Les Nuits de la Mayenne
Traveling performing arts festival in Mayenne
About Nuits de la Mayenne
Les Nuits de la Mayenne: Over 50 Years of Traveling Performing Arts
Born in 1973 from the initiative of Jean Guichard, director of the Comédie de Nantes and a fervent defender of theatrical decentralization, the Les Nuits de la Mayenne festival has become over the decades one of the major cultural events in the Mayenne department and the Pays de la Loire region. While traveling through the Mayenne countryside, Jean Guichard fell in love with these hedgerow landscapes and decided to combine his two passions: theater and Mayenne. The festival was born from this encounter between living art and the territory.
A Festival Supported by Mayenne Culture
Since its inception, the festival has been supported by Mayenne Culture, the departmental cultural agency. Initially a niche event, it was structured as an association in 1977 and gradually opened up to a wider audience. Today, Les Nuits de la Mayenne is a true tool for cultural democratization, allowing thousands of spectators to discover quality artistic creations in places often far from traditional cultural circuits.
Heritage and Unusual Venues
One of the festival's hallmarks is the bold choice of its performance venues. Each edition reveals unsuspected heritage sites in Mayenne to the public: castles, old farms, cheese dairies, 19th-century stables, bamboo groves, mills, schoolyards, and even swin golf courses. These unique settings are an integral part of the artistic experience, creating a unique dialogue between the works and their environment. The festival renews some of its venues each year, inviting the public to rediscover their own territory.
An Eclectic and Demanding Program
The program of Les Nuits de la Mayenne mixes theater, dance, circus, street arts, and music. The festival showcases emerging companies as well as established artists, with particular attention paid to artistic forms that engage with space and landscape. Outdoor performances, often held at dusk, offer a magical and convivial atmosphere that has earned the event its reputation.
A Commitment to Accessibility
Les Nuits de la Mayenne is actively committed to accessibility: offering performances with audio description, installing hearing loops on the stands, and providing free shuttle services from Laval to reach each performance venue. This inclusive approach allows as many people as possible to enjoy the festival, regardless of their place of residence or situation.
Nuits de la Mayenne — edition 2026
The 53rd edition of Les Nuits de la Mayenne will take place from July 15 to August 5, 2026, preceded by a prelude on May 12. An itinerant festival supported by Mayenne Culture, it offers 12 shows across 14 locations in the department: classical theater with a contemporary echo, dance, musical performances, storytelling, and a wandering brass band, performed in castles, estates, schoolyards, forest edges, and Mayenne heritage sites.
53rd Edition — From July 15 to August 5, 2026
Les Nuits de la Mayenne returns for its 53rd edition from July 15 to August 5, 2026 (with a prelude on May 12). An itinerant festival supported by Mayenne Culture, the departmental cultural agency, it travels across the territory to present 12 shows spread across 14 locations: castles, goat farms, estates, schoolyards, forest edges, and an ancient city.
For this edition, placed under the sign of curiosity and discovery, the program blends classical theater with a contemporary echo, dance, musical performances, storytelling, and a wandering brass band, with attention paid to young talents (notably through a collaboration with the L'Arbre Bavard festival).
Online ticketing is open. Individual adult prices: 18 € in advance, 21 € on site (subject to availability).
Programme Nuits de la Mayenne 2026
2026 Program (53rd Edition)
- Dérive — May 12 (prelude) — literary concert
- Azadi — July 15 — world music
- Ci-gisait Cyrano — July 17 & 18 — theater (Compagnie Crescite)
- Le Bois Dormant — July 19 & 20 — landscape theater (La Dargentière, Montenay)
- Ravel (after Echenoz) — July 22 — literary concert (with Dominique Pinon and pianist Hélène Tysman)
- Antigone — July 23 & 24 — theater
- Soin collectif — July 25 & 26 — theater (Anima Compagnie)
- Pas d'nom pas d'maison — July 25 & 26 — brass band / world music
- DOERS — July 28 — dance
- Les Fâcheux — July 31 & August 1 — theater
- Le Barbier de Séville — August 4 & 5 — theater
- Spectacle surprise — August 4 & 5 — multidisciplinary
Locations 2026: Lesbois, Ballots, Préaux, Montenay, and other heritage sites in the department.
Prices Nuits de la Mayenne 2026
Practical information — Nuits de la Mayenne
Practical Information
Dates and Period
The festival takes place annually from mid-July to early August, lasting approximately three weeks. Performances are generally held in the evening, outdoors.
Performance Venues
The festival is traveling: performances are held in about fifteen towns in the Mayenne department, from Javron-les-Chapelles to Oisseau, from Le Genest-Saint-Isle to Sainte-Suzanne. Each year, new heritage and unusual locations are selected to host the performances.
Ticketing
Online booking at nuitsdelamayenne.festik.net or on the official website nuitsdelamayenne.com/billetterie.
Prices
Full price: €20 on-site (subject to availability).
Reduced price: €17 upon presentation of the May'N Pass card, CNAS card, or Mayenne Culture membership.
Youth/Solidarity price: €12 for under 18s, students, job seekers, recipients of minimum social benefits, and people with disabilities.
Family Pack: €50 for 2 adults + 2 children or 1 adult + 3 children (same show).
3+ Pack: €16 per show when purchasing at least 3 different shows.
Transportation
Free shuttle services are available from Laval to reach each performance venue. Information on the festival's official website.
Accessibility
Performances with audio description and hearing loops installed on the stands whenever conditions permit. Outdoor performance venues may have uneven terrain; it is advisable to wear suitable footwear.
Contact
Mayenne Culture — Departmental Cultural Agency
Address: 84 avenue Robert Buron, 53000 Laval
Phone: 02 43 67 60 90
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.nuitsdelamayenne.com
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Where does it take place — Nuits de la Mayenne
Divers lieux patrimoniaux en Mayenne
84 avenue Robert Buron, 53000 Laval