Mans'Art Encounters
Artisan and Heritage Fair at the Abbaye Royale de l'Épau
2026
About Mans'Art Encounters
The Rencontres Mans'Art brings together master craftspeople and heritage restoration professionals at the Abbaye Royale de l'Épau near Le Mans, focusing on the preservation and passing down of traditional skills. Each year, the event hosts around 100 exhibitors—including artisans, heritage construction firms, preservation societies, and vocational schools—welcoming approximately 8,000 visitors eager to discover rare trades such as carpentry, gilding, stonemasonry, and art restoration.
Mans'Art Encounters — edition 2026
For its return to the Abbaye Royale de l'Épau, the 2026 edition of Les Rencontres Mans'Art will take place on September 26th and 27th, preceded on the evening of the 25th by a lecture from Patrick Jouenne on the restoration of the Notre-Dame spire. Four guests of honor will represent the fine crafts: antique dealer Damien Tison, Master of Art Anne Barkhausen, Meilleur Ouvrier de France Patrick Jouenne, and gilder Héloïse Nice, winner of the 2025 Ateliers d'Art de France award.
After a three-year hiatus due to the lack of a suitable venue in the Cité Plantagenêt, Mans'Art returns to a heritage setting worthy of its mission: the Cistercian Abbaye de l'Épau, founded in 1230 by Queen Berengaria of Navarre. The Sarthe Departmental Council, which owns the site, and Sarthe Culture are supporting this new location.
Over two days, fine craftspeople, heritage building restoration companies, preservation associations, and vocational schools will host booths to showcase their work to the public. Three one-hour lectures are scheduled each day, and the Mans'Art trophy will be awarded to select exhibitors.
Programme Mans'Art Encounters 2026
Friday, September 25, 2026
- Evening — Lecture by Patrick Jouenne, Meilleur Ouvrier de France carpenter, on the restoration of the Notre-Dame de Paris spire · Abbaye Royale de l'Épau
Saturday, September 26, 2026
- 10:00 AM — Opening tour of the abbey
- 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM — Meetings with fine craftspeople and heritage restoration experts, association and vocational school booths
- 3 one-hour lectures with Q&A sessions, hosted by heritage and fine craft professionals
- 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM — Exhibitors' evening
Sunday, September 27, 2026
- 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM — Meetings with fine craftspeople and heritage restoration experts, association and vocational school booths
- 3 one-hour lectures with Q&A sessions
Four guests of honor represent the fine crafts at this year's edition: Damien Tison, antique dealer and expert from the show "Affaire conclue"; Anne Barkhausen, founder of the École française du décor in Le Mans, Master of Art since 2022, and recently appointed Knight of the Legion of Honor; Patrick Jouenne, Meilleur Ouvrier de France carpenter who led the Notre-Dame spire project; and Héloïse Nice, gilder and restorer, winner of the 2025 Talents d'exception prize from Ateliers d'Art de France.
Exhibitors are divided into four categories: heritage building, fine crafts, associations, and vocational schools. A Mans'Art trophy is awarded to winners each year.
Prices Mans'Art Encounters 2026
Practical information — Mans'Art Encounters
Access
Abbaye Royale de l'Épau, route de Changé, 72530 Yvré-l'Évêque, just outside Le Mans. Free parking available on-site.
Public Transport
From Le Mans train station, take tram line 2 (towards Espal - Arche de la Nature, get off at Gué Bernisson, approx. 13 minutes) or bus line 6 (towards Saint-Martin, same stop).
Dining
Food and refreshments are available on-site.
Founded in 2011 by a group of heritage enthusiasts, the event held ten successful editions in the Cité Plantagenêt of Le Mans, surrounding the Saint-Julien Cathedral, before a three-year hiatus due to insurance and budgetary constraints. It returns in 2026 in a stunning new setting: the Abbaye Royale de l'Épau, a Cistercian abbey founded in 1230 by Queen Berengaria of Navarre, with the support of the Sarthe Departmental Council and Sarthe Culture.
The association is led by president Dominique Soive, a former heritage artisan who has held every role within the organization, from exhibitor and volunteer to administrator and treasurer.
Where does it take place — Mans'Art Encounters
Mans'Art Encounters in brief
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