Festival de l'Eau dans l'Orne

The Festival de l'Eau dans l'Orne: A Transcultural Event in the Heart of the Pays d'Auge

Since 2019, the Festival de l'Eau dans l'Orne has invited residents and visitors to an artistic and cultural celebration centered on the theme of water, a vital and unifying element. Supported by the association Les Arts Improvisés, this festival spans two weeks in the communes of the Orne Pays d'Auge, with Saint-Aubin-de-Bonneval as its main anchor point.

A Festive and Multidisciplinary Spirit

The festival embodies a resolutely transcultural, multidisciplinary, and festive spirit. Each edition explores new facets of the aquatic theme through a varied program: concerts, street performances, dance, popular balls, storytelling, screenings, and participatory workshops. The 2025 edition, the 5th, highlighted dance, popular dances, and the spirit of village festivities.

Artists and Encounters

The festival hosts artists from diverse backgrounds, blending music, slam poetry, residents' stories, and participatory creations. The project « L'Œil Écoute L'Oreille Voit » combines music with stories gathered from the inhabitants of the Vallées d'Auge and Merlerault, grounding the festival in the territory and its memories.

Convivial Gatherings

Among the highlights are the surprise aperitifs, dance evenings with groups like Le Mange-Bal, and fireworks displays, all creating a warm and popular atmosphere. The festival also offers an opportunity to discover the natural and built heritage of the Orne Pays d'Auge, between green valleys and characteristic villages.

Strong Territorial Roots

By investing the villages and hamlets of the Orne countryside, the Festival de l'Eau contributes to the cultural animation of rural areas and the valorization of water-related landscapes: rivers, washhouses, springs, and wetlands. It demonstrates a commitment to making culture accessible in rural areas, far from major cities.