Livres en Herbe

Livres en Herbe: Youth Literature Celebrated in Saint-Denis

The Livres en Herbe festival was born in July 2020 from an initiative by the association D'ici à là, based in Saint-Denis. Its ambition: to make youth literature a celebration, a sharing, and a discovery accessible to everyone, especially families from working-class neighborhoods in Seine-Saint-Denis who do not always have access to specialized bookstores or Parisian literary festivals.

A Festival by the Seine

The festival is held every summer at 6b, a cultural space located at 6-10 quai de Seine in Saint-Denis, on the developed banks of the Seine. This associative and multidisciplinary venue, which hosts artists in residence, exhibitions, and cultural events, offers a green and accessible setting ideal for an outdoor family festival.

The atmosphere is deliberately relaxed and inclusive: reading areas under the trees, cushions, and mats allow children to lie down and immerse themselves in books, while parents can browse the stalls or enjoy adult activities.

A Rich and Accessible Program

Each year, Livres en Herbe participates in the national program Partir en Livre, supported by the Centre National du Livre (CNL). The festival adapts to the national theme while developing its own identity:

• Reading Areas: Youth book collections freely available, with comfortable reading corners
• Creative Workshops: Illustration, bookbinding, writing, pop-up book making
• Storytelling Walks: Tours in the neighborhood with professional storytellers
• Meetings with Authors and Illustrators: Signings and informal discussions
• Concerts: Music for young audiences, songs related to the literary theme
• Book Hunt: A literary treasure hunt within the festival grounds
• Bookstore: Selection of books for sale with booksellers' advice

All these activities are offered for free access, making Livres en Herbe one of the few literary festivals entirely accessible to all audiences.

Comics in a Prominent Place

The festival gives a special place to comic strips, a literary genre particularly popular with young readers. Youth comic and manga authors are regularly invited, and drawing workshops allow children to experiment with the ninth art.

Strong Local Roots

The association D'ici à là works throughout the year with libraries, schools, and social centers in Saint-Denis to promote reading. The festival is the highlight of this effort, a moment of collective celebration around books and reading in a territory where inequalities in access to culture remain real.