Events & festivals in France in October

Gorillas in today's world.

The Museum of Natural History in Nantes, working together with the Rennes Espace des sciences and the Palais de la découverte, is organising an expo dedicated to the king of primates, the elusive, mysterious gorilla.

This animal, born out of the African forest, is an important symbol for many faiths and religious systems. The exhibition will be broken into two sections, both of which attempt to reveal the true nature of these fascinating creatures.

Five themes underpin this event: "Brute or BFG (Big Friendly Giant)?"; "Gorilla and man, a common heritage"; "Gorillas and the tropical forest"; "Watching Gorillas"; and finally "Gorillas in Danger".

This last theme will be a stepping stone onto the next section of the exhibition which aims to discuss what is affecting the life and habitat of the gorilla and what the future holds for this awe-inspiring animal.

The foundations of a city…

The Thomas Dobrée Archeological Museum in Nantes will for the duration of this exhibition become a gateway allowing you to travel back in time. Discover the history of Nantes and the region, from prehistory to the year one thousand.

From the apparition of humans to the first settlement, witness the birth and evolution of a city.

Tasty art…

The Espace Faience museum welcomed Baptiste Ymonet for the first time in 2006. The award-winning artist is back and will be working with plastic artist Vincent Jousseaume to present a unique exhibition.

Both artists will be working with the local tradition of luxury tableware to create an innovative set based on the theme "Whip Cream".

An artist's square, Paris-style.

Once again this year the place Saint-Vincent, opposite the church of the same name in one of the city's oldest neighbourhoods, will become Montmartre in Le Havre... For one magical Sunday, a number of regional amateur painters will come to expose their work, to paint right there on the spot and sell their creations.

The once and future king.

This first ever exhibition dedicated to the legend of King Arthur aims to retrace, understand and explain the mythology related to Arthur. This event boasts the prestigious "Exposition d'intérêt national" label (or "exhibition of interest to the nation") which is granted by the ministry of culture.

This legend is one if not the most important literary and artistic theme in European culture, and it has always been a highly-popular story. The Champs Libre exhibition aims to reveal the actual King arthur, the keystone of a veritable literary institution that blends magic, war and love… Aside the actual historical fact, this expo refers to old sources as much as contemporary adaptations, in order to better understand the birth of an almost universal legend.

Over 200 works linked to the myth will be on display, along with a number of historical and iconographical documents.

Pictures of a floating world…

This exhibition is an invitation into the world of Japanese printmaking - this journey will be fuelled by the Angers museum's collection of unique art prints. Au Pays de l'estampe is focused on the period between 1760 and 1840 which was the golden age of Ukiyo-e (or "pictures of a floating world"), the classical Japanese woodcut tradition.

The exhibit will be organised around 4 themes: women's prints; "surinomo" or prints for the Japanese new year, theatre actors, and Japan through the eyes of Hokusai and Hiroshige, two of the nation's greatest Ukiyo-e masters.

The alphabet of history…

Museum collections have often been put together by seemingly ordinary men who were no more than victims of circumstance; brought by chance to discover a field of research, they often became passionate scholars, archeologists or explorers…

For example, naturalist Frédéric Cailliaud came across egyptian civilisation during the Napoleonic campaigns. In 1882 he embarked on an expidition up the Nile to the antique city of Meroë - he returned with countless artefacts and a mine of information. There is also Louis Audemard who travelled to Carthage in 1889 and brought back a collection of funerary urns…

These botanists, mineralogists, doctors, printers, artists, preachers and explorers all shared a common culture - they worshipped curiosity and asked only to transmit what they had learned.

Let yourself be spirited away…

France and Japan have at least one thing in common: a passion for cartoons, comics and animation. The art of animation has become a major and respected form of expression in which realism and fantasy touch upon each other in ever-evolving alternate realities.

Three great names stand out on the animation landscape: Paul Grimault, Takahata Isao and Miyazaki Hayao. These artists, from completely different parts of the world, are nevertheless connected at a higher level and speak the same artistic language. The curator for this expo, Jean-Pierre Pagliano, is an expert critic of Paul Grimault's art and is also familiar with Japanese animation and cinema.

This unique exhibition will be a journey into parallel universes, those of Grimault's Le Roi et l'Oiseau ("The King and the Mockingbird"),Takahata's Pompoko and Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke. To complement the exhibits there will be a full programme of workshops, discussions and outdoor film screenings in the Abbey gardens.

From swing to rhythm and blues…

From swing to rhythm and blues and even some choreographed street dance…the best music and the best dancers find their place in a succession of different sets presenting acrobatics, vocals, magic and dance.

To bring out the very best response in the audience, the troop of artists and magicians pull out all the stops: virtuosity, energy, seduction, glamour, etc.

This is a review that is suitable for families, offering everyone an evening of spectacular entertainment.

The one and only Breton marathon.

Launched in 2000, the Vannes marathon is an initiative of local municipalities and the Bretagne Atlantique hospital sport association.

42 195km… This accumulated distance is what made the reputation of this great event. The circuit is simply dreamlike: through gardens, along ramparts, roads, and pedestrian lanes, and then on to the countryside, along the beach and Breton coastlines… Every year participants leave the event completely enchanted (and slightly exhausted).

This isn't just any old race but a major marathon coursing through the one and only Bretagne region. The event also provides an array of quality food and beverages so that spectators can keep their spirits up to cheer on the athletes.

Homage.

This exhibition is not for the faint of heart… Christophe Miralles has set up this event as an homage to the victims of terrorist attacks in London and Madrid.

His art lies between painting and sculpture. The spectator wanders amidst a forest of faceless beings but also vividly colourful canvases, a stark contrast that reflects a confrontation, a cohabitation of life and death.

Down in the crushing depths where man has no place…

A new attraction is available for visitors of the Cité de la Mer. From February 2nd, you can enjoy this fantastic experience thanks to cutting-edge 3D-animation and simulator technology: discover the abyss from the point of view of a submarine surrounded by deep-sea creatures!

From there you can enjoy an hour-long virtual tour… Open your eyes and admire the riches of Neptune's Kingdom!

What dreams may come…

"Machines on the Island" (Les Machines de l'Ile) is indeed a mysterious concept... It involves massive animals, creatures of the savana or the ocean depths, appearing suddenly in the middle of the city, as if one's daydreams had crossed over into reality…

You will not have to imagine this, because it has been imagined for you. These giant wood and metal creatures will be there, palpable, more real than ever. Evidently, a discussion will be organised to explain the process of creation and to introduce the team of artists/engineers.

This fantastic event is signed François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice working with the famed Royal de Luxe company!

Friendly British invasion.

The English aristocracy were completely won over by Dinard's gentle climate and fine sandy beaches as early as the mid-19th century. As a result, many hotels and villas were built amongst the town's numerous palm trees and camellias (more than 400 villas are today listed historic monuments). Dinard also boasts a wide array of leisure activities including tennis, golf and a casino, and has over time become marked by a definite "Britishness".

It is then fitting that the British film festival should be hosted here. The event offers public and professional audiences an opportunity to discover British cinema - once in a while the audience will see a box office hit before it hits the big screens. Favourites such as The Full Monty and Shallow Grave owe a lot to the Dinard film festival.

Dinard is also a privileged venue for premiers that might interest French distributors.

Truly traditional cuisine…

The Mère Poulard Inn, located on the famed Mont Saint-Michel, is turning 120 this year!

Established in the late 19th century, the inn owes its name to person who orchestrated its foundation and success: Annette Poulard. Annette was only 20 when the Mont, which had become a prison after the French revolution, returned to its normal state as a site of pilgrimage.

In 1888 Annette and her husband decided to open an auberge or inn, a place where pilgrims and visitors could enjoy a healthy meal and a warm bed. Annette was soon known as Mère Poulard ("Mother Poulard"), for "mère" was at the time used to designate exceptionally good cooks. Year by year, visitors would pour in to delight in the 700 or so recipes served by the Auberge, including the now famous Mère Poulard omelette.

Nowadays, years after Annette passed away, the Auberge strives to perpetuate her gastronomical tradition. Some of her recipes found their way into supermarkets, and a number of traditional products (buiscits for example) bear the Mère Poulard label.

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…

Everyday life in empty spaces.

Tatiana Trouvé, winner of the 2007 Marcel Duchamp award, has been working on a series of projects at the FRAC (a regional contemporary art fund). This recent work tells us a great deal about her rapid artistic evolution.

Trouvé's landmark installation is the Bureau of Implicit Activities (Bureau des Activités Implicites or BAI). Set up since 1997, this expansive piece is made up of complex architectural modules each of which is a spatial representation of different components of her everyday life ("Administrative Module", "Waiting Module"…). Over time the BAI was added to with Polders (Dutch word for artificial islands or land expansion) - these elements defy normal scale and are grafted to the BAI like so many new "compartments" or activities in one's life.

More recently, her work has been focused on a functional space with no function, a meaningless, nameless sculpture, drawing or installation that is nevertheless filled with a sense of potentiality...

The best of contemporary photography.

The Quinzaine Photographique de Nantes or QPN is a festival dedicated to the promotion of contemporary photography. Established professionals as well as young talents have an opportunity to reach a wide public at the QPN.

The "Prix QPN 2008" will be awarded to the photographer with the best portfolio. Additionally, this winner will have a personal display space throughout the entire event, the best possible showcase for a budding photographer.

Man's greatest conquest…

Witness a feast dedicated to the most noble of animals, the proud and powerful Equus Caballus.

Among other events, participants of the International Carriage Racing tournament will be racing down the streets and taking part in various competitions for the occasion - don't miss out on this impressive performance.

Every year in October, the Calvados region celebrates "man's greatest conquest: the horse". With over 1 400 stud farms, countless horse-riding centres and 8 race-tracks, the Calvados region is indeed the most representative of this culture and sport. 2 whole weeks of equine-related events and activities… Not to miss!

Boxes dedicated to Life.

Living Box is a unique vision of contemporary art - it is focused on a number of artists who have begun to question the political, economic and ecological frameworks of the world today. This event is an invitation to rethink one's conceptions of architecture and fashion, furniture and everyday objects…

The exhibition is a collection of liveable spaces, "Living Boxes", small-scale architecture (a room, a cell) which brings to mind the eponymous work of Patrick Van Caeckenbergh (a space in which he lived for five years). Also, we are reminded of Absalon's cells, and the rooms of Sylvie Fleury or Dominique Donzalez-Foerster.

An homage.

Raymond Hains was already displaying his work at the Pays de la Loire Contemporary Art Fund (FRAC) in 1998. His photographs and digital works were gathered under the heading "Lemot passe a travers" ("The words pass through it") which was dedicated to François-Frédéric Lemot, a major sculptor.

The FRAC is today home to an impressive collection of works signed by Hains. The Director of the FRAC, Laurence Gateau, has decided to organise this homage in 2008, a decade after the original exhibition. This latest exhibition, "Comme le Verre à travers le Soleil, Autour de Raymond Hains”, aims to shed a new light on the works of Raymond Hains.

A garden that jumps off the page.

The Chantenay library will be displaying a collection of art-photos signed Jean Renaudineau for this exceptional "Couleurs et saveurs du jardin" exhibition.

Over 30 works will be on display and all are focused on a bucolic, refreshing theme: tomatoes! The visitor will be drawn into a lush green and red world full of summertime flavours…

The thin line between reality and fiction.

Taysir Batniji's work revolves around notions of individual or collective identity, dissapearance, displacement and exile. The images he brings back from his travels to Gaza, the traces of his journey, are like so many parcels of memory; they represent a vehicle for recording history…

Ville Lenkkeri's photographical works have unusual subjects: museums of natural history, university of medicine collections, or the mural decorations in waiting rooms… These reveal a cinematic approach to photographical art, blurring the boundaries between reality and fiction.

Artist Yvan Salomone is more interested in landscapes, even unusual ones such as harbours and industrial ports. His watercolours are made from photographs and video works and are always in the same, large format. His images are ambiguous in the sense that they are caught between an objective documentary-style and a more subjective vision.

Lena et Victor Vorobyev are two Kazakhstan-born artists who work with urban scenes. Within their works (installations, images, performances) the viewer is confronted with communist propaganda alongside the publicity of Western consumer society.

Desire, rage, hatred, despair…

Set in Rome in 1800, this story is about the consequences of the Battle of Marengo and the collapse of the Roman republic. Giacomo Puccini stages a love story between a passionate, jealous singer and a dreamy, selfless painter - he avoids the soppy romantic cliché by setting the story in such a turbulent context.

Yet a nefarious figure lurks within the shadows cast by churches and palaces, in the dark tunnels of religion and politics. Scarpia is a chief of police, a corrupt individual with a taste for torture… Rather than love he would possess, and the two young lovers, star-gazing into each other's hearts with an artist's sentimentality, do not inspire him or move him… They only serve to become his prey.

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…

Digging into the past

For 20 years now, archeological research has been taking place at Mez Notario, located at the center of the Isle of Ouessant. The site and the dig have been managed by Jean-Paul Le Bihan, director of the Finistère Center for Archeological Research (CRAF), which called upon 400 professional and civilian diggers to help bring to light some amazing finds about the origins of Ouessant.

The Armoric Regional Natural Park and the CRAF have organized an exhibit which retraces the history of the digs at Mez Notario to be presented at the Museum of "Phares and Balises." Numerous objects plus articles from the planning stages and several models will be on display. Visitors will be able to easily reconstruct the history of this fascinating island with the materials to be presented. A project that took 20 years to bring to the surface!

In the footsteps of...

The tour follows a path marking out the various stages in the life of Alain Gerbault: childhood, the First World War, his adventures at sea, his final port of call in Polynesia.
The extensive museum collection is made up of photographs, maps, letters and personal possessions.

Museum and laboratory.

The Marinarium in Concarneau is a laboratory museum, exhibiting the work of researchers in the fields of marine life, the environment and marine resources.
The marinarium is housed in the world's oldest marine research station, built in 1859, which still features the original vivariums. The exhibition now on display recounts the scientific adventure of exploring the world of the sea: the first experiments in marine aquaculture, the identification of the many organisms that make up plankton, the discovery of potentially therapeutic compounds or new species of fish. The oceans cover two thirds of the total surface area of the Earth. Estimates suggest that the diversity of life forms in this ocean world is between 1,000 to 10,000 times greater than on land!

Where silence reigns.

With its church and conventual buildings, the abbey of Saint-Martin forms a fine classical example of the 18th century. Visit the abbey church, the sacristy and the main convent rooms including the extensive library containing 50,000 volumes.

Attacking the Tour Solidor!

The Solidor Tower at Saint-Servan houses the Saint-Malo Museum's collection on this theme.
Numerous models, ship's instruments and objects, made by mariners during their long voyages or brought back as souvenirs of distant shores, fire the imagination with images of extraordinary voyages on the great sailing ships of the late 19th and early 20th century that carried cargoes of nitrates from Chile, wood and grain from California or Australia, nickel from New Caledonia, etc.

The "Solidor Tower" is in fact a fortified structure that originally consisted of a small guard-tower, the existing bastion which incorporates sections of Gallo-Roman masonry, and the three towers connected by curtain walls to the main body of the fortress.
Work on building the fortified keep began between 1369 and 1382, on the orders of Duke Jean IV of Brittany as a means of controlling the town of Saint-Malo, recalcitrant to his authority.

The historian and his work.

French writer and historian Jules Michelet (1798-1874) wrote many of his works in the castle tower where he installed his study.
As you pursue your course along the "Route historique des maisons d'écrivains" (homes of famous writers), you will be able to retrace the life and works of Jules Michelet,
author of such works as Histoire de France (a history of France) or Histoire de la Révolution française, a history of the French Revolution.

Nantes, a modern, contemporary city.

From industrial architecture like the Batignolles plant or the famous Lefèvre-Utile (LU) factory, now home to the Nantes national theatre, from religious buildings like the parish church of Sainte-Thérèse, from modern housing or offices (Le Corbusier's Delamarre building) to post-war reconstruction, from Art Nouveau (villa Jeannette) to Art Déco (CGA building), Nantes is chock-full of an exciting urban contemporary architectural heritage most of which was built during the "Trente Glorieuses", the heady years of post-war expansion from 1945 to 1975.

From the 11th century to contemporary art.

Built in the 11th and 12th centuries, modified during the 14th and 15th centuries and again during the Renaissance, the castle of Laval has retained its crypt and all its original defences: the keep, the fortified walls, etc.
Against the walls of this castle, the display of Naive Art makes an astonishing contrast: the castle museum features an international collection of Naive Art including works by some of themovement's greatest names: from Bauchant to Bombois, Vivin, Séraphine and Henri Rousseau (Le Douanier), whose studio is recreated here.

An historic beach.

On the site of Omaha Beach itself, the 1,200m² museum presents a splendid collection of uniforms, weapons, personal effects and vehicles.
Impressive scenes and superb archive photos, maps, themed panels, a landing-craft, a Belgian barrier, a 155mm Long Tom gun, a Sherman tank and a film accompanied by personal accounts from U.S. veterans provide a clear explanation of the landings on Omaha Beach and Pointe du Hoc.

Discovering the Cotentin.

Where the département of the Manche meets the Calvados, on the "threshold of the Cotentin", the Parc Naturel Régional des Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin is made up of 27,000 hectares of marshland and polders set in a landscape of traditional bocage woodland and rolling meadows (90,000 hectares). Pastureland and hay-meadows, crisscrossed by ditches and dotted with the occasional peat-bog, are the distinctive features of this wetland area that opens out onto the Baie des Veys. With the advent of the winter floods, the marsh turns "white" as the Cotentin peninsula comes into its own.
Less extensive areas of moorlands, woods and forest plus the coastline add diversity to the landscape.

Guaranteed waterproof.

Sailing activities organised all year round for adult sailors, boat owners and works committees, regattas for monotypes and liveaboard cruisers.
Every Saturday morning, as part of the Voile Loisir scheme, beginners can try their hand at liveaboard cruiser sailing.

Take a trip down the Mayenne and discover the Loire Valley.

Once upon a time the Mayenne was overrun by commercial activity. Nowadays, however, it has become a unique site where objects and creatures of ecological importance are preserved while at the same time allowing for a number of leisure pursuits.
Perfect for a walk or bike ride, the 85km towpath can be taken in sections but is suitable for a continuous cycle ride.

Over 2,000 years of history...

Corseul is the oldest town in the département. Founded in around the year 10 B.C., capital of the Coriosoliti, an Armorican tribe, Corseul offers an introduction to Gallo-Roman civilisation in Armorica through some of its ancient remains.
1.5km from the centre, on the Dinan road, an ancient wall some ten metres high bears witness to Courseul's importance in remote times.
Before this wall of the cella, the room in which the stature of the divinity used to stand, there once stretched a vast expanse of buildings, covering over a hectare and surrounding a vast closed courtyard where the faithful come to pray at the temple would gather.
Mars was probably the deity worshipped in this sanctuary but no inscription has been discovered that would provide absolute proof.

As you will see, the ancient town of Fanum Martis (Corseul) was organised around a network of streets covering over 100 hectares, crossing at right angles and delineating quarters, each with its own activity: urban dwellings, shops and businesses, temples, baths, etc. Near the present-day town hall, archaeologists have unearthed an entire commercial complex in the main street of the town, lined by a gallery of porticoes. The site, which goes by the name of Monterfil, has now been reconstructed.

Learn the professional driver's touch.

A stable of 90 performance cars, rotated regularly, takes you roaring along the track and roads running through 90 hectares of exceptional settings as you discover the thrill of driving.
Daily and by appointment for groups and individuals, get in training for one of five activities:
Grand Prix go-karting: steer your 270cm3 sports kart round the 800-metres FFSA-aproved track;
25€ per half-hour and per person (includes initial briefing, time trials and race, minimum age: 14) ;
Quad biking on 15km of off-road tracks and paths;
25€ per half-hour and per person, minimum age: 6;
Driving a Lotus Super 7 (115 CV, 520 kg);
80€ per half-hour and per car, driving licence required;
Driving a Lotus Elise (130 CV) or Spider Renault Sport (150 CV) for an introduction to race drivng on a 2km race-track;
95€ per half-hour and per car, permanent radio contact with the instructor, personalised comments, driving licence required;
In association with Renault Sport, take the wheel of the Mégane RS, Clio RS or Clio V6;
100€ per 1/2 hour per car, 40€ for an introductory drive in a Clio V6.

Centuries of light.

Opened in June 2005, the museum's new presentation of its permanent collections of paintings offers a new outlook on the works of the 19th and 20th centuries.
For the most part, these are landscapes whose common feature is an attempt to grasp rhythm, colour and light and fix this impalpable illusion on canvas.
In the 19th century, painters began experimenting with outdoor painting.
Little by little, light begins to dissolve the subject and lead towards abstraction.
This progress towards modernity can be traced through the works of Elodie La Villette, Eugène Boudin, Claude Monet, Jean Le Moal and Geneviève Asse.

In the land of the irreducible Gauls.

The Park extends from the confines of the Côtes-d'Armor in the east to the Molène and Ouessant archipelago in the west.
There are two main components of the Park: one, land-based, covers the Monts d'Arrée massif. The other looks to the sea and encompasses the Ria de l'Aulne and the Crozon peninsula which separates the waters off Brest from the bay of Douarnenez.
The isles of Sein, to the south off Cap Sizun, and the Molène-Ouessant peninsula to the north, mark the western confines of the Park.

Try out an organic market with 100% natural products.

As you stroll around the Sainte-Thérèse quarter, try some of the organic products for their quality and taste.

The Sainte-Thérèse market is sure to be selling its famous artichokes and cauliflowers and, if you happen to be there at the right time of year, maybe even the famous Coco de Paimpol white beans.

Delicious duck

Duck farming, production of farmhouse foie gras;
Sale of duck products: foie gras, confits, terrines, rillettes, smoked breast fillets;
Ready-cooked dishes in sealed jars: cassoulets, sauerkraut with duck confit, duck with orange, duck thighs in cider, etc.

A village recounts its memories...

In the heart of the forest of Perseigne, a village recounts its memories in the Maison du Sabot (clog museum).
Neufchâtel-en-Saosnois showcases the skills of those who worked with wood: clog-makers, woodsmen, carpenters, cartwrights and wheelwrights, etc.
The collection of woodworking tools are witnesses to a common past.

A programme just for you.

For individuals, groups or families, the Saint-Quay is your passport to distant horizons.
Half-day, full-day, weekend or week-long cruises are designed as an introduction to traditional sailing, sea-going culture and the ocean environment.
The half-day cruise takes you around the bay of Saint-Brieuc.
For the day or weekend, sail around the Bréhat archipelago and for the week-long cruise, the lobster-boat will transport to you to the Channel Islands.

Explore Saint-Malo's rich and varied past.

Since 1927, the main castle keep has housed the collections of the Municipal Museum that became the city's Museum of History after renovation by the French Historic Monuments department in 1950.

This massive horseshoe-shaped tower was built from 1424 onwards on the orders of Duke Jean V of Brittany.
It rises to a total height of 35 metres.
The Museum was extended in 1988 by a further three exhibition rooms created in the Tour Générale and is scheduled for yet another extension into the Quic-en-Groigne tower and the Petit Donjon.
The history of Saint-Malo and its maritime tradition begins with shipbuilding and the opening up of the Newfoundland fishing grounds, the region's two main activities in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Architectural heritage and cultural events.

Periodic events: concerts and exhibitions of paintings and sculptures, seminars and symposia (programme available on request).
Permanent exhibition: visits by appointment:
Architectural heritage, workshops, turbines and exhibition rooms.