About this place
Le Préau is a National Drama Centre (Centre Dramatique National) in Vire Normandie, in France's Normandy region. Its presence makes Vire the smallest municipality in France to hold CDN status, a rank usually reserved for major theatre cities such as Paris or Strasbourg.
What Is This Place?
The story begins in 1978, when Yves Graffey, director of the "Gros Caillou" theatre in Caen, founded a drama centre dedicated to children and young audiences in Lower Normandy. In 1992 his successor, Éric de Dadelsen, gave the venue the name Théâtre du Préau, still based in Caen. The turning point came in 1995: on the initiative of Jean-Yves Cousin, then deputy mayor, the theatre relocated to Vire and moved into a renovated hall inside the town hall building. The institution then took the name Centre Dramatique National Jeune Public (CDNJP), specializing in work created for young audiences. Its status was raised to Centre Dramatique Régional de Basse-Normandie in 2006, and in 2017 Le Préau was granted full National Drama Centre status.
The building housing the theatre was designed by architect Jean-Jacques Morisseau. The same complex on Place Castel also contains the Le Basselin cinema, which opened in 1996 — theatre and cinema share one architectural ensemble. Inside you'll find an auditorium seating 618, a rehearsal room, a construction workshop, and storage and office space.
What Will You See?
Le Préau's programming centers on contemporary and multidisciplinary creation, with a strong emphasis on work for young audiences. The season includes theatre productions, acting workshops, family-oriented programs, and educational projects designed for schools. The venue also runs a Teen Festival and a recurring event series called "Les Feux de Vire." Beyond staging its own productions, Le Préau hosts artistic teams in residence and supports the distribution of shows across the region and the country.
How Do You Get There?
The theatre stands on Place Castel in Vire Normandie (postal address: BP 90 104, 14503 Vire Normandie Cedex). Vire is located in the Calvados department, at the heart of Normandy, and is well connected by road to Caen and other towns in the region. The venue is an easy walk from the town centre, as Place Castel sits right in the middle of Vire.
When Should You Visit?
The theatre season runs from autumn to spring, when the main program of shows and related events — including the Teen Festival — takes place. It's worth checking the current schedule before visiting, since the repertoire changes seasonally, and some events, such as "Les Feux de Vire," are recurring and held on specific dates throughout the year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Le Préau different from an ordinary municipal theatre? National Drama Centre status means the venue has a mission to create its own productions, distribute them nationally, and host artistic teams in residence — it's one of roughly 40 such stages in France, and Vire is the smallest municipality to hold one.
Is Le Préau a theatre only for children? Not exactly — while the CDNJP historically specialized in work for young audiences, today's program also includes shows aimed at a broader adult audience and multidisciplinary projects.
Is there a cinema in the same building? Yes, Le Préau shares its building on Place Castel with the Le Basselin cinema, opened in 1996 — both were designed by the same architect, Jean-Jacques Morisseau.
How many seats does the auditorium have? Le Préau's main auditorium seats 618 people.
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