Salon du Livre de Nîmes
Nîmes Biography Festival, Gard
About Salon du Livre de Nîmes
The Nîmes Biography Festival — locally known as the Nîmes Book Fair — is one of the major literary events of the year in Occitanie. Entirely dedicated to the biographical genre, it brings together nearly a hundred authors each year in January at the Carré d'Art Jean Bousquet: historians, biographers, specialized journalists, memoirists. Some 30,000 visitors come to meet them during three days of debates, conferences, readings, screenings, concerts, and book signings. Admission is free.
Created in 2002 by the Nîmes City Council in partnership with the association of Nîmes booksellers, the festival is organized by the City's Department of Cultural Affairs. The Prix de la Biographie du Point, awarded by Le Point magazine since 2004, is presented there each year during the inauguration.
The Biography Festival in Nîmes
Since its creation in 2002, the Nîmes Biography Festival — often called the Nîmes Book Fair by regulars — has established itself as an unmissable event of the winter literary season. Organized by the City of Nîmes in the heart of the Carré d'Art Jean Bousquet, opposite the Maison Carrée, it is held annually over three days at the end of January.
A festival entirely dedicated to biography
What distinguishes this festival from other book fairs is its specialization: biography in all its forms — historical biography, autobiography, memoirs, life story, biographical investigation. Nearly 100 authors are invited each year: historians, biographers, specialized journalists, novelists, essayists. Honorary presidencies are entrusted to major figures in French biography.
A packed program and multiple venues
The Carré d'Art remains the central venue, but the festival also takes over the Théâtre de Nîmes Bernadette Lafont, the cinéma Le Sémaphore, the Université de Nîmes, the Galerie Courbet, the Espace 14 and the Novotel Atria. The program combines conferences, cross-debates, film screenings followed by meetings, musical readings, concerts and book signing sessions.
The Prix de la Biographie du Point
Awarded since 2004 — the first edition being overseen by a jury then chaired by Max Gallo —, the Prix de la Biographie du Point is one of the French literary prizes dedicated to the genre. Its official presentation traditionally opens the festival on Friday evening.
A free and popular event
With approximately 30,000 visitors each year and completely free admission, the Biography Festival is a democratic and popular event that extends far beyond Nîmes, attracting an audience of readers, teachers, students, and history enthusiasts from all over Occitanie and beyond.
Salon du Livre de Nîmes — edition 2026
The 24th edition of the Nîmes Biography Festival was held from Friday, January 23 to Sunday, January 25, 2026 at Carré d'Art Jean Bousquet. This year's theme: « The biographer, the importance of archives ». Co-chaired by Anca Visdei and Thierry Lentz, the edition gathered around a hundred authors and approximately 30,000 visitors for debates, meetings, screenings, concerts, and book signings. Free admission.
Biography Festival 2026 — 24th edition
From January 23 to 25, 2026, the 24th edition of the Biography Festival took over the Carré d'Art Jean Bousquet, the Théâtre de Nîmes Bernadette Lafont, the cinéma Le Sémaphore, the Université de Nîmes, the Espace 14 and the Novotel Atria.
The theme: « The biographer, the importance of archives »
This edition placed at the heart of its program the patient and meticulous work of the biographer within archives — libraries, private collections, correspondence, personal diaries, archival films, photographs. How does the biographer construct their narrative from written and iconographic traces? What responsibility do they have towards collective memory? Three days of conferences, debates, and meetings explored these questions.
Honorary Co-presidencies
- Anca Visdei — author and playwright, winner of the Prix Goncourt de la Biographie 2025 for Cioran ou le gai désespoir, came to present Orson Welles. Vérités et mensonges (L'Archipel).
- Thierry Lentz — director of the Fondation Napoléon, historian specializing in the Napoleonic period, presented Napoléon et le monde. 1769-2025 (Belin).
Prix de la Biographie du Point 2026
The Prix de la Biographie du Point 2026 was awarded on Friday, January 23 to Amos Reichman for Les morts de Raoul Villain, during the official inauguration at Carré d'Art.
A hundred invited authors
Among the hundred invited authors were Pierre Assouline, Jean-Luc Barré, Dominique Bona (Académie française), Laure de Chantal, Vladimir Fédorovski, Franz-Olivier Giesbert, Susie Morgenstern, Dominique Missika, Véronique Olmi, Kerwin Spire, Catherine Van Offelen, Sylvain Tesson, Antoine Compagnon, Catherine Cusset, Gilles Kepel, Jean-Paul Desprat, Louis-Philippe Dalembert, and Irène Frain.
Programme Salon du Livre de Nîmes 2026
Friday, January 23, 2026
Théâtre de Nîmes — Salle Bernadette Lafont
- 3:15 PM — Orson Welles. Vérités et mensonges with Anca Visdei (L'Archipel), moderated by Stéphane Cerri
- 4:15 PM — Napoléon et le monde. 1769-2025 with Thierry Lentz (Belin), moderated by Franz-Olivier Giesbert
Carré d'Art — Grand auditorium (level -1)
- 2:30 PM — Le roi Arthur with Dominique Bona (Académie française, Gallimard)
- 3:00 PM — La lumière derrière les barbelés with Francine Cabane and Jean-Paul Boré
- 4:00 PM — Entre Camargue et Cévennes by Thierry Vezon
- 5:00 PM — De Gaulle, une vie with Jean-Luc Barré (Grasset)
Carré d'Art — Petit auditorium (level -1)
- 3:00 PM — La fascination Titaÿna with Hélène Legrais
- 3:30 PM — René Cassin with Emmanuel Decaux
- 4:00 PM — Gambetta with Pierre Allorant
- 4:30 PM — La peau dure with Vanessa Schneider (Flammarion)
- 5:00 PM — Un homme debout with Agustín Galiana
Carré d'Art — Authors' Forum (Atrium -1)
- 2:30 PM to 5:40 PM — Cross-debates: Michel Blanc, Christians of the East, Arthur Koestler, Anne Boleyn and other historical figures
- 6:00 PM — Official inauguration of the festival and presentation of the Prix de la Biographie du Point 2026 to Amos Reichman for Les morts de Raoul Villain
Saturday, January 24, 2026
Cinéma Le Sémaphore
- 10:15 AM — Screening of the film Love is Strange followed by a meeting with Colombe Schneck
Espace 14
- 11:00 AM — Meeting with Stéphanie Boissard about Nuremberg. L'album du procès
Université de Nîmes — Amphi A5
- 2:30 PM — L'Or de la nuit with Irène Frain, followed by book signings
Carré d'Art — Grand auditorium (level -1)
- 10:30 AM — Conference Trump / Poutine by Vladimir Fédorovski
- 11:30 AM — Madame de Sévigné et Madame de La Fayette with Jean-Noël Liaut
- 2:00 PM — Élise, la colère de dieu with Lionnel Astier
- 3:00 PM — Ma vie avec Marcel Proust with Catherine Cusset
- 4:00 PM — Meeting with Amos Reichman, winner of the Prix de la Biographie du Point 2026
- 5:00 PM — Antiterrorisme with Gilles Kepel and Jean-François Ricard
- 6:15 PM — Musical reading Mr Gershwin by Susie Morgenstern, piano by Noam Silvy
Carré d'Art — Petit auditorium (level -1)
- 10:30 AM — Children's workshop Mon histoire de baleine à bosse (6-9 years old)
- 2:00 PM — 5:30 PM — Meetings about Romain Gary, Tocqueville, Talleyrand and other figures
Carré d'Art — Authors' Forum (Atrium -1)
- 10:30 AM — 6:10 PM — 13 scheduled debates: Mistinguett, Yourcenar, the Vikings, Napoleon III, Samuel Paty, etc.
Sunday, January 25, 2026
Cinéma Le Sémaphore
- 10:15 AM — Screening of the film Le troisième homme followed by a meeting with Pierre Assouline
Novotel Atria
- 2:30 PM — Les piliers de la terre with Sylvain Tesson, followed by book signings
Carré d'Art — Grand auditorium (level -1)
- 10:30 AM — Je n'ai jamais dit papa with Louis-Philippe Dalembert
- 11:30 AM — 1966, année mirifique with Antoine Compagnon
- 2:00 PM — Irène Némirovsky with Dominique Missika
- 3:00 PM — Jacques-Louis David with David Chanteranne
- 4:00 PM — Danton with Jean-Paul Desprat
Carré d'Art — Petit auditorium (level -1)
- 11:00 AM — 4:45 PM — Meetings about Kandinsky, Napoleon III, Ancient Greece
Carré d'Art — Authors' Forum (Atrium -1)
- 10:30 AM — 4:10 PM — Debates: Catherine of Aragon, chess, Yitzhak Rabin, Saint-Simon, Franco, Erik Satie, etc.
Carré d'Art — Closing Concert (Atrium -1)
- 5:30 PM — Gala Swing Quartet — swing and gypsy jazz music
Highlights Salon du Livre de Nîmes 2026
- 24th edition, theme « The biographer, the importance of archives »
- Honorary Co-presidencies: Anca Visdei and Thierry Lentz
- Prix de la Biographie du Point 2026 awarded to Amos Reichman
- A hundred invited authors: Pierre Assouline, Sylvain Tesson, Dominique Bona, Jean-Luc Barré, Catherine Cusset, Antoine Compagnon, Irène Frain, Gilles Kepel...
- Musical reading Mr Gershwin by Susie Morgenstern (Saturday evening)
- Closing concert Gala Swing Quartet (Sunday afternoon)
- Free admission, approximately 30,000 visitors expected
Prices Salon du Livre de Nîmes 2026
Practical information — Salon du Livre de Nîmes
Practical Information
Main Venue
Carré d'Art Jean Bousquet, Place de la Maison Carrée, 30000 Nîmes — opposite the Maison Carrée, right in the city center.
Other festival venues: Théâtre de Nîmes Bernadette Lafont, cinéma Le Sémaphore, Université de Nîmes, Galerie Courbet, Espace 14, Novotel Atria.
Access
The Carré d'Art is located in the heart of Nîmes, a 5-minute walk from Nîmes-Centre SNCF train station. Several public car parks nearby (parking Coupole des Halles, parking Pradier). Tango Bus, lines serving the city center.
Price
Free admission to all meetings, conferences, and debates.
Contact
Department of Cultural Affairs, Nîmes City Council — 6 rue Fresque, 30033 Nîmes.
Phone: 04 66 76 74 49
Email: [email protected]
Official website: festivaldelabiographie.com
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Where does it take place — Salon du Livre de Nîmes
Carré d'Art Jean Bousquet
Place de la Maison Carrée, 30000 Nîmes, 30000 Nîmes