Villeneuve se Livre
Literary festival of Villeneuve-sur-Lot
2026
About Villeneuve se Livre
Villeneuve se Livre — edition 2026
The 6th edition of Villeneuve se Livre explores the theme "Imagining Infinity." The festival kicks off with an opening night on Friday, September 25, 2026, followed by two days of literary encounters on Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27, at the théâtre Georges-Leygues. The guest of honor, La Ligue de l'Imaginaire, will be represented by eight of its authors, including Olivier Norek, Éric Giacometti, and Sandrine Destombes, and will present the 2026 Ensemble pour l'Imaginaire prize, which carries a €3,000 award. Admission is free.
2026 Edition: "Imagining Infinity"
The city announced the 6th edition on June 17, 2026, through Laurence Mandile-Picot, Deputy Mayor for Culture, and the Department of Cultural Affairs. The festival maintains its late-September format: an opening night on Friday the 25th, followed by meetings on Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th at the théâtre Georges-Leygues.
La Ligue de l'Imaginaire as Guest of Honor
The 2026 guest of honor is a collective: La Ligue de l'Imaginaire, founded in 2008 and chaired by Olivier Norek, which brings together authors of French-language crime fiction, thrillers, science fiction, and fantasy. Eight of its members are coming to Villeneuve-sur-Lot: Olivier Norek, Éric Giacometti, Nicolas Lebel, Alexis Laipsker, Cédric Sire, Sandrine Destombes, Jean-Luc Bizien, and Érik Wietzel. "Crime fiction is a genre that reaches a very wide audience without sacrificing literary quality," explains Laurence Mandile-Picot.
The Ensemble pour l'Imaginaire Prize
The League is visiting Villeneuve-sur-Lot thanks to its partnership with the Les Libraires Ensemble group, a network of about fifty independent bookstores, including the Martin-Delbert shop in Agen. Both collectives will present the Ensemble pour l'Imaginaire prize, worth €3,000, on Friday, September 25, in Villeneuve-sur-Lot. Six crime novels are in the running:
- "Killing me softly" by Jacky Schwartzmann (La Manufacture des livres)
- "La Colline" by Mathilde Beaussault (Seuil)
- "Mourir deux fois" by Maxime Girardeau (Robert Laffont)
- "D'où personne ne revient" by Clarence Pitz (Belfond Noir)
- "Les Diables de Beausanges" by Victor Guilbert (Flammarion)
- "Omnivore" by Olivier Bocquet (Seuil)
The Villeneuve se Livre Novel Prize
The festival's own novel prize maintains its separate selection. Three titles were unveiled in June 2026: "Renverser la nuit" by Laëtitia Ayrès (Le soir venu), "Habibi Beyrouth" by Manal Salamé (La Tribu), and "Le ciel l'a mauvaise" by Éléa Marini (éditions de l'Olivier). Two additional titles will complete the list over the summer.
A Festival Centered Around the Theater
The festival is moving away from the tents on the parking de la République to take place at the théâtre Georges-Leygues and its immediate surroundings. Meetings and book signings will be held in the hall and foyer, conferences and debates in the main auditorium and the tourist office, and youth workshops on the allée Paul-Nasse. This move saves nearly €30,000 in tent rentals and security costs, and the lineup has been streamlined to about 55 authors, compared to 70–80 in previous years.
Youth
Invited authors and illustrators will visit schools before the festival and host workshops throughout the weekend.
Highlights Villeneuve se Livre 2026
- 2026 Theme: "Imagining Infinity"
- La Ligue de l'Imaginaire as guest of honor, featuring Olivier Norek, Éric Giacometti, Nicolas Lebel, Alexis Laipsker, Cédric Sire, Sandrine Destombes, Jean-Luc Bizien, and Érik Wietzel
- Presentation of the €3,000 Ensemble pour l'Imaginaire prize on Friday, September 25
- Opening show dedicated to Prévert, by Narcisse
- Reading-concert in partnership with La Poste
- Approximately 55 authors at the théâtre Georges-Leygues and its surroundings
- Free admission
Programme Villeneuve se Livre 2026
Friday, September 25, 2026 — Opening Night
- Opening night at the théâtre Georges-Leygues
- Presentation of the 2026 Ensemble pour l'Imaginaire prize (€3,000) by La Ligue de l'Imaginaire and Les Libraires Ensemble
Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27, 2026
- Encounters and book signings with guest authors — hall and foyer of the théâtre Georges-Leygues
- Conferences and debates — theater auditorium and the Villeneuve-Vallée du Lot tourist office
- Youth workshops — allée Paul-Nasse
Announced Highlights (Dates TBD)
- Grand opening show dedicated to Prévert, by Narcisse
- Reading-concert in partnership with La Poste
- Artistic activities for parents and children
- Workshops led by invited youth authors and illustrators
- Presentation of the Villeneuve se Livre novel prize
As of mid-August 2026, the city has not yet published the weekend schedule: this includes opening hours, the hour-by-hour program of meetings, conferences, and workshops, and the full list of the approximately 55 expected authors.
Prices Villeneuve se Livre 2026
Practical information — Villeneuve se Livre
Festival Venues
In 2026, the festival will be concentrated at the Georges-Leygues theatre and its immediate surroundings in the town centre. The marquees on the parking de la République, used in 2025, will no longer be used.
- Theatre hall and foyer: meet-and-greets and book signings
- Theatre auditorium and Villeneuve-Vallée du Lot tourist office: panel discussions and talks
- Allée Paul-Nasse: children's workshops
Getting There
By car: Villeneuve-sur-Lot is located on the RN21, 30 minutes from Agen and 1 hour 30 minutes from Bordeaux and Toulouse. Free parking is available in the town centre.
By train: Villeneuve-sur-Lot SNCF station (Agen-Périgueux line), just a few minutes' walk from the town centre.
Opening Hours
The opening evening takes place on Friday, September 25th, 2026, with the main days for meetings and signings on Saturday, September 26th and Sunday, September 27th. As of mid-August 2026, the City has not yet released the opening times or the detailed weekend programme.
Admission
Free entry to all meetings and events.
Contact
- Mairie de Villeneuve-sur-Lot, boulevard de la République, 47300 Villeneuve-sur-Lot
- Phone: 05 53 41 53 53
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.ville-villeneuve-sur-lot.fr
- Facebook: Villeneuve se livre
A literary festival in the heart of the bastide
Since 2021, the Villeneuve se Livre festival has established itself as an unmissable event of the literary season in Lot-et-Garonne. Born from the desire of the Villeneuve-sur-Lot municipality to revive the former book fair created by Jean-Luc Barré in 1995, this event has taken on a new dimension thanks to the work of professional programmer Pierre Defendini. Each year, the festival takes over the historic center of the bastide, from the Parking de la République to the Allées Georges-Leygues, via the Théâtre Georges-Leygues, the Jardin de l'Hôtel de Ville, and the Office de tourisme Villeneuve-Vallée du Lot.
An exceptional lineup of authors
Each edition brings together around 70 authors to meet passionate or occasional readers, families, and young audiences. The festival covers all literary genres: general literature, crime fiction, thrillers, science fiction, children's literature, and poetry. Among the prestigious patrons who have presided over the festival are David Foenkinos and Clélia Ventura (2021), Colombe Schneck and Franz-Olivier Giesbert (2023), Yasmina Khadra (2024), as well as Carole Martinez and Jean-Paul Delfino (2025).
The Villeneuve se Livre Novel Prize
Created from the first edition in 2021, the Prix du Roman Villeneuve se Livre rewards an exceptional literary work. With a prize of 1,500 euros, it is awarded during the opening evening at the Théâtre Georges-Leygues. Among the winners: Corinne Royer for Pleine Terre (2021), Akli Tadjer for D'audace et de liberté (2022), Thomas Oussin for À double tour (2023), and Édouard Jousselin for La géométrie des possibles (2024).
Inspiring themes
Each edition revolves around a unifying theme that guides the programming:
- 2022: “Life is Beautiful”
- 2023: “A Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body”
- 2024: “Dreaming Tomorrow”
- 2025: “The Immobile Journey”
This theme inspires the debates, meetings, and shows offered throughout the weekend, providing visitors with a rich and coherent literary experience.
A free and family-friendly event
True to its mission of democratizing reading, Villeneuve se Livre is entirely free. The organizers want to allow everyone to take the risk of discovering the unknown and being surprised by literature. Youth activities, writing workshops, and live performances complement the program of signings and meetings, making the festival a moment of intergenerational sharing in the heart of the Lot-et-Garonne city.
Where does it take place — Villeneuve se Livre
Villeneuve se Livre in brief
History of Villeneuve se Livre
Edition 2025 Sep 2025Other festivals near Villeneuve-sur-Lot
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