Langues en Fête, Parlanjhe en Faëte, Occitan en Fèsta

A festival at the heart of linguistic diversity

Langues en Fête, Parlanjhe en Faëte, Occitan en Fèsta is much more than just a festival: it is a true celebration of regional languages that resonates in the heart of Poitou. Organized in Gençay, a charming commune in the Vienne department nestled in the Clouère valley, this event passionately and convivially celebrates the two major historical languages of the territory: Poitevin-Saintongeais (locally called parlanjhe) and Occitan.

A rich and popular program

The festival offers a diverse program that blends live performances, participatory workshops, and cultural encounters. Every fifteen minutes, storytellers, singers, actors, and authors express themselves in Parlanjhe and Occitan, creating a joyful linguistic immersion accessible to all audiences. On the program: storytelling aperitifs where traditional tales come to life, lively folk dances, musical theater, puppet shows for the younger ones, documentary film screenings on language transmission, and meetings with authors who write in regional languages.

An interregional crossroads of cultures

Langues en Fête stands out for its interregional dimension. The festival brings together cultural actors from Poitou-Charentes, Limousin, Aquitaine, Centre-Val de Loire, Pays de la Loire, and Brittany. These interregional meetings around creation in regional languages foster exchanges between speakers, artists, and researchers in all their cultural diversity: live performance, cinema, publishing, and round tables animate these days of sharing.

Parlanjhe, a living language

Poitevin-Saintongeais, or Parlanjhe, is an Oil language historically spoken over a vast territory extending from the Loire in the north to the Gironde in the south. Strongly marked by an Occitan substrate, this language occupies a unique linguistic position between the Oil and Occ domains. The festival actively contributes to its promotion and transmission through language practice workshops, public readings, and performances created specifically in Parlanjhe.

An event supported by the associative fabric

The festival is organized by UPCP-Métive, a regional network of popular education and country cultures created in 1969 and based in Parthenay. The association works to promote oral traditions and regional languages. It collaborates with Parlanjhe Vivant, the Institut d'Études Occitanes de la Vienne, and numerous local associations. The festival also benefits from the commitment of passionate volunteers who bring this free and open event to life.