L'Art est dans le Pré

A Festival Born from a Rural Utopia

It was in a 17th-century farmhouse in Pierre-Perthuis, nestled between the Cure river and the Morvan hills, that Sophie and Jean-Paul Richalet settled in 2004. Seven years later, in July 2011, they opened La Scène Faramine: a covered open-air theater, with a 100 m² stage and seating for 120 spectators, designed to bring performing arts to life where they are not necessarily expected—in a rural setting, a few kilometers from Vézelay.

From this adventure, the festival "L'Art est dans le Pré" was quickly born, an annual event in July that embodies the project in all its festive and popular dimension. Over its fifteen editions, this festival has established itself as one of the most unique cultural events in the Yonne: discreet, demanding, and profoundly human.

Three Days of Performing Arts Under the Stars

The festival takes place annually over three days, generally around the third weekend of July, at the La Scène Faramine site in Précy-le-Moult. The formula is well-honed and appreciated: each day offers two evening performances—one around 7 p.m., the other around 9 p.m.—preceded in the afternoon by readings in the garden by authors from Éditions Faramine, a small publishing house founded by the association to give voice to living literature.

The programming is resolutely multidisciplinary. Theatre, contemporary dance, circus, music, performances, clown shows, storytelling: each edition weaves unexpected links between disciplines and aesthetics. The artistic proposals are chosen for their rigor and uniqueness, often at the crossroads of several arts. The artists—often from regional, national, and sometimes international companies—build an intimate and attentive relationship with the audience in this exceptional green setting.

A Memorable Program Edition After Edition

Over the years, the festival has hosted a wide variety of artistic forms:

• Dance-theater: "Nanou" by Compagnie l'Estampe, choreographed by Jean Gaudin
• Musical theater: "Médée Kali" based on Laurent Gaudé, by Émilie Faucheux and bassist Jean Waché
• Circus and music: "Le Cirque Alchimique" by Cie Bleu Nuage, with a circus performer and a singer
• Documentary theater: "Les petites épouses des Blancs" by Revue Eclair
• Biographical: "Rosa Bonheur — un messie sauvage" by Ico Ona Group
• Starlit Night: poetry-astronomy evenings with astronomers and artists exploring space through words and body
• Contemporary dance: "Phaenomena" by Cie Furinkaï, within a textile architecture
• Hip-hop: "Influences 2.0", a choreography blending bonsai art and street dance
• Clown theater: "Charivari", an exploration of identity and humanity
• Jazz concert: FGH trio (trumpet, trombone, tuba)
• Danceable pop-rock: Les Darons, to close an evening with a popular dance

The Faramine Spirit: Crossing Cultures, Rejecting Uniformity

La Scène Faramine champions a vision of culture based on encounter and mutual enrichment. Its artistic charter can be summarized in a few words: "Cross cultures so that differences become a source of dialogue and enrichment, rather than withdrawal and homogenization of tastes." This positioning is concretely reflected in the choice of artists—from emerging companies to more established names—and in the diversity of forms offered to the public.

The association is recognized as being of public utility and has held the Youth and Popular Education accreditation since September 2020. Beyond the festival, it develops other programs: Les Escapades, traveling performances in heritage and natural sites in the region, and Cultures Partagées, an artistic education program for 250 children per year and interventions in nursing homes.

An Exceptional Venue at the Gates of Morvan

The La Scène Faramine site in Précy-le-Moult benefits from a striking natural setting. Located just 6 kilometers from Vézelay—the "eternal hill" dear to Compostela pilgrims—and a stone's throw from the famous bridges of Pierre-Perthuis spanning the Cure, the venue combines the intimacy of a family estate with the openness of a professional stage. The covered theater, with an area of 100 m², has seating for 120 people. An artistic residency space has completed the facilities since 2021, allowing companies to create on-site.

The audience, exceeding 600 spectators each year, comes from all over the Yonne department, from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, and beyond, attracted by the growing reputation of a festival that remains human-scale while programming nationally renowned artists. The friendly atmosphere, the warm welcome from the founders, and the bucolic setting make each edition a rare experience, far from the hustle and bustle of major festivals.

The 15th Edition in 2025: A Celebratory Anniversary

The 15th edition of the festival was held on July 18, 19, and 20, 2025. The program included the play "Abuela" (Cie Les Cris de l'Horizon), exploring the exile of a woman alone with her child who became a domestic worker in a foreign land; the contemporary dance performance "Phaenomena" (Cie Furinkaï) within a textile architecture; the hip-hop choreography "Influences 2.0" blending bonsai art and street dance; the clown show "Charivari" on identity and humanity; a jazz concert with the FGH trio (trumpet, trombone, tuba); and a pop-rock dance with Les Darons. Garden readings by authors from Éditions Faramine punctuated the afternoons of the three days.