Le Printemps des Poètes à Tours

Le Printemps des Poètes à Tours

Le Printemps des Poètes à Tours is a highlight of Tours' cultural life, celebrating poetry in all its forms throughout March. Rooted in the city's cultural landscape since 2004, this event is supported by the association « Le Printemps des Poètes – Tours », created in July 2014 to take over the organization initially handled by the City of Tours.

A festival at the heart of the city

Each year, the festival offers a diverse program that permeates the entire city: exhibitions, meetings with poets, public readings, screenings, writing workshops, and poetic performances. Events take place in emblematic venues of Tours, such as the Celliers Saint-Julien, libraries, galleries, and public spaces of the city.

Poetic Intervention Brigades

One of the hallmarks of the Tours festival is the daily presence of messengers of poetry who roam the city to offer poems to passers-by. These poetic intervention brigades operate in the streets, at school entrances, on the tramway, and in public places, creating moments of surprise and wonder. Their voices carry the words of poets, between lightness and gravity, in prose or verse, across eras and for all ears.

A participatory and free event

Le Printemps des Poètes à Tours is distinguished by its free and participatory nature. The association mobilizes numerous volunteers, cultural and educational partners to bring poetry to life daily. The festival is aimed at all audiences, from children to adults, and helps to make poetry accessible and vibrant in public spaces.

Annual Themes

Each edition aligns with the national theme defined by Le Printemps des Poètes, which guides the programming and artistic choices. In 2026, the 28th national edition explores the theme « La liberté, Force vive, déployée » (Freedom, Living Force, Deployed), inviting poets and the public to celebrate freedom in all its dimensions.