Book and Booksellers Fair

A Popular Book Celebration on Place Ducale

The Book and Booksellers Fair takes place every year in May on the majestic Place Ducale in Charleville-Mézières. Born from the desire to celebrate books in all their forms and to highlight the city's independent bookstores, this festive day transforms the historic heart of the Ardennes city into a vast open-air reading lounge. Driven by the Charlevil'lecture project and the municipality's Cultural Action service, the fair unites all the local book industry stakeholders.

Booksellers, Authors, and Second-hand Booksellers Gathered

For the occasion, Place Ducale hosts Charleville-Mézières' independent booksellers, second-hand booksellers, regional and national publishing houses, as well as associations and organizations committed to promoting reading. Visitors can discover new and used books, meet authors for signings, interact with book professionals, and find literary treasures. The diversity of stands offers a rich panorama of contemporary literary creation.

Meetings, Workshops, and Entertainment

Beyond the book market, the Book and Booksellers Fair offers a varied program of entertainment throughout the day. Author meetings allow the public to interact with invited writers, while writing and literary creation workshops are offered for both children and adults. Outdoor reading areas invite relaxation and discovery. The atmosphere is enhanced by musical entertainment, including a barrel organ and a brass band that roam the square. Each edition is centered around an original theme: in 2025, the theme was Of Food and Words, blending gastronomy and literature.

Charleville-Mézières, a City of Reading and Poetry

The Book and Booksellers Fair is part of Charleville-Mézières' ambitious cultural policy regarding public reading. The Charlevil'lecture project aims to open alternative avenues for reading and foster sharing so that the desire to read grows. In a city marked by the heritage of Arthur Rimbaud and labeled a City of Poetry, this book fair contributes to nurturing the connection between residents and literary creation.