Nuits des Forêts (Parc national de forêts)

Nuits des Forêts: Rediscover the Forest Differently

Every June, the Parc national de forêts partners with the Nuits des Forêts association to offer a unique festival dedicated to the (re)discovery of the forest through intimate, immersive, and nocturnal experiences. For about ten days, the forest massifs of Châtillon, Arc-en-Barrois, and Auberive become the stage for free events combining nature, culture, and conviviality.

A Festival in the Heart of France's First Forest National Park

Created in 2019 between Côte-d'Or and Haute-Marne, the Parc national de forêts is the eleventh French national park and the first entirely dedicated to the protection of lowland deciduous forests. This exceptional territory of 241,000 hectares is home to remarkable biodiversity: deer, roe deer, wildcats, nocturnal raptors, bats, and an exceptionally rich flora. It is in this preserved setting that the Nuits des Forêts takes on its full meaning, offering the public total immersion in the secret life of the forest.

A Rich and Varied Program

The program for the Nuits des Forêts at the Parc national de forêts is structured around several types of activities, all free and open to everyone:

• Nocturnal Nature Outings: Accompanied by naturalists and park rangers, participants discover nocturnal wildlife—owls, deer, bats—learning to observe and listen to the sounds of the forest at dusk.
• Storytelling Walks: Storytellers and actors lead the public on twilight walks filled with forest legends, mythological tales, and stories from around the world, sometimes embodied by masked actors.
• Open-Air Film Screenings: Thanks to a partnership with the Cinécyclo association, short films about nature and biodiversity are screened outdoors, with the video projector's energy supplied by a bicycle generator pedaled by the public.
• "Perched" Conferences: Researchers, foresters, and artists share their knowledge in original conferences held high up, perched in trees or on platforms installed in the forest.
• Participatory Workshops: Creative workshops, stargazing with the association Terre et Ciel du Barrois, forest role-playing games (Werewolves of Thiercelieux), and biodiversity listening workshops complete the program.

Auberive, Gateway to the National Park

The commune of Auberive, nestled in the Aube valley, is one of the festival's anchor points in Haute-Marne. Its Cistercian abbey founded in 1135, now a contemporary art center, and the surrounding forests offer an ideal setting for the Nuits des Forêts activities. The "Porte de coeur" in Auberive hosts open-air screenings and nocturnal events.

Commitment to Environmental Awareness

Beyond entertainment, the Nuits des Forêts carries a strong message of raising awareness about forest issues. In the face of climate change, droughts, and pressure on ecosystems, the festival invites everyone to reconnect with the forest, understand its fragilities, and commit to its preservation. The events are designed in partnership with the Office national des forêts, local naturalist associations, and regional stakeholders to ensure rigorous and accessible scientific content.