La Semaine de la Poésie de Clermont-Ferrand

Living poetry in Clermont-Ferrand

Since its creation in 1988, La Semaine de la Poésie de Clermont-Ferrand has established itself as one of the major contemporary poetry events in France. Every year in March, the eponymous association invites about fifteen poets — French and foreign — for an intense week of encounters, readings, and sharing around poetry.

A festival with regional reach

Well beyond Clermont-Ferrand, the festival extends across five departments in the region: Allier, Cantal, Haute-Loire, Loire, and Puy-de-Dôme. Nearly 70 school encounters, from kindergarten to university, allow students to discover contemporary poetry by directly meeting the invited poets. This educational component is at the heart of the festival's mission.

About thirty public encounters

In parallel with school interventions, the festival offers about thirty public encounters: readings, writing workshops, performances, screenings, round tables, and literary evenings. These events take place in various venues in and around Clermont-Ferrand, notably at the Librairie Les Volcans, in libraries, cultural centers, and heritage sites.

A commitment to contemporary poetry

Each edition is placed under the patronage of a renowned poet. In 2025, the Belgian Laurence Vielle was the patron of the 38th edition. In 2026, Emmanuelle Pireyre is the patron of the 39th edition, accompanied by 14 invited poets including Marc Blanchet, Alexandru Bulucz, Séverine Daucourt, Albane Gellé, Valérie Rouzeau, and Thomas Vinau.

Off-season activities

The association extends its activities throughout the year through "off-season" events: writing residencies, workshops, and literary encounters. This long-term work helps to anchor contemporary poetry in the cultural life of the region.

A solid network of partners

The festival benefits from the support of numerous institutions: the DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the Centre National du Livre, the Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the Département du Puy-de-Dôme, the Ville de Clermont-Ferrand, and the Fondation La Poste, among others.