Literary events in the Grand Est

Literary festivals in Lorraine

September - Le Livre sur la place, Nancy

Every year, Nancy 's famous and superb Place Stanislas hosts the country's leading back-to-school book fair: Le Livre sur la place.

By attending Le Livre sur place, you'll have the privilege of being among the first to find out about new literary releases, and you'll also be able to meet writers, publishers, journalists and other big names in literature. Over the course of 3 days, more than 200 authors will gather around this emblematic UNESCO World Heritage site.

As well as the big-name authors, Livre sur place is also an opportunity to showcase the region's publishers.

May - Imaginales, Épinal

Do you have an overflowing imagination and love plunging into new worlds? Then the Imaginales literary festival inÉpinal is for you! This event, which focuses on a new theme every May, is the annual rendezvous for fans of fantasy, fantastic and science fiction literature and all other fantasy genres.

Around a hundred writers specialising in the genre from all over the world take turns presenting their works and talking to the public.

As well as the competition, which includes 5 readers' prizes, 6 fantasy prizes and a comic book prize, there will be literary cafés, round tables, lectures, university conferences, professional training courses and amateur writing workshops.

Literary festivals in the Vosges

October - International Geography Festival, Saint-Dié-des-Vosges

Every year in early October, travellers, geography specialists and other adventurers gather at the Festival International de Géographie in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges. For three days, scientific and literary prizes are awarded and more than a hundred authors are invited to compete and present their publications.

These include the Amerigo Vespucci prize for works on the themes of adventure and travel, the Amerigo Vespucci prize for young people, and the Ptolémée book prize for popular works. Since 2016, there has also been a prize for geography comics!

You can attend meetings and debates, browse the book fair with your family, see street performances, film screenings, exhibitions and finish off by sampling culinary specialities from around the world.

Literary festivals in Moselle

April - Books in Metz

In April, Metz discovers itself through books during the Le Livre à Metz festival. For three days, the whole city hosts meetings with writers, book signings, exhibitions and shows. In all, more than 200 French and foreign authors and journalists, as well as around sixty regional writers, are invited.

The Livre à Metz festival also includes 70 themed events, writing workshops, exchanges organised with the Université de Lorraine, and talks by authors in hospitals, retirement homes and prisons.

Literary festivals in Champagne

May - Chaumont Book Fair

In May, Chaumont gives pride of place to literary works at its book fair. Over the four days of the fair, the town hosts meetings, workshops, readings and exhibitions. Writers from France and abroad meet up with the public to share their passion for literature and sign their works.

Over 4,000 books for adults and young people are on offer at the Chaumont Book Fair. You can also try your hand at writing at workshops organised throughout the event.

October - The regional children's book fair, Troyes

In the Grand Est region, young people are also entitled to their own literary event! The Salon régional du livre jeunesse, France's second-largest children's book fair in terms of attendance, takes place in Troyes in October. Budding readers can enjoy bookshops, exhibitions, workshops and book signings.

As well as learning to read, your children can also become festival judges! Three literary prizes will be awarded at the Troyes Regional Children's Book Fair. All you have to do is register them with your local media library.

Literary festivals in Alsace

November - Colmar Book Fair

In Colmar, November is marked by an event that book lovers wouldn't miss for the world: the Salon du livre de Colmar.

This all-encompassing festival showcases a wide range of literary genres through discussions and book signings.

Alongside these French and international authors, the Café de l'Histoire is where regional historians and writers present their latest works on Alsatian history.
Last but not least, to add to all these literary discoveries, exhibitions, writing competitions and film screenings are organised throughout the festival!

And why not take advantage of this Advent season in Alsace to stroll around the Colmar Christmas market?