01/08/2026
Wow! Another amazing evening courtesy of the ‘Au Fil du Thouet’ festival in Thouars, now in its sixth year.
This was a ‘balade circassiene’ - a circus walk - starting at the Musée Henri Barré in the old part of Thouars. The circus troop appeared out of the museum building with two members balanced on bamboo poles. No one was quite sure what to expect.
We then walked through to the museum garden, where one woman did this amazing routine on a rope, before heading down to the river/Prairie des Ursulines for a series of acts at various stages.
All were awe-inspiring - the level of skill, the strength of their core muscles, and the quiet gentleness of each performance.
There were few words, music very similar to Cirque de Soleil and they led us from one location to another by gestures and smiles. Exquisite!