Les Rencontres de Chaminadour
Annual literary festival in Guéret celebrating a guest author
2026
About Les Rencontres de Chaminadour
Every year, the Rencontres de Chaminadour bring a contemporary writer to Guéret to explore the work of a past author they consider a literary touchstone. Established in 2006 through the friendship between writer Pierre Michon and local reader Hugues Bachelot, the festival is organized by ALMJAC—the association of Marcel Jouhandeau readers and friends of Chaminadour, named after the Guéret neighborhood that inspired the author's novels. Over four days, translators, academics, and publishers gather for lectures, readings, and panel discussions centered on the works of both the guest and the author they have chosen to highlight. All events are open to the public and free of charge.
Les Rencontres de Chaminadour — edition 2026
The 21st edition invites Lebanese writer Charif Majdalani to engage in a dialogue with the works of poets Paul Celan and Mahmoud Darwich. Over three days, the Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle will host a series of lectures, readings, and panel discussions featuring writers, translators, and academics, including Sylvie Germain, Elias Sanbar, Houria Abdelouahed, and Adonis. On Friday, September 18th, the Bibliothèque multimédia du Grand Guéret will open three photography exhibitions tied to this year's theme: "J'avais treize ans à Auschwitz" by Karine Bouvatier-Sicard, "Landing" by Maen Hammad, and "Darwich, parcours d'images" by Ernest Pignon-Ernest.
Programme Les Rencontres de Chaminadour 2026
Thursday, September 17, 2026
- 2:30 PM — Opening lecture: Charif Majdalani, "In what language do poets speak?" · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 3:15 PM — Lecture: Martin Rueff, "Orphism and memory" · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 4:00 PM — Lecture: Karim Kattan, "Listening to Mahmoud Darwich with my grandmother" · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 4:45 PM — Panel discussion: Elias Sanbar, Bertrand Badiou, Martin Rueff, Ève de Dampierre-Noiray, "Translating poetry" (moderated by René de Ceccatty) · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 9:00 PM — Screening: "Mahmoud Darwich, et la terre comme la langue" by Simone Bitton (1997, 59 min), presented by Simone Bitton and Elias Sanbar · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
Friday, September 18, 2026
- 9:00 AM — Lecture: Ève de Dampierre Noiray, "Writing Palestine with and after Mahmoud Darwich" · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 9:45 AM — Lecture: Bertrand Badiou, "'With' and 'not without'. Paul Celan and the politics of litotes and nuance" · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 10:30 AM — Lecture: Yasmine Khlat, "The dreamed life of Rosa Stein" · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 11:15 AM — Panel discussion: Stéphanie Hage, Emmanuel Moses, Martin Rueff, on the poetic language of Paul Celan and Mahmoud Darwich (moderated by Francesca Isidori) · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 2:30 PM — Lecture: Elias Sanbar, "It sings, it sings, I can't help it!" · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 3:15 PM — Lecture: Emmanuel Moses, "Uprootedness in the work of Paul Celan" · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 4:00 PM — Lecture: Annamaria Bianco, "Writing after the tearing away: Paul Celan, Mahmoud Darwich, and the dwellings of poetry" · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 4:45 PM — Panel discussion: Houria Abdelouahed, Charif Majdalani, Sylvie Germain, on poets and the responsibility of the world (moderated by Francesca Isidori) · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 6:30 PM — Opening of the exhibitions "J'avais treize ans à Auschwitz" (Karine Bouvatier-Sicard), "Landing" (Maen Hammad), and "Darwich, parcours d'images" (Ernest Pignon-Ernest) · Bibliothèque multimédia du Grand Guéret
Saturday, September 19, 2026
- 9:00 AM — Lecture: Houria Abdelouahed, "I am still alive" · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 9:45 AM — Lecture: Stéphanie Hage, "Violence and poetic celebration" · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 10:30 AM — Lecture: René de Ceccatty, "Paul Celan, Edith Bruck, and Hélène Cixous" · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 11:15 AM — Panel discussion: Albert Dichy, Annamaria Bianco, Charif Majdalani, "Territories of Celan and Darwich" (moderated by René de Ceccatty) · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 2:30 PM — Lecture: Albert Dichy, "What nationality were Paul Celan and Mahmoud Darwich?" · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 3:15 PM — Adonis, reading of a text followed by a reading of its translation by Houria Abdelouahed · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 4:00 PM — Lecture: Sylvie Germain, "'The world is no more, I must carry you'" · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 4:45 PM — Panel discussion: Ernest Pignon-Ernest, Simone Bitton, Guillaume Garnier de Barros, "Poetry, painting, photography, music" (moderated by Francesca Isidori) · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 8:30 PM — Reading: Dominique Devals, "The last speech of the Red Man" (translation by Elias Sanbar) · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 9:00 PM — Musical performance: Guillaume Garnier de Barros, guitar, singing, and recorded voices centered on Paul Celan and Mahmoud Darwich · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
- 9:00 PM — Screening: "L'Enfance sauve. L'histoire des enfants juifs cachés dans le Limousin" by Tessa Racine (2015, 52 min), presented by Jean-Michel Arnaud · Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle
Program published by the organizer on chaminadour.com. All events are free and open to the public.
Practical information — Les Rencontres de Chaminadour
Lectures, readings, and panel discussions are held at the Théâtre La Guérétoise de Spectacle, located on Avenue Fayolle in Guéret. The Bibliothèque multimédia du Grand Guéret hosts the festival's associated exhibitions. All events are open to the public and free of charge.
Where does it take place — Les Rencontres de Chaminadour
Les Rencontres de Chaminadour in brief
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