théâtre du théâtre du Centaure

Théâtre du Centaure is one of Marseille's most unusual artistic venues — a theatre where horses share the stage as full performers, blending live performance, horsemanship, and visual art. The company is based in the Hauts de Mazargues area, in Marseille's 9th arrondissement, within the Campagne Pastre park, overlooking the Calanques massif and the sea.

What is the Théâtre du Centaure?

The company was founded in 1989 by artists Camille and Manolo, who set out to create something beyond conventional equestrian shows: the figure of the "centaur-actor," half human, half horse, moving in the space between live performance and visual or audiovisual creation. Their work explores a search for symbiosis — between animal and human, and between city and nature — a theme that still defines the company's identity today.

By the mid-1990s the troupe had settled permanently in Marseille, invited to establish itself within the Campagne Pastre equestrian grounds. The current venue, at 2 Rue Marguerite de Provence, took its present form after a rebuild completed in autumn 2016, and today serves as the daily home, rehearsal space, and stage for a close-knit "family" of about a dozen people and an equal number of horses who live and work there together.

What will you see there?

The theatre functions like a living village: stables, workshop, and stage form a single organism where horses and humans train and create together every day. Productions are experimental in form, combining choreography, image, and sound, with horses treated as genuine stage partners rather than props or backdrop. The company regularly creates new shows and films, touring extensively across France and Europe, with performances that have also travelled as far as Morocco, Istanbul, and Singapore.

Visitors can expect something quite different from a conventional theatre evening: performances often unfold outdoors or in spaces that blend indoor staging with the surrounding parkland, with horses moving freely alongside the actors.

How do you get there?

Théâtre du Centaure sits at the southern edge of Marseille, in a quiet, green corner of the city at the foot of the Calanques. The address is 2 Rue Marguerite de Provence, 13009 Marseille. Driving is the most convenient option — navigation apps such as Google Maps, Waze, or Mappy will take you straight to the park entrance — while visitors without a car can head to the Mazargues district and walk in through the green grounds of Campagne Pastre.

When should you visit?

The show schedule changes seasonally, so it's worth checking the current programme on the theatre's website or calling ahead on 04 91 25 38 10. The venue operates year-round, but interest peaks in spring and autumn, when outdoor performances are most comfortable and the surrounding Calanques landscape is at its most scenic.

Frequently asked questions

How is Théâtre du Centaure different from a regular equestrian show? It isn't a dressage display — it's experimental theatre in which the horse is treated as an equal performing partner, with productions built around choreography, image, and sound.

Where exactly is the theatre located? At 2 Rue Marguerite de Provence, in Marseille's 9th arrondissement (Hauts de Mazargues), inside the Campagne Pastre park near the Calanques massif.

Since when has the company been based in Marseille? The troupe was founded in 1989 and has been based in Marseille, within Campagne Pastre park, since the mid-1990s; the current venue building was completed after a rebuild in autumn 2016.

Does the company only perform in Marseille? No — Théâtre du Centaure tours regularly across France and Europe, and its productions have also been staged further afield, including in Morocco, Istanbul, and Singapore.