Champollion - Egypte mon Amour

The first and greatest of Egyptologists, the man who built his entire life around the quest to decipher hieroglyphs, a researcher driven by an extraordinary passion and determination, who made a considerable discovery without which we would never have gained access to the millennia-old civilisation of the ancient Egyptians, is today increasingly unknown to younger generations in France.

When Christian Jacq published his novel ‘Champollion, l’Égyptien’ in 1987, it sparked a passion for ancient Egypt among millions of readers. That fascination endures today, yet the contribution of the man who was instrumental in its in-depth understanding seems increasingly forgotten. It is therefore welcome that JOËLLE FOSSIER AUGUSTE should once again take up his extraordinary story to bring to the stage ‘CHAMPOLLION, Égypte mon Amour’, the play she has written and in which she directs a young actor of promising talent: RAFAËL VANISTER.

Following her tribute to OLYMPE DE GOUGES, ‘more alive than ever’, which won over a wide audience in 2025, a tribute to CHAMPOLLION imposed itself upon her.

We shall set off on the most fabulous of journeys with this exemplary man, faced with a challenge of gigantic proportions, who will persevere with unwavering determination to the point of sacrificing his health.

A UNIQUE theatrical journey through ancient Egypt, with its timeless beauty, and a plunge into Jean-François Champollion’s passion, to thrill alongside him and suffer a thousand deaths with him, before the grace of peace finally comes about…

Written and directed by: JOËLLE FOSSIER AUGUSTE Performed by (solo on stage): RAFAËL VANISTER Artistic collaboration – sound and video editing: Elisabeth SCHWEITZER Voice-over of Jaques-Joseph Champollion (the elder brother): Gilles DUMENIL Production: LE PAN THÉÂTRE