Printemps des Poètes in Seine-Saint-Denis

The Printemps des Poètes in Seine-Saint-Denis: Poetry as an Act of Life

Every year in March, Seine-Saint-Denis participates in the Printemps des Poètes, a national event created in 1999 that brings together over 20,000 events across France each year. In this department with a diverse and multicultural population, the Printemps des Poètes takes on a special dimension: poetry is experienced as an act of resistance, sharing, and identity affirmation, reflecting the multiple languages, memories, and poetic traditions carried by the inhabitants of the 93.

A Fertile Territory for Poetry

Seine-Saint-Denis has a strong historical connection with poetry. The department has been the birthplace or a place of evolution for major poetic figures: Paul Éluard, born in Saint-Denis, is one of the greatest French Surrealist poets, and the city has dedicated a museum to him. The multicultural richness of the department—with communities of Algerian, Moroccan, Malian, Senegalese, Antillean, Turkish, Armenian, Portuguese, and many other origins—fuels a multiple, multilingual, and vital poetic expression.

Events of the Printemps des Poètes 2026

The 2026 edition of the Printemps des Poètes in Seine-Saint-Denis took place from March 14 to 31, on the theme "liberty, living force, deployed." The godmother of the national edition is the actress Isabelle Adjani. Events in Seine-Saint-Denis included:

• The play "Enfant d'après-demain" by Compagnie Les Demains qui chantent, at Espace Renaudie, a show for children aged 8 and up
• The evening "Four Poets of Bengal", organized by the association Udichi at Espace Renaudie, celebrating Bengali poetic tradition
• "Nawruz: Persian Poetry Celebration", a day celebrating the Persian New Year with readings and performances of Iranian poetry
• An open-air exhibition "La mise au trésor du Trésor" at Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, from March 23 to April 11
• The "Écoutécris Poetic Walk", a sound walk starting from the Médialudothèque Le Petit Prince
• A creative writing workshop at the Jardin des Murs à Pêches in Montreuil with poet Flora Delalande

Poetry in Schools and Libraries

The Printemps des Poètes in Seine-Saint-Denis heavily involves schools and municipal libraries. Guest authors in classrooms, writing workshops led by professional poets, recitations in schoolyards: the goal is to introduce poetry to new generations and give them the tools to embrace it as a form of expression. Libraries, for their part, organize public readings, exhibitions of visual works inspired by poetry, and meetings with authors.

Languages and Cultures

One of the specificities of the Printemps des Poètes in Seine-Saint-Denis is the importance given to poetry in all languages. Events in Arabic, Wolof, Creole, Bengali, Persian, Portuguese, and Armenian are held alongside events in French, reflecting the linguistic reality of the department. This plurality is a unique richness that makes the Printemps des Poètes in Seine-Saint-Denis an exceptional event on a national scale.