the artists and the audience.

A Festival Rooted in the Var Region

Organized by the City of Fréjus, Les Nuits Auréliennes is part of the rich cultural life of the Var department. The city boasts exceptional archaeological heritage — amphitheatre, Roman gate, Carolingian episcopal complex, Lantern of Augustus — and hosts numerous events throughout the year. The summer theatre festival is the centrepiece of this summer cultural programme, attracting spectators from all over the Var, the neighbouring Alpes-Maritimes, and far beyond each summer.

The 32nd edition of Les Nuits Auréliennes was held from July 15 to 22, 2025, once again confirming the public's loyalty to this annual event rooted in regional cultural life.