From history to comics: an exceptional exhibition dedicated to Queen Bérengère

A beautiful setting, a clever scenography, an intriguing personality… You will find all this and more in the exhibition ‘Berengère: To Meet a Queen’. A fifteen-minute journey by car from the Hotel Le Mans Country Club will take you to the Abbaye de l'Epau, the former Cistercian abbey founded by the queen herself, which is hosting the exhibition.

At the scene of her life

Queen Bérengère, often referred to as Berengaria of Navarre, continues to inspire admiration. Queen of England as the wife of Richard the Lionheart, she left her mark on her era by being a benefactor. When King John was not forthcoming with the pension she was due as dowager queen and Richard’s widow, she found refuge in Le Mans, one of her dower properties, where she entrusted land to the order of Cîteaux. Thus was founded the superb Abbaye de l'Epau, a masterpiece of Cistercian architecture, which today hosts the exhibition dedicated to this remarkable royal personage.

An exhibition of astonishing richness

‘Berengère: To Meet a Queen’ presents itself in two aspects. On one side, it retraces the career of the monarch using historical testimonies and superb artifacts. On the other, her life is portrayed in a graphic novel. The exhibition illustrates how the historical comic strip was created, presents the scriptwriting and artistic choices that were made, and how the link was forged between history and narrative The presentation is fun, educational and scrupulously authentic. Accessible to all ages, it ends with an impressive and moving look at the recumbent statue of the sovereign.

During your stay at the Hotel Le Mans Country Club, be sure to visit the jewel that is the Abbaye de l'Epau. The temporary exhibition dedicated to Queen Bérengère is a great opportunity to learn more about a key figure in the history of Sarthe. But hurry, as the exhibition only lasts until March 13th!

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Photo: enpaysdelaloire

Hotel le Mans Country Club, a 4 star hotel - restaurant located at 15 minutes from Mans