Festival de la BD du Pays de Château-Gontier
The annual meeting for comic strips in Sud-Mayenne
About Festival BD Château-Gontier
The Festival de la BD du Pays de Château-Gontier is an annual event dedicated to the ninth art, organized every first weekend of October at the Pôle culturel Les Ursulines. Since 2011, this event, led by the association BD au Pays de Château-Gontier, brings together more than seventy authors for two days of signings, thematic exhibitions, drawn concerts, workshops, and encounters.
Travel to this festival
Book your train or bus to reach Festival BD Château-Gontier at the best price.
Sponsored link
The Festival de la BD du Pays de Château-Gontier: the ninth art in a heritage setting
Created in 2011 by the association BD au Pays de Château-Gontier, the Festival de la BD du Pays de Château-Gontier has established itself over the years as a must-attend event for comic strip enthusiasts in Mayenne and throughout the Grand Ouest. Every first weekend of October, the Pôle culturel Les Ursulines, housed in the former 17th-century Ursuline convent, opens its doors to more than seventy authors who come to meet the public for signings, discussions, and moments of sharing around graphic creation.
A unifying theme for each edition
One of the festival's unique features is the choice of an annual theme that permeates the entire program: exhibitions, conferences, drawn concerts, and activities are designed in coherence with this common thread. In 2024, the 14th edition highlighted cinema with Spanish artist Ana Mirallès as the guest of honor, while the 15th edition in 2025 explored the theme of the sea with Emmanuel Lepage, the first comic strip author to receive the title of Official Painter of the Navy.
Exhibitions, drawn concerts, and workshops
The festival offers a rich and varied program. Several exhibitions showcase the work of the guest of honor and established or emerging artists. The drawn concerts, combining live music and live graphic creation, are one of the highlights of each edition. Practical workshops allow visitors to learn the techniques of drawing and sequential storytelling, while round tables bring together industry professionals to discuss current events in the ninth art.
A family-friendly and accessible festival
Admission to the festival is free, making it a particularly accessible event open to all audiences. Youth activities are specially designed for the youngest: board games, audio escape games, animated readings, and author encounters. The exhibitor area hosts booksellers, independent publishers, and associations, offering visitors the opportunity to discover rare books or new releases. The exceptional setting of the cloister of the Ursulines and the Théâtre des Ursulines gives the festival a unique atmosphere, between historical heritage and contemporary creation.
An event rooted in the territory
Co-organized with the Communauté de communes du Pays de Château-Gontier, the festival benefits from the support of numerous local volunteers and partners. Throughout the year, the association BD au Pays de Château-Gontier carries out cultural mediation actions with schools, media libraries, and social structures in Sud-Mayenne, helping to spread comic strip culture well beyond the festival weekend itself.
Festival BD Château-Gontier — edition 2026
The 16th edition of the Festival de la BD du Pays de Château-Gontier is scheduled for October 3rd and 4th, 2026, at the Pôle culturel Les Ursulines. The festival will bring together about sixty authors around a new unifying theme for signings, exhibitions, drawn concerts, and activities for all audiences.
16th edition of the Festival de la BD
The Festival de la BD du Pays de Château-Gontier returns for its 16th edition on October 3rd and 4th, 2026, at the Pôle culturel Les Ursulines in Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne. True to its tradition, the festival will offer a new unifying theme around which the weekend's exhibitions, encounters, and activities will be organized.
About sixty comic strip authors are expected for two days of signings and exchanges with the public. The program will include exhibitions showcasing the work of the guest of honor and invited artists, a drawn concert, drawing workshops for all ages, and activities for young audiences.
Admission will remain free, in line with the organizers' desire to make comic strips accessible to the widest possible audience.
Highlights Festival BD Château-Gontier 2026
- 16th edition of the festival
- First weekend of October 2026
- About sixty authors expected
- New unifying theme to discover
- Exhibitions, drawn concert, and workshops
- Activities for young audiences
- Free admission
Prices Festival BD Château-Gontier 2026
Practical information — Festival BD Château-Gontier
Access to the Pôle culturel Les Ursulines
By car
The Pôle culturel Les Ursulines is located at 4 bis rue Horeau, 53200 Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne. From Laval (approx. 30 minutes): take the D57 or N162 south. From Angers (approx. 50 minutes): follow the N162 north. From Le Mans (approx. 1h15): take the A81 then the N162 towards Château-Gontier. Several free parking lots are available in the immediate vicinity of the Pôle culturel, including the Place André Counord parking lot.
By train
Château-Gontier station is served by the TER Pays de la Loire line connecting Laval to Angers. The Pôle culturel Les Ursulines is about a 10-minute walk from the station. Follow the signs for the town center and then for the Pôle culturel.
By bus
The Aléop transport network serves Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne with departmental lines from the main towns in Mayenne.
Festival hours
The festival takes place over two days, the first weekend of October:
- Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Sunday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Prices
- Free admission for the entire festival, including exhibitions
- Signings are free with the authors present
- Free workshops and children's activities
Food and drink
Food stalls are set up on the festival site for on-site dining. Several restaurants, brasseries, and crêperies are also located a few minutes' walk away in the historic center of Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne.
Accessibility
The Pôle culturel Les Ursulines is accessible to people with reduced mobility. Specific arrangements are in place to facilitate movement in the exhibition and signing areas.
Accommodation
Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne has several hotels, bed and breakfasts, and gîtes near the town center. It is advisable to book in advance for the festival weekend. The Sud-Mayenne Tourist Office can help you find accommodation.
Contact and information
Website: bdpayschateaugontier.fr
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: BD au Pays de Château-Gontier
Festival-goer photos
No photo yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No review yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community
Travel to this festival
Book your train or bus to reach Festival BD Château-Gontier at the best price.
Sponsored link
Where does it take place — Festival BD Château-Gontier
Pôle culturel Les Ursulines
4 bis rue Horeau, 53200 Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne