Concarneau Book & Sea Festival
The maritime literature festival
2026
About Book & Sea
Since 1985, the Festival Livre & Mer in Concarneau has stood as France's premier maritime literature festival. Every autumn, the event brings together authors, illustrators, and enthusiasts to celebrate the sea and the oceans. Over the course of two to three days, it offers literary encounters, book signings, conferences, exhibitions, and the presentation of prestigious awards honoring the year's finest maritime works.
Book & Sea — edition 2026
The 41st edition of the Festival Livre & Mer will take place on Saturday, October 31st and Sunday, November 1st, 2026, at the Porzou sports complex in Concarneau—a new venue for the festival. This year, the event has been awarded the « 400 ans de la Marine » label by the French Navy. The event features author meet-and-greets, book signings, lectures, and the presentation of maritime literary awards; the full program will be announced in September 2026.
41st Edition
The Festival Livre & Mer returns on October 31st and November 1st, 2026, for its 41st edition. A notable change: the festival is moving from its usual downtown locations to the Porzou sports complex (4 allée Coubertin) in Concarneau. For this edition, the association has been granted the « 400 ans de la Marine » label by the French Navy. The complete program—including guest authors, signings, lectures, and literary awards—will be unveiled in September 2026.
Highlights Book & Sea 2026
- 41st edition, Saturday, October 31st and Sunday, November 1st, 2026
- New venue: Porzou sports complex, Concarneau
- « 400 ans de la Marine » label awarded by the French Navy
- Author meet-and-greets, book signings, and maritime literary awards
Programme Book & Sea 2026
The program for the 2026 edition has not yet been released by the organizers; it is expected in September 2026 and will be added as soon as it becomes available.
Prices Book & Sea 2026
Practical information — Book & Sea
Access
For the 2026 edition, the festival will be held at the Complexe Sportif du Porzou (4 allée Coubertin) in Concarneau—a new location compared to previous years.
By car: from Quimper (23 km), follow the D783.
By bus: regular lines from Quimper (BreizhGo network).
Contact
Address: Association du Salon du Livre Maritime, 2 rue Émile Marceshe - BP 334, 29183 Concarneau cedex
Phone: 02 98 97 52 72 / 06 80 28 57 91 (phone support available Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM)
Email: [email protected]
Website: livremer.org
The premier gathering for maritime literature
Established in 1985, the Festival Livre & Mer in Concarneau is the oldest and most significant French-language maritime literature festival. Each autumn, this port city in Finistère welcomes authors, illustrators, photographers, and publishers specializing in the marine world. In 2025, the festival celebrated its 40th edition; in 2026, it moves to a new venue at the Complexe Sportif du Porzou, following many years held across various city-center locations (Centre des Arts et de la Culture, the media library, the Fishing Museum, and the Marinarium).
Prestigious literary awards
Each year, the festival presents several authoritative literary prizes in the maritime field, including the Prix Henri Queffélec and the Prix du Beau Livre maritime de la ville de Concarneau, which recognize the best books of the year.
A rich and accessible program
The festival features author meet-and-greets, book signings, thematic conferences, panel discussions, screenings of maritime documentaries, and exhibitions. Workshops for young audiences also allow children to explore the world of maritime literature.
Where does it take place — Book & Sea
Book & Sea in brief
History of Book & Sea
Edition 2025 Nov 2025Other festivals near Concarneau
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Published by Valentin Contard, festival listings writer. Reviewed, corrected and approved by Christophe Contard, editor-in-chief. .
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