Ducourneau Theatre

The Ducourneau theatre

The Agen audio-guided tour has you discover the Ducourneau theatre, recognisable by its rotunda façade. It is one of the emblematic sites of the city, a witness to the taste and generosity of a child of the country.

The legacy of an Agen patron

The theatre was financed by Alphonse-Pierre Ducourneau, an Agen philanthropist and patron who made his fortune in Paris in the nineteenth century, and that is why it bears his name. Its first stone was laid in 1906 by the former President of the Republic Armand Fallières. Built essentially in reinforced concrete, then an innovative technique, the building was decorated inside and out by great artists of the period, among them the painter and illustrator Calbet.

What there is to see

The rotunda façade of the theatre immediately attracts the gaze, while the interior reveals a hall richly decorated by the artists of the early twentieth century. Still in activity, the building hosts a programme of performances throughout the season. It is a high place of Agen cultural life, to be discovered during a performance.

Practical information

The Ducourneau theatre is in the centre of Agen. Still in activity, it opens to the public on the occasion of performances, according to the programme and the hours of the season; its rotunda façade can be contemplated from the public space. It is advisable to consult the programme in advance.

Who financed the Ducourneau theatre?

Alphonse-Pierre Ducourneau, an Agen philanthropist and patron who made his fortune in Paris in the nineteenth century, and whose name the building bears.

Who laid the first stone of the theatre?

The former President of the Republic Armand Fallières, in 1906.