Bulles en Val

Bulles en Val: The essential comic strip event in the Loiret region

Since 2003, the Bulles en Val festival has established itself as the major event dedicated to comic strips in the Loiret department and the Orléans metropolitan area. Organized by the OMCL association (Office Municipal pour la Culture et les Loisirs), this 9th art fair is held annually at the Espace Pierre Lanson, rue du Bourgneuf in Saint-Denis-en-Val, a town located a few minutes from the center of Orléans.

A rich program for all comic strip enthusiasts

Each edition brings together about fifty authors, scriptwriters, illustrators, and colorists who come to meet the public for signing sessions and passionate exchanges about their works. The festival covers all genres of the 9th art: Franco-Belgian comics, manga, graphic novels, comics, and children's albums. Specialized booksellers, independent publishers, and fanzine creators complete the offerings for visitors.

A guest of honor and exhibitions of original artwork

Each year, Bulles en Val honors a guest artist whose original plates are exhibited at the Espace Culturel de Saint-Denis-en-Val in the weeks preceding the festival, and then during the event weekend. Among the guests of honor of recent editions: Anlor (2022), Ève Tharlet accompanied by scriptwriter Brigitte Luciani (2024), Matthieu Durand (2025), and Moon Li (2026).

Free activities for young audiences and families

Bulles en Val gives a privileged place to young audiences and families. Admission is free for those under 18, and numerous free activities punctuate the weekend: a coloring area, face painting for children, drawing initiation workshops led by authors, and shows for young audiences scheduled on Saturday and Sunday at 4 PM. These shows, renewed each year, allow the youngest to discover the world of comic strips in a fun and lively way.

The Comic Strip Flea Market: A space for collectors

The festival also has a flea market area bringing together about ten exhibitors over several dozen linear meters, where collectors can find rare albums, limited editions, and merchandise related to the world of comic strips.

A festival rooted in its territory

Accessible by bus (lines 5 and 16) from Orléans, with free parking on site, Bulles en Val benefits from a strong local presence. The festival is supported by the municipality of Saint-Denis-en-Val and the Orléans Métropole. With its modest entrance fee (3 euros for adults, free for those under 18), it embodies the spirit of a popular, accessible, and generous cultural event that contributes to the influence of the 9th art in the Centre-Val de Loire region.