Théâtre d'Auxerre

The Théâtre d'Auxerre is a rare example in Burgundy of a civic building from the 1930s, and it is as interesting for its history as for its programme. It was built in 1935 as the Maison du Peuple, a community hall of the kind that municipalities and trade unions put up in the interwar years to give working people a place for meetings, education and entertainment. In its early life the building housed different activities, including a labour exchange and a school, and it was only in the 1950s that it became the municipal theatre of the town. Its architecture, with clean geometric lines and large plain surfaces, belongs to the modern movement, and it is protected as a historic monument.

The interior carries artworks made for the building. Frescoes by the painter Jean Burkhalter decorate parts of the public spaces, and ceramic panels by Clément Freyssinges add colour to the walls. These works give the entrance and foyers a character that is warmer than the sober exterior suggests, and they show how artists were commissioned to bring art into everyday buildings. Visitors who come to see a show have the chance to look at them in the interval.

The theatre has two performance spaces. The Grande Salle seats 559 people and is used for larger productions, including plays, dance, music and touring shows. The Studio, with 99 seats, is a smaller and more intimate room, suited to chamber pieces, experimental work and performances for young audiences. The programme runs through the autumn, winter and spring, and typically includes drama, contemporary dance, concerts and shows for families, so the best way to experience the building is to attend a performance. Opening hours for visits outside performances are not fixed, so check with the box office or the tourist office if you want to look around.

Auxerre, on the river Yonne, is a town of timber-framed houses, medieval churches and steep lanes, and the theatre offers a different side of its character, a place that took part in the social life of the twentieth century. It sits within walking distance of the main sights. The Collégiale Saint-Étienne, which here refers to the Gothic cathedral of the town, rises above the river, the Abbey of Saint-Germain holds crypts with some of the oldest wall paintings in France, and the Musée Saint-Germain, in the former abbey buildings, covers the town's history and archaeology. The clock tower, a short walk from the centre, is another landmark.

The theatre suits those interested in twentieth-century architecture, in French regional theatre or in an evening out in Auxerre. It is best to book a performance in advance, particularly for the main hall. Combined with a walk through the old town and a meal in one of its restaurants, a visit can make a relaxed evening.