Lectures sous l'Arbre

Lectures sous l'Arbre: Poetry at the Heart of Nature

Since 1991, the Lectures sous l'Arbre festival has offered a unique space each summer for encounters between contemporary poetry, literature, and nature, at an altitude of 1,000 meters on the Vivarais-Lignon plateau in Haute-Loire. Born from the initiative of the Cheyne publishing house, founded in 1980 by Jean-François Manier and Martine Mellinette, this festival has established itself as a major literary event, far from the urban hustle and bustle, in an enchanting natural setting.

A History Linked to Cheyne Publisher

For over thirty years, Lectures sous l'Arbre has been intimately linked to Cheyne éditeur, a contemporary poetry publishing house located in Cheyne, in the commune of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon. Jean-François Manier built a unique project there: a festival where authors read their own texts, where encounters take place in the intimacy of a garden, a path, or a clearing, and where poetry rediscovers its oral and living dimension.

After the gradual withdrawal of Cheyne éditeur, the festival began a new chapter in 2025, now supported by the associations Typographie et Poésie and Calibert-en-Scène, under the direction of Dominique Rouchouze d'Araules.

A New Beginning in Mazet-Saint-Voy

Since the 34th edition in 2025, the festival has been held in Mazet-Saint-Voy, around the Calibert hall. This move marks a renewal while preserving the founding spirit: proximity to nature, intimacy of readings, and quality of exchanges between authors and the public. A shuttle service is provided from Le Chambon-sur-Lignon to facilitate access to the site.

A Rich and Diverse Program

Each edition offers about sixty events structured around several axes:

• Readings and Encounters: Invited authors read their texts and interact with the public in various settings (church, garden, hall, outdoors).
• Literary Walks: Guided walks combining nature hikes and readings, led by writers and actors.
• Foreign Poetry: Each morning, foreign poetry readings are offered, with a focus on a specific country or linguistic area.
• Workshops and Courses: Public reading with an actor, thematic writing with an author, literary translation, poetic improvisation.
• Cinema: Film screenings related to the edition's themes.
• Shows: Musical readings, live performances, and evening shows.
• Young Audiences: Activities dedicated to children and families.
• Pop-up Bookstore: Managed by independent booksellers, offering over 1,500 titles in about 125 m².
• Meals with Authors: Moments of conviviality extending the encounters around the table.

An Accessible and Friendly Festival

True to its spirit of openness, the festival offers more than half of its program for free. Encounters, some readings, and walks are paid at a modest price (around €6), while evening shows are offered at reduced rates. The festival remains a place for intergenerational sharing, where poetry is experienced daily in an exceptional natural setting.