La Clef dans le Sac

A Storytelling Festival Rooted in the Brenne Territory

The La Clef dans le Sac festival is an annual event dedicated to storytelling that takes place every autumn in the Cœur de Brenne territory, in the south of the Indre department. Jointly organized by the Cœur de Brenne community of communes and the media libraries of Mézières-en-Brenne, Martizay, and Azay-le-Ferron, this festival takes over the libraries and community halls of these towns to offer a full week of storytelling performances accessible to all audiences.

Performances for All Ages

The La Clef dans le Sac program is designed for all ages, from toddlers aged 2 and up to adults. Each edition invites several professional storytellers who present a variety of performances: fairy tales, humorous narratives, poetic stories, musical tales, and stage performances. The sessions for young children are specially adapted with short, interactive formats, while the evening performances are aimed at teenagers and adults with longer narratives and more elaborate themes.

The festival also includes school sessions in collaboration with local educational institutions, allowing children to discover the art of storytelling as part of their educational journey. This educational dimension is at the heart of the event's cultural project.

Media Libraries as Meeting Places

By taking over the media libraries and community halls in the towns of Cœur de Brenne, the La Clef dans le Sac festival transforms these local venues into true spaces for creation and connection. The intimate atmosphere of the libraries is ideally suited for listening to stories, creating a close relationship between the storyteller and their audience. Performances in the community halls allow for a larger audience for the evening shows.

The festival provides an opportunity to animate the cultural network of this rural territory and to highlight the role of media libraries as centers of culture and social connection. Reservations are recommended through Destination Brenne or the participating media libraries.

A Popular and Accessible Event

With very affordable prices - €3 for daytime performances (free for children under 10) and €5 for evening shows - the festival is committed to cultural democratization. Created in the early 2010s, La Clef dans le Sac has built a loyal following of a large and enthusiastic audience that eagerly awaits this week of stories and imagination each autumn. The festival contributes to the cultural animation of the Brenne territory and promotes the art of storytelling far beyond the department's borders.