Dire, Lire et Conter
Storytelling Festival in the Libraries of Montluçon Communauté
2026
About Dire, Lire et Conter
For over twenty years, the Montluçon Communauté library network has hosted Dire, Lire et Conter, its signature storytelling festival. From mid-September to late October, professional storytellers from all over France perform free sessions in libraries and cultural venues throughout the area, including Montluçon, Désertines, Domérat, Saint-Victor, Prémilhat, and Huriel. Each performance has a recommended minimum age, catering to everyone from toddlers to adults.
Our team has not been able to confirm with an official source that this 2026 edition is taking place. The dates and program shown below may be outdated. We strongly recommend that you contact the organizer directly to verify before any travel or registration.
Dire, Lire et Conter — edition 2026
The storytelling festival organized by the Montluçon Communauté library network returns in autumn 2026. Aurélie Piette, from the Grenoble-based company L'étoile et les fils, will perform "Mezzo Mare" and "L'envol des graines de lune" from October 13th to 15th. The opening and closing dates, along with the rest of the program, have not yet been released. All sessions are free of charge.
2026 Edition
The L'étoile et les fils company has announced three days of performances in Montluçon, from Tuesday, October 13th to Thursday, October 15th, 2026, featuring two shows by Aurélie Piette: "Mezzo Mare," a collection of exile narratives and traditional Sicilian tales for ages 12 and up, and "L'envol des graines de lune," origin stories accompanied by the sound of the tongue drum for ages 6 and up.
As of mid-August 2026, Montluçon Communauté has not yet published the official opening and closing dates or the full program. The dates listed here should therefore be verified with the organizer. For the 2025 edition, the program was released on September 17th, for a festival running from September 16th to October 31st.
The Montluçon tourist office describes the festival as a series of around forty sessions spread across the region, which also travel to schools, daycare centers, nursing homes, and even the Montluçon prison. Each show has a recommended minimum age. Admission is free for all sessions, subject to availability, and booking is required for certain events.
Highlights Dire, Lire et Conter 2026
- "Mezzo Mare" — Aurélie Piette, exile narratives and Sicilian tales, ages 12+ (October 13-15)
- "L'envol des graines de lune" — origin stories with tongue drum, ages 6+ (October 13-15)
- Free admission to all sessions, subject to availability
Programme Dire, Lire et Conter 2026
What has been announced so far
Montluçon Communauté has not yet published the 2026 program. Only one company has made its dates public.
From Tuesday, October 13th to Thursday, October 15th, 2026
- Mezzo Mare — Aurélie Piette, Cie L'étoile et les fils · exile narratives and traditional Sicilian tales · 1h10 · ages 12+
- L'envol des graines de lune — Aurélie Piette, Cie L'étoile et les fils · origin stories with tongue drum · 50 minutes · ages 6+
The times and locations for these two sessions have not been published. The full program will appear on the Montluçon Communauté website: for the 2025 edition, it was posted online on September 17th.
Prices Dire, Lire et Conter 2026
Practical information — Dire, Lire et Conter
Access
The festival takes place in the libraries and cultural venues of Montluçon Communauté.
- Boris-Vian Library: 27 rue des Faucheroux, 03100 Montluçon
- Fontbouillant Library: Montluçon
- Léo-Ferré Library: Rue Joliot Curie, 03630 Désertines
- Co-Libris Library: 14 rue Marcel Cachin, 03410 Domérat
- Libraries of Saint-Victor, Prémilhat, Huriel
Schedule
Sessions take place during the day and in the evening, according to the program. Consult the detailed program on the Montluçon Communauté website.
Prices
Free admission for all sessions, subject to availability. Booking recommended for some performances.
Contact
- Montluçon Communauté — Library Network
- Phone: 04 70 02 20 20
- Website: montlucon-communaute.com
The library network's festival
Dire, Lire et Conter was established in the early 2000s by the Montluçon Communauté library network. Every autumn, for several weeks, libraries such as Boris-Vian in Montluçon, Léo-Ferré in Désertines, Co-Libris in Domérat, the Fontbouillant library, and other local cultural venues host storytelling sessions led by professional artists. The 20th edition took place in the autumn of 2021.
The program runs from mid-September to late October: from September 19 to November 3 in 2023, and from September 16 to October 31 in 2025. Sessions are held across the municipalities of Montluçon, Désertines, Domérat, Saint-Victor, Prémilhat, and Huriel.
Sessions tailored to age groups
Each show includes a minimum age recommendation based on its content and complexity, ranging from sessions for toddlers and children to stories for teenagers and evening performances for adults. The guest artists—storytellers, narrators, and actors—blend traditional tales, popular legends, contemporary stories, musical narratives, and paper theater.
Recent guest artists have included Arnaud Redon (medieval tales), Christel Delpeyroux, David Linkowski, Le Petit Théâtre Dakôté (paper theater), Frédérique Lanaure, and Sylvie Vieville, as well as Marc Buléon and Claire Leray.
Free and accessible
Admission is free for all sessions, subject to availability; booking is essential for some events. According to the Montluçon tourist office, the festival features around forty sessions across the region and also travels to schools, nurseries, childcare centers, retirement homes, and even the Montluçon prison.
Where does it take place — Dire, Lire et Conter
Dire, Lire et Conter in brief
History of Dire, Lire et Conter
Edition 2025 Sep 2025Other festivals near Montluçon
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