Grands Feux de La Borne
The Mecca of ceramics on fire
2026
About Grands Feux
Grands Feux — edition 2026
The 12th edition of the Grands Feux de La Borne takes place from October 17 to 25, 2026, in the hamlet of La Borne (Henrichemont/Morogues), in the Cher region. Organized by the Association Céramique La Borne and the Centre céramique contemporaine, the event offers visitor routes around wood-fired kilns, firings, and ceramist workshops, with exhibitions, performances, concerts, conferences, screenings, guided tours, and practical workshops for children and adults.
Programme Grands Feux 2026
The full schedule for the 2026 Grands Feux (October 17-25) is organized by location and time slot, featuring wood firings, demonstrations, workshops, performances, film screenings, talks, tours, and exhibitions. The details below reflect the official program published by the organizers (PDF, laborne.org).
Firing Locations (loading, firing, and unloading)
- CCCLB, anagama kiln - continuous firing from October 17 to 21, unloading on October 21 at 5:00 PM
- CCCLB, Olsen kiln - firing on October 19; October 22, loading at 9:30 AM followed by unloading at 2:00 PM, then another firing in the afternoon; unloading on October 24 at 5:00 PM
- CCCLB, Girel 3E kiln - firing on October 18, unloading on October 20 at 10:30 AM
- Atelier Oasis d'Argile - unloading on October 19 from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM (soup served at lunch and dinner)
- Laurence Blasco Mauriaucourt - loading on October 22 at 9:00 AM; firing on October 23 starting at 7:00 AM (soup); unloading on October 25 at 9:00 AM with breakfast
- Jeltje Borneman - firing on October 18 from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM (soup); unloading on October 20 at 10:00 AM; firing on October 21 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM; unloading on October 24 at 9:00 AM
- Nicole Crestou - firing on October 18 from 1:00 AM to 9:00 PM; loading on October 20 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM; firing on October 21 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM; unloading on October 24 at 10:00 AM
- Dalloun - firing on October 19 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM; unloading on October 22 at 10:00 AM
- Bernard David - firing on October 19
- Ophélia Derely - firing from October 21 to 22 (soups); unloading on October 25 at 10:30 AM
- Dominique Garet / Roz Herrin - firing on October 19; unloading on October 25 at 2:30 PM
- Frans Gregoor - loading on October 20 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM; firing on October 21 from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM (soup); unloading on October 23 at 4:00 PM
- Jean et Claudie Guillaume - firing on October 23 from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
- Danielle Hrdy - firing on October 23
- Anne-Marie Kelecom - unloading on October 17 at 2:00 PM
- Janine Kortz / Christophe Loyer - firing on October 19 from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM; unloading on October 21 at 12:00 PM (soup); firing on October 23 from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM; unloading on October 25 at 12:00 PM
- Arlette Legros - firing on October 19; unloading on October 24 at 11:00 AM
- Dominique Legros - unloading on October 18 at 10:00 AM, then firing from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
- Claire Linard - firing on October 18 starting at 9:00 AM; unloading on October 22 at 4:00 PM
- Joël Marot - unloading on October 21 at 2:00 PM
- Maya Micenmacher / Nicolas Rousseau - firing on October 17 and 18 (lunch soup on October 20 and 22); unloading on October 24 at 2:30 PM
- Charlotte Poulsen - firing on October 17 and 18; unloading on October 24 at 1:30 PM
- Michèle Raymond - firing on October 23; unloading on October 25 at 4:00 PM (soup)
- Seungho Yang - firing on October 17 and 18 (soups); unloading on October 24 at 3:00 PM
Craft Demonstrations
- Jeltje Borneman - Throwing: welcoming the salt: October 22, 3:00 PM-4:00 PM; October 23, 3:00 PM-4:00 PM
- Jeltje Borneman - Raku obvara: October 24 at 2:00 PM
- Jean-François Thierion (CCCLB) - Throwing a large piece section: October 23 at 2:00 PM, October 24 at 4:00 PM
- CNIFOP (CCCLB) - 50th Anniversary (no specific time)
- Claire Linard (CCCLB) - Making whistles: October 19 at 10:00 AM
- Bernard David - Glass tears: October 22 at 6:00 PM
- Ophélia Derely - Demonstration by artist Paella, in collaboration with Ophélia Derely: October 18 at 11:00 AM, October 24 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM; dragon kiln on October 21 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
- Dominique Legros - New "Terre bulle" modeling technique: October 21, 22, and 23 from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- Karina Schneiders - Raku firing: October 24 at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM
- Nirdosh Petra van Heesbeen - Teapot throwing: October 21 and 22 at 10:00 AM
- Seungho Yang - Tea ceremony and teapot making: October 20, 21, and 24 at 3:00 PM
Workshops and Courses
- CCCLB - Introductory workshop: October 17, 2:00 PM-4:00 PM
- CCCLB - "Récréa-terre" children's day: October 21, 11:00 AM-4:00 PM and 2:00 PM-4:00 PM
- Laurence Blasco-Mauriaucourt - Kurinuki workshop with Frédéric Mathieu: October 21, 3:30 PM-4:30 PM
- Laurence Blasco-Mauriaucourt - Raku workshop with Stéphanie Nesbitt: October 25, 2:00 PM-5:30 PM
- Arlette Legros / Dominique Legros - Plant-imprint bowls with Dagmar Kaladova: October 20, 3:30 PM-4:30 PM; October 22 and 23, 9:30 AM-12:30 PM
- Claire Linard - Wood kiln firings: October 18
- Claire Linard - Throwing and modeling course: October 21 to 24
- Seungho Yang - Kimchi workshop: October 23 at 3:00 PM
Performances and Readings
- CCCLB - Festive evening: karaoke, concert: October 24 at 8:00 PM
- Bernard David - Reading and music: October 21 at 11:00 AM and 9:00 PM
Film Screenings
- CCCLB, multimedia room: October 19, 20, 21, and 23 at 9:00 PM
- Éric Astoul: daily from October 19 to 25 at 3:30 PM
- Frans Gregoor: October 22 and 23 at 5:00 PM
- Maya Micenmacher and Nicolas Rousseau: screenings at the end of the day (times posted on-site)
Talks, Round Tables, and Discussions
- Virginie Armellin - The ceramic object, a journey through the history of a thousand-year-old art (CCCLB, talk): October 19 at 2:30 PM
- Élisa Ullauri - Peripheral centralities in the social world of contemporary ceramics (CCCLB, discussion): October 21 at 2:30 PM
- Élisa Ullauri - Field report, ceramic messaging (CCCLB, discussion): October 23 at 2:30 PM
- Ceramics in the making (CCCLB, round table): October 20 at 2:30 PM
- Forrest Patterson - Well-insulated kiln, saved wood (CCCLB, debate): October 22 at 2:30 PM
- Alberto Bagetto - Sharing experience on his train kiln in Italy (at Ophélia Derely's): October 23 at 11:00 AM
- Chat about the train kiln (at Ophélia Derely's): October 23 and 24, 2:00 PM-7:00 PM
Guided Tours
- Discovery tour of the exhibitions (CCCLB): October 17 at 4:30 PM, October 18 at 11:30 AM, October 25 at 11:30 AM
- Kiln tour (Anne-Marie Kelecom): every day from October 18 to 25 (except October 21), from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
- Anagama kiln tour and discussion on its construction (Anne-Marie Kelecom): every day from October 18 to 25 at 2:00 PM
Exhibitions and Openings in Workshops and at the Ceramic Center
- CCCLB - exhibitions by Sangwoo Kim (The wind blows, the water flows, time passes), Myriam Bouchard (This landscape that inhabits me), and artistic residency of the Association céramique La Borne: open from October 16 to 25, opening on October 17 at 6:00 PM
- Éric Astoul, Atelier Beyer-Lerat/Marie David Gehin, Atelier Le Sabot Rouge, Ophélia Derely, Arlette Legros, Maya Micenmacher and Nicolas Rousseau, Poterie du Haut, Charlotte Poulsen, Émilie Vanhaecke: workshops open to the public from October 17 to 25
- François Blain: workshop open, opening on October 20 at 6:30 PM
- Atelier Insitu: opening on October 16 at 6:00 PM, then open until October 25
- Atelier Oasis d'argile: opening on October 17 at 11:00 AM
- Nicole Crestou: open from October 16 to 19, opening on October 20 at 4:00 PM
- Galerie Terres du Passé: opening on October 17 at 5:00 PM
- Dominique Legros: opening on October 21 at 6:00 PM
- Claire Linard: opening on October 22 at 6:00 PM
- Joël Marot: opening on October 20 at 3:00 PM
- Mélanie Mingues: openings on October 17 and 18
- Nirdosh Petra van Heesbeen: opening on October 17 at 4:00 PM
- Seungho Yang: opening on October 17 at 5:00 PM
The Centre céramique contemporaine La Borne will be open with special hours from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM from October 17 to 25, 2026, during the Grands Feux. Most firings, demonstrations, and workshop visits are free to attend; admission to the Centre céramique contemporaine exhibitions is €3 for adults or €2 for concessions, and free for those under 25 (source: laborne.org, practical information, accessed August 19, 2026).
Prices Grands Feux 2026
Practical information — Grands Feux
Practical Information
- Dates: End of October (Toussaint holidays) - 9 days
- Next edition: October 18-26, 2025 (11th edition)
- Location: Hamlet of La Borne (Henrichemont/Morogues)
- Access: Free for most activities
- Website: www.laborne.org
On the program
- 24 pottery workshops open to the public
- Wood-fired firings
- Unloading of pieces
- Contemporary ceramics exhibitions
- Conferences and screenings
- Guided tours
- Discussions around the kilns during firing
To discover
- Vassil Ivanoff Museum
- Contemporary Ceramics Center
- Ceramicist studios
The Grands Feux de La Borne are an unmissable ceramics event that takes place every year at the end of October during the Toussaint holidays. This unique event brings together ceramists from all over the world in Haut-Berry around wood-fired kilns, whether they are accomplished professionals or beginners.
La Borne, a hamlet located in the communes of Henrichemont and Morogues, has been renowned for its stoneware production since the 12th century. Today, about eighty potters and contemporary ceramists work in La Borne and its surroundings, making this place the "Mecca of ceramics".
For 9 days, the Grands Feux offer a rich program:
- 24 workshops and kilns open to the public
- Discovery of wood-fired firings that have made La Borne ceramics famous
- Unloading of pieces
- Ceramic art exhibitions
- Conferences and screenings
- Guided tours and discussions around the kilns during firing
The hamlet of La Borne has two sites dedicated to modern ceramics: the Vassil Ivanoff museum and the Centre céramique contemporaine (Contemporary Ceramics Center), a permanent exhibition space showcasing creations from the ceramic association's workshops, and also hosting international contemporary ceramic exhibitions and artist residencies.
The Grands Feux allow visitors to experience the spirit of La Borne, where professional exchanges around the wood-fired kilns create a unique atmosphere of sharing and transmission of ceramic know-how.
Where does it take place — Grands Feux
Grands Feux in brief
Other festivals near Henrichemont
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