Medieval Champagne's Cultural Legacy Revived in Major Troyes Exhibition

The exhibition titled 'Passavant le meilleur ! La Champagne médiévale' will be held at Troyes' Hôtel-Dieu-le-Comte from May 5 to October 31, 2026. This event showcases the County of Champagne's role as a dominant European center between the 10th and 14th centuries, emphasizing trade fairs that linked Bar-sur-Aube, Troyes, Provins, and Lagny, drawing merchants from Italy, Flanders, Iberia, and Germany. Nearly 300 pieces from over fifty institutions, such as the Metropolitan Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum, will be featured, including illuminated manuscripts, tombs, reliquaries, and metalwork. Founded in the 12th century by Count Henry I the Liberal, the Hôtel-Dieu-le-Comte provides a rich historical backdrop. The exhibition's title alludes to the medieval battle cry 'Passavant li meillor!' (Let the best pass forward!).