Contes en Balade Festival
Traveling storytelling through the Tarn
2026
About Contes en Balade
Contes en Balade — edition 2026
The 27th edition of Contes en Balade travels across the Tarn from September 16th to October 11th, 2026. Sixteen towns across the department will host storytelling performances spanning continents: Maori and Marquesan legends with Céline Ripoll, Latin American tales with Victor Cova Correa, 27 stories chosen by lottery by Olivier de Robert for the opening, and two outdoor storytelling walks. All events are free to attend.
27th edition — from September 16th to October 11th, 2026
The Tarn Department and its Departmental Media Library invite you to the 27th edition of Contes en Balade, running from September 16th to October 11th, 2026. True to its spirit of discovery, this year's program takes audiences on a journey from one continent to another, weaving together memories, ancient legends, and fantastical imaginations. From Pacific myths to Latin American tales, and from mysterious forests to inner paths, the performances explore our relationship with the living world, beliefs, and fears.
Sixteen towns are hosting storytelling performances this year, supported by the departmental library network and partnerships with various Departmental services—PMI-A, the Departmental Childhood and Family Home, the Museum Conservation department, and Sports and Youth services.
The storytellers of the 2026 edition
Festival patron Olivier de Robert kicks off the event on September 16th in Vielmur-sur-Agout with "27, dites 27 !": twenty-seven stories told in a single evening, selected by a random draw. Céline Ripoll, author and storyteller specializing in Oceanian cultures, presents three evenings featuring "Aotearoa, terre des Maoris" and "Fantastiques îles Marquises". Nadine Walsh rides through the tales of "Cavales", Victor Cova Correa takes us on a journey from the Andes to moonless nights, the Monde à part company presents "Bête Beurk", and Marion Lo Monaco wanders the paths with "Callis".
The Little Ones' Festival
On September 23rd and 24th, a program for early childhood, organized with the Department's PMI-A service, features "Arête" by Mathilde Bensaïd, a show of stories and nursery rhymes for children aged 6 months to 3 years, at the Marguerite-Yourcenar media library in Graulhet and then at the Saint-Juéry media library. Reservations are required.
Two outdoor storytelling walks
On Sunday, October 4th, Victor Cova Correa leads the audience on a stroll through the park of the Château-Musée du Cayla in Andillac. On Sunday, October 11th, local amateur storytelling associations close the festival with the traditional storytelling walks in the Sérénac forest, at the departmental base.
Highlights Contes en Balade 2026
- 27th edition from September 16th to October 11th, 2026, in sixteen towns across the Tarn
- Opening on September 16th in Vielmur-sur-Agout with festival patron Olivier de Robert and his 27 randomly selected stories
- Céline Ripoll, specialist in Oceanian cultures, in three evenings in Terssac, Saïx, and Vabre
- "The Little Ones' Festival" on September 23rd and 24th: "Arête" by Mathilde Bensaïd for ages 6 months to 3 years, with the Department's PMI-A service
- Two outdoor storytelling walks: at the Château-Musée du Cayla on October 4th, and in the Sérénac forest on October 11th
- All performances are free to attend
Programme Contes en Balade 2026
Wednesday, September 16th, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Olivier de Robert, "27, dites 27 !" · Vielmur-sur-Agout, Maison polyvalente (place de l'Esplanade) — ages 10+, 1h15 — info 05 63 70 52 67
Friday, September 18th, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Céline Ripoll, "Aotearoa, terre des Maoris" · Terssac, salle du Préau (rue de l'Église) — ages 7+, 1h — info 05 63 54 39 30
Saturday, September 19th, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Céline Ripoll, "Fantastiques îles Marquises" · Saïx, MJC (21 rue Toulouse-Lautrec) — ages 7+, 1h — info 05 63 72 39 83
Sunday, September 20th, 2026
- 4:00 PM — Céline Ripoll, "Aotearoa, terre des Maoris" · Vabre, le Foyer rural (11 rue Gédéon) — ages 7+, 1h — info 05 63 74 40 60
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026 — The Little Ones' Festival
- 9:30 AM and 10:45 AM — Mathilde Bensaïd, "Arête" · Graulhet, médiathèque Marguerite-Yourcenar (16 rue de la Mégisserie) — ages 6 months to 3 years, 25 min — reservation required at 05 63 33 25 25
Thursday, September 24th, 2026 — The Little Ones' Festival
- 9:30 AM and 10:45 AM — Mathilde Bensaïd, "Arête" · Saint-Juéry, médiathèque (parc François-Mitterrand, 7 ter rue Jean-Lautier) — ages 6 months to 3 years, 25 min — reservation required at 05 63 76 06 49
Friday, September 25th, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Nadine Walsh, "Cavales" · Saint-Amans-Soult, Le Tortill'Art (4 rue des Cheminots, espace Gare) — ages 15+, 1h15 — info 05 63 97 94 46
Saturday, September 26th, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Nadine Walsh, "Cavales" · Giroussens, salle de la Boulonette (route des Crêtes) — ages 15+, 1h15 — info 05 63 40 81 43
Friday, October 2nd, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Victor Cova Correa, "Le voyage de Picaflor" · Viviers-lès-Montagnes, salle Fonségur — ages 10+, 50 min — info 06 41 48 52 88
Saturday, October 3rd, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Victor Cova Correa, "Les contes de la nuit sans lune" · Pampelonne, salle des fêtes (27 avenue Jean-Jaurès) — ages 11+, 1h — info 05 63 76 37 92
Sunday, October 4th, 2026
- Departure at 4:30 PM — Storytelling walk with Victor Cova Correa · Andillac, château-musée du Cayla (321 impasse du Musée) — all ages, 90-minute stroll — info 05 63 33 01 68
Wednesday, October 7th, 2026
- 3:00 PM — Compagnie Monde à part, "Bête Beurk" · Lacaune, L'Oc'Tave – pôle culturel (6 rue de la Balme) — ages 6+, 50 min — info 05 63 37 20 70
Friday, October 9th, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Marion Lo Monaco, "Callis" · Labruguière, Le Rond-Point (1 place de l'Europe) — ages 9+, 1h10 — info 05 63 73 51 20
Saturday, October 10th, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Marion Lo Monaco, "Callis" · Les Cabannes, Théâtre le Colombier (8 rue des Tanneries) — ages 9+, 1h10 — reservation required at 06 62 38 29 51
Sunday, October 11th, 2026
- Departures at 2:30 PM, 3:00 PM and 3:30 PM — Storytelling walks in the Sérénac forest, by local amateur storytelling associations · Sérénac, base départementale de la forêt de Sérénac (76 La Forêt) — all ages, 90 min. In case of rain, continuous indoor sessions from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM — info 05 63 60 37 04
Prices Contes en Balade 2026
Practical information — Contes en Balade
Practical Information
Locations
The festival takes place in 17 communes of the Tarn. Specific locations (libraries, media libraries, village halls, natural spaces) vary by edition. The detailed program is distributed by the Departmental Council of Tarn and partner libraries.
Price
Free admission for all shows.
Contact
Departmental Council of Tarn — Departmental Library. Website: www.tarn.fr
Contes en Balade: The Art of Storytelling Along Tarn's Paths
Since the year 2000, the Contes en Balade festival has brought the magic of storytelling to the villages and towns of the Tarn. Organized by the Departmental Council of Tarn with the support of the Departmental Library, this traveling event covers 17 communes in the department each autumn, from large towns like Albi, Castres, and Gaillac to the most rural villages.
A Traveling and Decentralized Festival
The strength of Contes en Balade lies in its traveling nature. The festival is not confined to a single venue: it goes out to meet its audiences, taking over municipal libraries, media libraries, village halls, village squares, and natural spaces to present the art of storytelling. This territorial network allows it to reach audiences who do not always have access to the cultural offerings of urban centers, in line with a mission of cultural democratization championed by the Department.
The Art of Storytelling in All Its Forms
Each year, the festival features about a dozen storyteller artists, from all over France and sometimes beyond, offering a variety of shows: traditional tales, contemporary narratives, musical storytelling, narrated walks in nature, and shows for toddlers. Each edition presents about fifteen different performances, some indoors, others outdoors, creating moments of intergenerational listening and sharing.
The librarians of the departmental network play an essential role in promoting the event, hosting the storytellers and mobilizing audiences in their respective communes. This close collaboration between book professionals and performing artists makes Contes en Balade a special moment for encounter between the written and the spoken word, reading and listening.
A Popular and Free Event
True to its values of free access and accessibility, the Contes en Balade festival is open to everyone, from the youngest to the oldest. The sessions for toddlers introduce the youngest to listening and imagination, while the evening shows offer more elaborate narratives for adult audiences. This multigenerational programming makes each edition a moment of family and community sharing, rooted in the cultural life of the Tarn region.
Where does it take place — Contes en Balade
Contes en Balade in brief
History of Contes en Balade
Edition 2025 Sep 2025Other festivals near Albi
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