Les Chemins de la Photographie

Ascain transformed into an open-air gallery

Since 2015, the festival Les Chemins de la Photographie d'Ascain has transformed this Labourdin village at the foot of the Rhune into a true open-air photographic trail every summer. The works of photographers selected by the Zilargia association take over the streets, squares, facades, and shop windows of the village, creating a unique dialogue between photographic imagery and Basque architectural heritage. Access to all exhibitions is completely free, in a commitment to democratize photography.

An international call for submissions

Each year, the Zilargia association launches a call for submissions open to amateur and professional photographers from around the world. The selected artists—around 25 to 30 per edition—exhibit up to five prints each in the village's shops. The association covers the cost of printing one photograph on a large-format tarpaulin or a mounted print for walls and panels, according to the scenography defined for the edition. This initiative allows for the discovery of diverse perspectives on the chosen theme, from emerging photographers to established artists.

A different theme each year

The festival is renewed each edition around a unifying theme that guides the selection and scenography. Recent themes include: "Libertés" (Freedoms) in 2024, "Voyages" (Journeys) for the 11th edition in 2025 (marking the festival's 10th anniversary), and "Regard" (Gaze) for the 12th edition in 2026. These universal themes allow photographers to offer personal and varied interpretations, enriching the trail with multiple and complementary perspectives.

A festival rooted in its territory

Les Chemins de la Photographie is deeply embedded in the fabric of the village of Ascain. The involvement of local businesses, which display prints in their windows and shops, creates an organic link between the festival and the daily life of the village. Visitors are invited to wander freely through the narrow streets with their white and red Labourdin houses, discovering at the turn of a facade or a square an image that dialogues with the architectural setting and the Rhune landscape in the background. This blend of contemporary photography and Basque heritage is the uniqueness and charm of this one-of-a-kind festival.