L'Heure Insolite Festival

L'Heure Insolite Festival: Street Theater in the Countryside

The L'Heure Insolite Festival is a traveling street theater festival that unfolds each year in May in the rural communes of the Évreux Portes de Normandie territory. Created in 2021 by Compagnie File en Scène, based in Les Baux-Sainte-Croix since 2014, the festival originated from the "Rural Territories, Cultural Territories" program of the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs.

A Festival That Comes to You

The originality of the L'Heure Insolite Festival lies in its traveling nature. Instead of gathering the audience in a single location, the festival moves from commune to commune for a week, transforming the squares, gardens, farmyards, and public spaces of the villages into ephemeral stages. In 2025, the 5th edition toured 18 communes in the Iton valley, reaching over 2,500 spectators.

A Multidisciplinary Program

The festival offers a rich and varied program that mixes circus, dance, clown, object theater, music, sound creation, and magic. In 2024, the 3rd edition (May 22-26) featured performances such as "Y a pas de noyau dans le chocolat," a meeting between a generous clown and a puppeteer, and "Après Moi Le Déluge" by Compagnie avec des Géraniums. The performances took place in communes like Saint-André-de-l'Eure, Évreux, Arnières-sur-Iton, Saint-Sébastien-de-Morsent, Le Boulay-Morin, and Les Ventes.

A Commitment to Culture in Rural Areas

The L'Heure Insolite Festival embodies the belief that culture should reach all audiences, including those in rural areas. Compagnie File en Scène, which carries the project, has been developing research on adapting contemporary texts for public spaces since its creation in 2014. The festival mobilizes dozens of volunteers in each commune, with stands offering crepes, pastries, and cheese platters to accompany each performance.

Holistique Circus and Participatory Workshops

Each edition features participatory workshops open to all ages. The Holistique Circus school from Gouville leads juggling and acrobatics workshops, allowing spectators to step behind the scenes. The festival is entirely free, supported by the partner communes and Évreux Portes de Normandie.