Witness the unseen…

This troupe was once the "Bonjour Circus", and then the "Imaginary Circus"… Now, suddenly, they have turned invisible, and it is mostly children who have the imagination to really see their performance (as well as a few adults who never really grew up).

These unorthodox, unusual and impressive performers have concocted a great show that will have the little ones roaring with laughter and starry-eyed with amazement.

Iran's Persian heritage…

Abbas Bakhtiari has performed alongside some of the big names of world music: Tony Gatlif, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tûni, or Tomatito… This unusual band is steeped in classical Persian traditions and Sufi culture generally.

Being exceptionally well-versed in the daf and zarb (Iranian percussion instruments), Abbas Bakhtiari offers you a gateway into an ancestral culture.

A story to commemorate the fallen.

This expo will be telling a story. The story of the World Trade Center; of an attack in 2001; of firemen and rescue workers and construction workers; of a police force and hospital workers; of the 2 700 people who lost their lives; and finally of the response that these events brought about…

These powerful themes are the very soul of this exhibition built on a collection of personal objects, pictures, films, testimonies and remains found amidst a mountain of rubble. The tale of rescue operations will be told through various things… Things that we all use in everyday life, objects, fragments, debris, a crooked steering wheel, a souvenir…

Musical tours…

Tour the museum to find out about how the concept and representation of "incarnation" has evolved from 16th century paintings to the present day.

The tour will be led by Mrs Fouquet-Arnal, art historian, and P. Rollet, a notable theologist. Musical interludes will splice this tour and offer a more rounded sensory experience.

Looking for that rare item…

Caen's grand flea market is the biggest second hand sale in all of Lower Normandy. This will be a great opportunity to spend a weekend searching for good deals, improbably bargains and maybe even planning ahead for that perfect Christmas present.

In 2008 this market will be celebrating its 20th anniversary. The Puces Caennaises will be dedicated to "china" for the occasion - an ocean of trinkets, objects, clothes, equipment, etc, etc. will be flowing through Halls 1 and 2 of the Parc des Expositions. A total of 11 000m² of exhibition space for almost 200 exhibitors, all of which are professionals in the second hand trade.

Flash loaded, armed and ready.

The Fine-Arts Museum in Caen has been working with the Boréales Festival to organise this major exhibition dedicated to Anne Clarén. Holding is a sort of documentary/diary of Anna Clarén's life at a time when she was taking pictures literally 24/7; in the evenings she would leave the shutter open with a trigger system. The characters in this exhibition are close ones, family members and random passer-by met in the streets…

Keep your head in the clouds…

Clouds are the central motif of this artistic event, the protagonist in this story. Clouds and variants of clouds (fog, plumes of smoke, gaseous emanations, skyscapes…) represent a pictorial experience unlike any other. Watching clouds is about the action of seeing, but also about interpretation and truth.

In films, clouds remain a useful tool, a stylistic device among many others; how do directors use this strange language? Look to the skies in wonder…

An energetic, young formation.

The Pélleas chamber orchestra has just ended a number of productions in partnership with the Les Brigands company over the past few seasons (Ta Bouche, Toi c'est moi), and a representation of Offenbach's The Robbers this season. The musicians decided to organise this chamber formation for the long term, working with conductor Benjamin Lévy.

Thus this talented orchestra came to be, sponsored by Marc Minkowski. Directed by a Lévy, a masterful conductor, the orchestra is built around a committee made up of a few musicians in the vein of certain British or German formations.

"Stylistically-speaking, the orchestra uses new instruments to try to recapture the colour and general attributes of old-style music designed for ancient instruments," mentioned the committee. "For certain instruments which have evolved to such an extent that this becomes impossible (trumpets, kettledrums, trombones), we are known to play on antique instruments."

Being so dedicated to quality music, Benjamin Lévy has managed to round up a number of musicians (often soloists) from national and international formations. It was also his request that Marc Minkowski be the patron of this new formation.

For your eyes only.

Artists of the 16th and 17th centuries took a great deal of inspiration from Greco-Roman mythology, borrowing great fables of battles, debaucheries, metamorphoses and other magical happenings.

Nymphs, Sirens, Satyrs and other fabulous creatures exist among Hercules, Venus, Bacchus or Apollo, in scenes of Ovid's works or Antique stories.

The engravings on display throughout the exhibition are all from the Mancel collection and feature some of the most renowned Renaissance figures (Mantegna, Marco Dente, Caraglio, Aldegrever, Dürer, Georg Pencz, etc.) along with 17th century engravors who work with Rubens or the Carrache.

A rounded artist.

Howard Barker's artwork, the English artist and playwright, is made up of about 50 pieces, poetry collections and works on theatre, and an Opera libretto. His "Theatre of Catastrophe" paints a portrait of human cruelty which is, paradoxically, all the more alluring for its intelligence and clarity of expression.

His powerful themes (mutilation, the establishment, spectacular or invisible violence) make his plays powerful, original and captivating. These themes come through in his artwork as well: large spaces, burnt lands, stark whites crossed by earthy greens, landscapes peopled with small figures caught mid-motion, as if interrupted by the viewer's gaze. It is up to the imagination to finish the motion.

Its not all about the muscle…

This show is well worth checking out if you are up for a serious adrenaline rush! For the first time ever in France, the Stars of European Wrestling will be flexing their triceps for your enjoyment. A competition for both men and women wrestlers that will leave you literally slack-jawed with amazement.

Wrestling is a unique kind of show, a blend of sports and entertainment like nothing you've ever seen. And if you haven't seen it live, then you haven't seen it at all!

Each representation is indeed a blend of various skills: a detailed mise-en-scene includes elements from the previous and coming fights, keeping the audience addicted to the melodrama, while the fights are spectacular, physical, loud and powerful, ensuring you will be on the edge of your seat and screaming for more!

Keep your head in the clouds…

Clouds are the central motif of this artistic event, the protagonist in this story. Clouds and variants of clouds (fog, plumes of smoke, gaseous emanations, skyscapes…) represent a pictorial experience unlike any other. Watching clouds is about the action of seeing, but also about interpretation and truth.

In films, clouds remain a useful tool, a stylistic device among many others; how do directors use this strange language? Look to the skies in wonder…

Regional masterpieces.

This exhibition is the fruit of collaborations between no less than 24 museums, a project geared towards the promotio of the FRAM (a regional fund for museum acquisition) and of regional artwork.

Among the latest works acquired by the Fine-Arts museum in Caen, five will be displayed at the Saint-Georges church (Zoran Music, Balthus, Piero Pizzi Cannella, Pierre Buraglio, Vincent Bioulès) while the other works (Pierre Mignard, Salvator Rosa, Giovanni Battista Gaulli, Jacques-Emile Blanche, etc.), spread throughout the 24 museums, will feature a special mention on the wall text.

Iceland beckons…

The twelve dancers of the Iceland Dance Company are a credit to the world of contemporary dance. Whether working with a modern or contemporary repertoire, they show a level of excellence comparable to Europe's greatest formations.

Take an opportunity to see five excellent dance pieces performed for the first time ever in France!

Noble feet…

They came (from Ireland), they saw (an opportunity), they conquered the planet...

Since its beginnings, Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance has been applauded by a million spectators in France and over seven million worldwide! This performance is without a doubt one of the greatest successes of all time in France. Not to miss!

Starkly coloured.

Les Boréales festival is a whole universe of Northern colours… Granted, at first this may seem like a contradiction, and yet far up North is a land of warmth. Not the kind one would expect, but warmth nonetheless.

Art, heart-stopping landscapes, a social, convivial culture; literature, dance, concerts, films, exhibitions… Experience the colours of the North, the beautiful Borealis…

Contemporary dance, with a Flemish edge…

Here are two full evenings and an amazing, rich programme to witness the creative prowess of choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and her Rosas company.

While the Ictus Ensemble will be on stage for the Steve Reich Evening, Zeitung will be adapting some of the most prestigious and popular compositions in the classical genre. Rather than take the masterpieces as they are, note for note, the performance will blend and contrast the works into a totally novel show. Experience 23 opuses signed Bach, Webern and Schönberg, put into music by star pianist Alain Franco.

Every colour of jazz.

Jazz en Scènes is about inciting curiosity, bridging the gap between artist and audience with concerts in the afternoon and evenings… In short, this festival is about promoting the world of quality jazz.

The festival was designed to be a shared experience; with its two stages and inter-regional collaborations, it brings new talent into the limelight and inspires them with performances by some of the best in the business today.

For this 10-year anniversary, a total of 17 additional stages will be set up so that Jazz en Scène be the best possible experience. The line-up of this 2008 edition represents a panorama of the diversity of contemporary jazz; the music is thriving, inventive and universal. Don't miss out on this jazz showcase, a major festival for the whole family.

Five fingers that pack a serious punch.

Jean-Benoît Culot, star drummer from Caen, will be working with this super-energized quintet, "Five", to offer you beautiful moments of pure swing; Culot will be presenting his own version of tracks that influenced him throughout his life. Don't miss out on a great opportunity to hear some quality Sonny Clark, Donald Byrd, or Freddie Hubbard, as well as some original compositions.

A tour you won't soon forget.

The museum will be organising a special tour for the opening of the Hall of Ramparts. The tour will explore a forge, a 14th-century house, and a mysterious underground network.

Be sure to visit the belvedere, from which there is a unique view of the ducal palace and dungeon… To get there, you have to find the secret lift that runs up the Medieval tower.

Keep your head in the clouds…

Clouds are the central motif of this artistic event, the protagonist in this story. Clouds and variants of clouds (fog, plumes of smoke, gaseous emanations, skyscapes…) represent a pictorial experience unlike any other. Watching clouds is about the action of seeing, but also about interpretation and truth.

In films, clouds remain a useful tool, a stylistic device among many others; how do directors use this strange language? Look to the skies in wonder…

Simple, authentic, and real.

This third edition of the Salon du Vin Naturel will be taking place in late November.

The two previous editions were such a success that this show has become a yearly event much expected in the region. Here is where you will find authentic, traditional produce.

With 24 vintners from the whole of France, along with an army of producers from Normandy and the "terroir" more generally, visitors will be only tasting the best of the best.

Just around the château corner…

These works are an illustration of the evolution of sculpture. Each is a step in the progress of modern and contemporary sculpture either because of aesthetic choices, or because of the materials used. These works are obviously an important addition the the museum's collections, but more importantly they represent an arresting scene, an artistic surprise for the wanderers and visitors passing by…

A band that pleases every ear.

This Armenian pianist, barely 20 years old, has been bringing home prize upon prize for his jazzy piano skills; one notable award was his prestigious Thelonius Monk prize in 2006. Tigran Hamazyan will be playing with the Moutin brothers, probably the most popular percussionists in French and even international jazz.

"During his recent performance at the Olympia, Tigran Hamasyan revealed his unbelievable skills; he is a virtuoso, at once lost in the madness of music and perfectly in control, revealing a puissance and delicateness unlike any other […]. He walked out of there with the audience in his pocket."
Michel Contat, Télérama

A bike, my kingdom for a bike!

March 23rd 2008 is the inauguration date for the new self-service bicycle-rental system organised by the Caen town hall: V'eol.
With over 40 parking stations throughout the city, a new transport system is available for locals and tourists alike. The service will be at your disposal 24/7, forever changing the workings of inner-city transportation. Not only will it reduce pollution, but users will be getting fitter at every ride!

V'eol parking stations are positioned throughout the city.

Entrancing in its beauty and serenity.

It is to the Benedictine monks of the Middle Ages and the Classical period that Caen owes the majesty of its Town Hall, which occupies the former abbey of Saint-Etienne, known as the Abbaye-aux-Hommes. And, of course, to William the Conqueror who built the castle and, with his wife Matilda, founded the two abbeys that dominate the landscape.

Contemporary art with a modern feel.

Within its outer walls, thanks to the diversity of backdrops available, the chateau offers a splendid setting for this first series of five sculptures, three modern and two contemporary, launching this ambitious project: Rodin's Walking Man on a Column, Bourdelle's Grand Guerrier (the warrior), Giacometto's Grande Femme (tall woman), Sans Titre (untitled) by Damien Cabanes (1999), coloured resin, and One Man, Nine Animals.

The exhibition is an invitation to discovery and surprise, open to all walkers and visitors.