Les Nouveaux Mystères de la Cathédrale

The New Mysteries of the Cathedral, by the Compagnie "Au Tournant", from 17 July to 5 September 2026.

From 17 July to 5 September, Fridays and Saturdays at 9.15 pm.

A walking theatre performance, presented by the ‘Au Tournant’ theatre company
Starring Annie Hamelin, Béatrice Pasquier, Céline Villalta, Maria Savary, Maxime Pichon, Pascal Gautelier, Titouan Houllé and Valentin Orain

An event that turns history on its head
A creature searching for its place
Companions on the lookout for clues
Ghosts who may hold the truth
An existential quest, the hope of fulfilment.

Characters:
Pierre Denis 1430–1518
An art-loving apothecary and visionary in the service of His Grace Bishop Philippe de Luxembourg.
Pierre Denis had a promising career ahead of him; alas, his absent-mindedness led to his untimely death...

Empress Matilda 1102–1167 Wife of Geoffrey V Plantagenet
Empress Matilda is the matriarch of the Plantagenet dynasty. A granddaughter of William the Conqueror, this heiress to the throne of England and the Duchy of Normandy was a woman of strong character.

Martin Loiseau 1213–1250 The Sand Fisherman

Marie Loiseau 1215–1250 his wife
Martin and Marie Loiseau came from the Nantes region; they practised the little-known trade of sand fishing. A forgotten profession, yet an indispensable one in the days of the cathedral builders…

François (orphan) 1600?–1637 Handyman at Cormontreuil Abbey, deliverer of communion wafers
This was by no means François’s first delivery, however; he was well aware of the dangers involved in such a long journey from Reims to Le Mans… Cautious, but perhaps not cautious enough… At least the communion wafers were delivered on time. A final source of satisfaction, with no hope of return…

Jacqueline Hermé 1720–1773 The Wealthy Grocer
Jacqueline wanted to do her sick sister a favour by standing in for her to help set up the nativity scene, but she should never have left her shop on Place des Halles…
René Coindon 1762–1835 The Organist
The son of a cobbler who had moved from Poitiers to Le Mans, René Coindon was the cathedral’s last organist before the Revolution and the first after it. After marrying the daughter of a wealthy cloth merchant, he became a merchant himself and sold cloth during the Revolution. He composed various pieces of music, including a ‘Regina Caeli’ which has been preserved…

Auguste Bellanger 1892–1933 The Master Glassmaker
A friend of Maxime Echivard, both at the École des Arts Décoratifs and on the front in 1914, Auguste Bellanger also hoped to become a renowned master glassmaker. But the war had other plans.

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Suitable for all ages, from 8 years old
• Individual adult price: From €8 to €12 (€12/€10 reduced rate/€8 for school groups)

Tickets available from the Tourist Office and at the Pilier Rouge
Porche Royal - Saint-Julien Cathedral - Place Saint-Michel 72000 LE MANS