Noir en Perche
Festival of crime fiction at Moulin Blanchard in Perche
2026
About Noir en Perche
Noir en Perche — edition 2026
Noir en Perche returns to Moulin Blanchard on September 26th and 27th, 2026, for its third edition. Enjoy two days of meetings with guest crime and thriller authors, and witness the award ceremony for the prize voted on by readers from the Nocé and Préaux-du-Perche libraries. Admission is free. As of mid-August, neither the guest list nor the schedule has been released.
2026 Edition
The third edition of Noir en Perche will take place on Saturday, September 26th, and Sunday, September 27th, 2026, at Moulin Blanchard in Nocé, within the municipality of Perche-en-Nocé. The mill's team invites crime and thriller authors for meet-and-greets and book signings, culminating in the presentation of the festival's award.
A prize voted on by readers
The 2026 selection of novels is available for loan at the Nocé and Préaux-du-Perche libraries. Readers can vote for their favorite until September 20th, 2026, with the results announced during the festival weekend.
Detailed program
As of mid-August 2026, neither the list of guest authors nor the schedule has been published; the festival page on the Moulin Blanchard website still displays the 2025 edition. Admission has been free since the festival's inception in 2024.
Highlights Noir en Perche 2026
- Noir en Perche award ceremony, voted on by readers from the Nocé and Préaux-du-Perche libraries
- Meet-and-greets and signings with guest authors, whose names are yet to be announced
- Free admission
- The four seasonal exhibitions at Moulin Blanchard open to view the same weekend
Programme Noir en Perche 2026
Leading up to the event: the prize vote
- Borrow the 2026 selection of novels from the Nocé and Préaux-du-Perche libraries and read them over the summer.
- Until September 20th, 2026 — vote for your favorite novel.
Saturday, September 26th and Sunday, September 27th, 2026
- Meetings with guest crime and thriller authors at Moulin Blanchard.
- Noir en Perche award ceremony.
Schedules, the list of guest authors, and details regarding panel discussions have not been published as of mid-August 2026: the organizer has not yet updated the festival page, which still features the 2025 edition.
Ongoing: seasonal exhibitions
- Laurent Millet, "À peu près Euclide et L'Astrophile"
- Estelle Lagarde, "Hélène — L'auberge — Les jours qui reviennent", winner of the 2025 capsule residency
- Nadine Jestin, "Ainsi soit-elle"
- Ashley Ashford Brown, "Les cordes du temps"
These four exhibitions are on display until September 27th, 2026, on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from 2:00 PM to 6:30 PM.
Prices Noir en Perche 2026
Practical information — Noir en Perche
Getting to the festival
By car
Le Moulin Blanchard is located at Le Blanchard, in Nocé, part of the municipality of Perche-en-Nocé (61340), in the Orne department. From Nogent-le-Rotrou, take the D9 towards Bellême, then the D11 towards Nocé (approx. 20 minutes). From Bellême, take the D955 followed by the D11 (approx. 15 minutes). From Alençon, take the D955 towards Bellême and then Nocé (approx. 45 minutes). Free parking is available on-site.
By train
The nearest station is Nogent-le-Rotrou, served by TER Centre-Val de Loire trains from Paris-Montparnasse (approx. 1h40 journey). Nocé is 20 km away from the station.
Opening hours
Le Moulin Blanchard is open on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from 2:00 PM to 6:30 PM, from April through the end of September. Specific hours for the 2026 edition have not been released as of mid-August. During the previous two editions, events began at 2:00 PM on Saturday and in the morning on Sunday, concluding around 6:30 PM.
Admission
The festival is free to attend, and no booking is required. A pop-up bookstore will be selling works by the guest authors on-site.
Food and drink
Catering services are available on-site during the festival. Details for 2026 have not yet been published.
Accommodation
Holiday cottages, bed and breakfasts, and hotels are available within the Perche Regional Natural Park, in Bellême (15 km) and Nogent-le-Rotrou (20 km). A list is available from the Cœur du Perche tourist office.
Contact
Association Moulin Blanchard, Le Blanchard, Nocé, 61340 Perche-en-Nocé
Website: www.moulinblanchard.com
Email: [email protected]
Noir en Perche: Crime Fiction Comes to Moulin Blanchard
Born in 2024, Noir en Perche is a crime fiction festival organized by the Moulin Blanchard association in the enchanting setting of an old water mill nestled in the heart of the Orne Perche region. This contemporary art venue, already recognized for its exhibitions and artist residencies, hosts lovers of crime fiction, thrillers, and noir novels every autumn for a weekend of exchanges and literary discoveries.
A Rich Program of Meetings
The festival offers a dense program combining meetings with authors, themed round tables, readings aloud, and signing sessions. A pop-up bookstore allows visitors to leave with the works of the invited authors. The friendly atmosphere of Moulin Blanchard, with its historic buildings and gardens, provides an ideal setting for these privileged exchanges between writers and readers.
The Youth Prize and the Short Story Competition
From its second edition, Noir en Perche has been enhanced by a Youth Prize, awarded in partnership with the territory's media libraries, as well as a crime fiction short story competition for teenagers from local middle schools. These initiatives demonstrate the festival's commitment to raising awareness among younger generations about literature and actively involving them in the event.
A Festival Rooted in Perche
Noir en Perche is part of the cultural dynamic driven by the Moulin Blanchard association, which organizes a year-round program of exhibitions, concerts, artist residencies, and festivals. The bucolic setting of Perche, with its hills, manors, and forests, provides a perfect backdrop for a festival dedicated to the plots and mysteries of noir fiction.
Practical Information
Admission to the festival is free. Moulin Blanchard is located in Nocé, in the commune of Perche-en-Nocé, easily accessible from Nogent-le-Rotrou and Bellême. Light refreshments are available on site during the festival.
Where does it take place — Noir en Perche
Noir en Perche in brief
History of Noir en Perche
Edition 2025 Sep 2025Other festivals near Perche-en-Nocé
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