Nouvel Olympia, Performing arts center in Tours, France

The Nouvel Olympia, now the Théâtre Olympia, is the home of the Centre Dramatique National de Tours, built in 2002 on a narrow 18 by 40 metre plot. Its four stacked levels, linked by two crossed staircases, sit behind a glass and metal-mesh facade; the main hall has a 13.30 by 12.20 metre stage and 450 seats.

The regional drama centre was first housed in the Louis Jouvet hall, which by the 1990s had become too small in both stage size and seating. Its director Gilles Bouillon agreed with Tour(s)plus, the region and the state to build a new venue, designed by LABFAC (Nicolas Michelin and Finn Geipel) on the site of the old Olympia cinema, of which part of the outer shell was kept. Inaugurated in December 2003 as the Nouvel Olympia, it took its present name in 2014, and the centre became a national drama centre in 2017.

The theater serves as a cultural hub for the region, bringing in audiences from across central France. It presents contemporary works and collaborates closely with local artists.

The building is centrally located in Tours and easily reached on foot, with convenient parking and public transport nearby. It is best to check their website before visiting to find current events and show times.

The building was formerly a cinema, and its architecture still reflects this past. Visiting reveals how original cinema features were woven into the modern theater design.