Festival Grande Marée

Festival Grande Marée: Oral Arts in Brest

The Festival Grande Marée has become over the years the unmissable event for lovers of storytelling and oral arts in Brittany. Created in 2005 by the ADAO (Association for the Development of Oral Arts), this autumn festival transforms Brest and its métropole into a vast stage dedicated to the spoken word.

A Festival Rooted in the Territory

For two weeks, the festival takes over about fifty locations across Brest métropole and surrounding towns: media libraries, performance halls, cafes, museums, schools, and heritage sites. This decentralization allows it to reach a large and diverse audience, from city centers to peripheral neighborhoods.

A Rich and Eclectic Program

Grande Marée offers a program that explores all facets of orality: traditional tales, contemporary stories, musical readings, narrative performances, and original creations. Invited storytellers come from France and around the world, bringing with them stories from all cultures. The festival features both intimate performances and large-scale stage productions.

For All Audiences

The festival is aimed at all ages from 5 years old. School sessions are organized during the day, while evenings offer performances for adults. Families also find their happiness with dedicated slots on weekends. The festival is complemented in the spring by Petite Marée, its counterpart for young children (6 months to 5 years).

A Commitment to Orality

Beyond the festival program, the ADAO carries out in-depth work throughout the year to promote oral arts: workshops, artist residencies, school interventions, and cultural actions in priority neighborhoods. Grande Marée is the culmination of this ongoing effort.