Festival du Premier Roman et des Littératures Contemporaines

A unique festival dedicated to first novels and contemporary literature

Since 1992, the Festival du Premier Roman et des Littératures Contemporaines has established itself as an unmissable event on the French literary scene. Organized by the association Lecture en Tête, it is held annually in Laval, the prefecture of Mayenne, and showcases authors of first novels as well as the great voices of contemporary literature.

What makes this festival unique is its deep roots in the region and the remarkable involvement of its readers. Throughout the year, reading groups composed of residents of Mayenne—middle schoolers, high schoolers, adults, people far from books—read and select the first novels that will be celebrated at the festival. This participatory and civic approach makes each edition a human adventure as much as a literary one.

A springboard for young talents

Over the decades, the festival has gained a national reputation for its ability to spot emerging talents. Among the authors discovered or supported from their first novel are names that have become major figures in French literature: Sorj Chalandon, Laurent Gaudé (Prix Goncourt 2004), Jean-Christophe Rufin (Académie française), Delphine de Vigan, Jean-Michel Guénassia, and Ève Guerra. This sharp eye of the Mayenne readers gives the festival a recognized role as a discoverer in the national literary landscape.

A rich and accessible program

For four days, the festival offers a dense and varied program, designed for all audiences:

• Meetings and book signings with around forty authors, from debut novelists to established writers
• Literary cafés and round tables fostering dialogue between authors and readers
• Public readings and literary performances, including nomadic readings and theatrical readings
• Film screenings related to literature
• Writing workshops and writing contests, particularly for schoolchildren
• Pop-up bookstore offering works by invited authors

Le Quarante: a cultural venue in the heart of Laval

Since 2022, the festival has been held at Le Quarante, a cultural space of Laval Agglomération located at 40 rue du Britais. This venue, housed in the former Crédit Foncier de France building on the heights of the city center, offers modular spaces perfectly suited for hosting a literary festival: an auditorium, meeting rooms, social areas, and terraces.

A festival rooted in its territory

The Festival du Premier Roman et des Littératures Contemporaines is not just a cultural event: it is a societal project supported by the association Lecture en Tête. Throughout the year, the association conducts literary mediation activities in schools, libraries, social structures, and retirement homes in Mayenne. The festival is the culmination of this in-depth work, a moment of sharing and celebration of reading accessible to all, in a friendly and participatory spirit.

Free and open to all, the festival attracts a loyal and curious audience each year, composed of both passionate readers and newcomers charmed by the warm atmosphere and the accessibility of the events.