The mythos spiegeltent next to the vilaine
Welcome to the MeM: a spiegeltent and a guinguette at the water’s edge. This is a new cultural site that opened on 29 May 2019 and will host concerts and events on a natural, outdoor 7,500 m2 green space at the entrance to the city. Located close to the Piverdière centre, where Stade Rennais FC players train, the MeM is a circular wooden tent of 29 metres in diameter that can hold up to 1,500 (450 seats). This spiegeltent is the largest in the world and it will no doubt be familiar if you are a fan of the Mythos festival. Incidentally, it is the same tent (hence the name MeM), which was moved from the parc du Thabor to next to the Vilaine at the end of the festival last April.
The idea of creating this “very alternative” location had been growing for a long time in the minds of the CPPC (Contemporary performance production centre – Centre de production des paroles contemporaines) team that organises the Mythos festival every spring and manages the Aire Libre theatre in Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande.
- The MeM, the Piverdière centre, parking at Rennes stadium, access from route de Sainte-Foix
www.lemem.fr
“A cathedral of velvet, wood and mirrors”
“Lots of festival goers wanted the Mythos spiegeltent to stay set up in Rennes year-round”, explains Maël Le Goff, Festival Director. “But we also had this desire to create a unique friendly, welcoming and cultural destination, a sort of fusion between the Aire Libre and the Thabor, on an outdoor site close to the Vilaine so as to reclaim the river”. These wishes melded and materialised with the opening of the MeM and its magical tent, which is “a cathedral of velvet, wood and mirrors”.
Next to it, an open-air guinguette with terraces and a dancefloor adds another touch of fun. The guinguette will be open from April to September (every day except Monday, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.) with an offer of “field food”, a rustic version of street food with a menu overseen by Michelin-starred chef Julien Lemarié from the IMA restaurant. This is a chance to get food at low prices with dishes from €7, based on the same principle as the Marché à manger.
The setting for concerts, shows and professional events
The mission of the MeM is to be a space that is open to all and hosts concerts, theatre shows and stories, similar to the year-round programme envisioned by the CPPC. The MeM will also be a welcoming site that is open to cultural players from the region and companies looking for a quirky setting for events. Incidentally, the tent has been extended by 150 m2 to make it easier to welcome audiences and incorporate toilets and a U-shaped bar.
Practical information, tickets and bookings
To book tickets for a show or a concert, go to the box office section on the Destination Rennes website or on the MeM website. The site will also host public and private events, so it is open to associations and companies that wish to book the space for seminars, conferences or sales events (information and contact details can be found on the MeM website).
Getting to the Mem
The Piverdière centre is easily accessible and close to the bypass. Here’s how to get there:
- ON FOOT: 20 minutes from Mail François Mitterrand
- BY BIKE: 10 minutes from Mail François Mitterrand
- BY BUS: lines 9 and 13 to the Cleunay arrêt (Cleunay stop) and then 5 minutes on foot.
- BY CAR: From the bypass, take exit 9 Porte de Cleunay, La Prévalaye, towards Parking Stade Rennais for les étangs d’Apigné (Apigné lakes), 350 parking spaces just next to the roundabout.
