Festival Ouvrez, ouvrez les livres aux bébés

Libraries become theaters of wonder

The festival "Ouvrez, ouvrez les livres aux bébés" is an initiative of the Departmental Council of Puy-de-Dôme that aims to awaken toddlers to books, music, and live performance. Free and accessible to all, this departmental festival transforms the libraries and media libraries of Puy-de-Dôme into true places of cultural discovery for babies and their families every autumn.

An operation rooted in the territory since 2005

The "Ouvrez, ouvrez les livres aux bébés" operation was born in 2005 as part of the national Premières Pages program. Since then, the Department of Puy-de-Dôme has offered an album to every child born or adopted in the department - more than 120,000 babies have been reached since the operation began. The festival, in its current form, was launched in 2024 with a first edition that recorded an 85% occupancy rate for shows.

A fun and inclusive program

The festival offers a rich and varied program: shows adapted for toddlers, signed readings, storytelling sessions (racontines), sensory workshops, album discoveries, and shared moments around books. Artists, storytellers, illustrators, librarians, and early childhood professionals collaborate to create activities suitable for the youngest.

A children's album competition

Each year, a national children's literature competition selects a new album that will be offered to all newborns and adopted children in the department. In 2025, the winning album was "Le secret de Pluie" by Valérie Deneufchâtel, a colorful story that conveys beautiful messages about self-esteem and environmental preservation.

Partner territories

The festival is deployed in several reading networks partnered with the departmental media library, notably reaching the territories of Ambert Livradois Forez, Mond'Arverne Communauté, and Riom Limagne et Volcans. This territorial presence helps to promote rural libraries as true gateways to culture and live performance.