Earth Festival in Fontaine-Daniel
A festival of ecology and village life in Fontaine-Daniel (Mayenne)
2026
About Earth Festival in Fontaine-Daniel
Every year, the Fête de la Terre brings the village of Fontaine-Daniel, in the commune of Saint-Georges-Buttavent (Mayenne), together to celebrate ecology. Organized by the association Les Cabanons since 2004, the four-day event in early September features panel discussions, a market of local organic producers, workshops, nature walks, live performances, and guided tours of the village.
Earth Festival in Fontaine-Daniel — edition 2026
The 22nd edition of the Fête de la Terre takes place from September 3rd to 6th, 2026, in Fontaine-Daniel, under the theme "Back to Basics." The festival kicks off on Thursday with a film screening in Mayenne attended by director Benoît Delépine, followed by a theater evening on Friday. The weekend in Fontaine-Daniel will feature an organic market, conferences with Eva Joly, Andreas Mayer, Céline Marty, Gabriel Malek, Pascale Toscani, and Noémie Moutel, as well as workshops, nature walks, and performances. Two highlights are dedicated to the Mayenne-born writer Jean-Loup Trassard, who passed away in January 2026.
Organized by the association Les Cabanons, this year's program explores political ecology, degrowth, walking, cognition, and ecofeminism through six panel discussions at the Fontaine-Daniel chapel. These are complemented by workshops (gardening, clay and origami, forest meditation, ornithology), guided tours of the village and the Bois-Salair monastery, and various performances (theater, storytelling, music, readings). The vibrant market featuring organic and local producers, crafts, and associations will be held on Saturday from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM on the rue de Fontaine-Daniel.
Highlights Earth Festival in Fontaine-Daniel 2026
- Conference/debate with Eva Joly, "Where does political ecology stand?", Saturday, September 5th at 11:00 AM, The Chapel
- Conference/debate with Céline Marty and Gabriel Malek, "What degrowth?", Saturday, September 5th at 6:00 PM, The Chapel
- Conference/debate with Pascale Toscani, "Are we going to make our children stupid?", Sunday, September 6th at 2:00 PM, The Chapel
- Ecofeminist conference with Noémie Moutel, Sunday, September 6th at 4:00 PM, The Chapel
- Roundtable discussion on Mayenne-born writer Jean-Loup Trassard, Sunday, September 6th at 11:00 AM, The Chapel
- Vibrant market of organic and local producers, Saturday and Sunday, rue de Fontaine-Daniel
- Screening of the film "Animal Totem" with director Benoît Delépine, Thursday, September 3rd at 8:00 PM, Le Vox Cinema (Mayenne)
Programme Earth Festival in Fontaine-Daniel 2026
Thursday, September 3rd, 2026
- 8:00 PM — Film screening: "Animal Totem" (Benoît Delépine, 2025, 1h30), followed by a discussion moderated by Yannick Lemarié, with the director in attendance · Le Vox Cinema, Mayenne
Friday, September 4th, 2026
- 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM — "Chemin d'azur," a lyrical recital by the Trio Liza (Agathe Barbin, Nicola Denis, Solène Ménard) · Mayenne Theater (€10, €5 for under 18s)
- 8:30 PM - 9:30 PM — "Tignasse," by La Bayerol compagnie · Mayenne Theater (€10, €5 for under 18s)
Saturday, September 5th, 2026 — Fontaine-Daniel
- 10:30 AM — Medicinal plants in the monastery garden, reservation required · Bois-Salair Monastery
- 11:00 AM — Conference/debate: "Where does political ecology stand?" with Eva Joly · The Chapel (conference rates apply)
- 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM — Organic/local produce, craft, and association market · rue de Fontaine-Daniel
- 2:00 PM — Workshop: "The garden, a space for joyful coexistence with living things" with Clément Breton · community gardens, behind the Les Platanes building (pay-what-you-wish)
- 2:00 PM — Botanical wanderings with Bertrand Rameaux, meeting at the fountain (pay-what-you-wish)
- 2:30 PM — Conference/debate: "Walking" with Andreas Mayer · The Chapel (conference rates apply)
- 3:00 PM — Clay and origami workshop with Evelyne Luais, ages 6+, max 8 people, registration at 06 60 06 12 62 · village square (€18)
- 3:00 PM — Meeting: "The Lady who walked on tiptoes" with writer Claude Baqué · Le Balcon (€3)
- 4:00 PM — Historical guided tour of Fontaine-Daniel with Victoria di Carlo, director of the Mayenne Co tourist office, 1h30, tickets at the welcome stand · departs from the fountain (€5)
- 4:00 PM — Guided tour of your choice (candle workshop or chapel decorated with Byzantine frescoes) · Bois-Salair Monastery
- 4:30 PM — "The extinction of sea cows," a meeting on translation with Adèle Rosenfeld and Nicola Denis · Le Balcon (€3)
- 4:30 PM — "Don Quixote & Sancho Panza," 2026 creation by Théâtre du Tiroir, ages 8-9+, 1h · The Chapel (€10, €5 for under 18s)
- 6:00 PM — Conference/debate: "What degrowth?" with Céline Marty and Gabriel Malek · The Chapel (conference rates apply)
- 6:00 PM — "Sens dessus dessous," reading and double bass with Caroline D., approx. 45 min · Le Balcon (€3)
- From 7:30 PM — Convivial meal on the village square, cuisine by Carlos de La Kantauch (meat or vegetarian menu), approx. 200 guests expected, register via email at [email protected]
- From 8:00 PM — Musical entertainment with Julien Artefact · village square
- Afternoon — Wooden games · village square
- Afternoon — Pony rides with Fiona's stables, info at the welcome stand (€2.50)
- Saturday and Sunday — Exhibition of watercolors by Henri Cabrol, free entry, between conferences and workshops · Le Balcon building
- Saturday and Sunday — La Forge restaurant, snacks and bar · village square
- Saturday and Sunday — L'Épicerie, takeaway and refreshments · in front of L'Épicerie and village square
Sunday, September 6th, 2026 — Fontaine-Daniel
- 9:30 AM — Ornithological walk: "Birds and Fontaine-Daniel" with Alexandre Desson, meet in front of L'Épicerie (€5)
- 10:00 AM — Forest meditation workshop with Claire Biétry, 1h30, max 15 people, pre-registration before September 3rd ([email protected]) · meet in front of L'Épicerie
- 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM — Organic/local produce, craft, and association market · rue de Fontaine-Daniel
- 10:00 AM — "Sens dessus dessous" with Caroline D. · Le Balcon (€3)
- 11:00 AM — Roundtable discussion on the work of Jean-Loup Trassard, with Dominique Vaugeois, Georges Monti, Pascal Commère, and Christian Le Bart, in partnership with the University of Free Time in Haute-Mayenne · The Chapel (€5)
- 2:00 PM — Botanical wanderings with Bertrand Rameaux, departs from the fountain (pay-what-you-wish)
- 2:00 PM — Gardening workshop with Clément Breton · community gardens, behind the Les Platanes building (pay-what-you-wish)
- 2:00 PM — Meeting: "The Mallouestan: the ecology of an alternative Norman community" with Cortney Knorr and Lau · Le Balcon (pay-what-you-wish)
- 2:00 PM — Conference/debate: "Are we going to make our children stupid?" with Pascale Toscani · The Chapel (conference rates apply)
- 2:30 PM — Conference: "The Belle Époque of Bois-Salair," reservation required · Bois-Salair Monastery
- 3:30 PM — "The pink backpack," storytelling show with Valentin Lacomba, ages 3+, 40 min · Le Balcon (pay-what-you-wish)
- 3:30 PM — Café-Trassard, meeting around the work of Jean-Loup Trassard · L'Épicerie
- From 3:00 PM — Musical entertainment with Bleu Gras and Monday Folks · village square
- 4:00 PM — Ecofeminist conference with Noémie Moutel · The Chapel (conference rates apply)
- 4:00 PM — Historical guided tour of Fontaine-Daniel with Victoria di Carlo, 1h30, tickets at the welcome stand · departs from the fountain (€5)
- 4:00 PM — Guided tour of your choice (candle workshop or chapel decorated with Byzantine frescoes) · Bois-Salair Monastery
- 4:30 PM — "The world is really small," reading and music by Compagnie Les Yeux Ont Des Oreilles, ages 11+ · in front of the village hall (pay-what-you-wish)
- 5:30 PM — Botanical wanderings with Bertrand Rameaux, departs from the fountain (pay-what-you-wish)
- Morning and afternoon — Wooden games · village square
- Afternoon — Pony rides with Fiona's stables, info at the welcome stand (€2.50)
A small mechanical carousel for children under 7, built on-site twenty years ago by volunteers, will run continuously throughout the weekend.
Prices Earth Festival in Fontaine-Daniel 2026
Practical information — Earth Festival in Fontaine-Daniel
Getting there
Fontaine-Daniel is located 3 km northwest of Mayenne. Carpooling is highly encouraged: meet at the Leclerc shopping center parking lot in Mayenne, or, for visitors coming from Laval, at the Aleop bus stop "route de Mayenne" in Changé, near the Anneaux roundabout. A bicycle parking area is available for cyclists, and a temporary parking lot for cars is open near the village.
Reception and safety
Reception and security at the village entrances are managed by a team organized by Timéo Fromentin. A Red Cross team will be on-site on Saturday and Sunday, based at the mill next to the pond.
A village by the water
Fontaine-Daniel, a wooded hamlet in the commune of Saint-Georges-Buttavent, grew around a Cistercian abbey and later a textile mill. The festival takes over the village square, the chapel, the Balcon building, the community gardens, and the nearby Bois-Salair monastery.
An ecological focus since 2004
The Les Cabanons association has been hosting the Fête de la Terre since 2004. Each edition combines talks by researchers and environmental advocates with gardening workshops, botanical and ornithological walks, performances, and readings, all centered around a vibrant market of local organic producers and artisans.
The 22nd edition in 2026 kicks off on Thursday with a film screening and continues on Friday with an evening of theater at the Théâtre de Mayenne, before the main festivities move to Fontaine-Daniel for the weekend.
Where does it take place — Earth Festival in Fontaine-Daniel
Earth Festival in Fontaine-Daniel in brief
Other festivals near Saint-Georges-Buttavent
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