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Grains De Sel 2017 Jpvallorani 2

Festival Grains de Sel 2025

20 > 23 November 2025

In Aubagne, November is decked out with a thousand stories at the Grains de Sel Festival, a major event in children’s literature. For four days, young and old alike are invited to celebrate the pleasure of reading, imagining and dreaming through meetings, shows and creative workshops.

Published on 4 November 2025

Children's literature in the spotlight

From 20 to 23 November 2025, Aubagne celebrates children’s literature with the 15th Grains de Sel festival. This not-to-be-missed event invites young and old alike to plunge into the magical world of children’s books and words. Readings, creative workshops, shows and meetings with authors punctuate these four days dedicated to the imagination and the pleasure of reading.

This year’s guest of honour is Jean-Claude Mourlevat, winner of the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. His poetic and humanist work is the perfect embodiment of the spirit of the festival: to open windows on the world through words and emotions.

A lively, family-friendly festival

Grains de Sel transforms the city centre into a major book festival, with events, exhibitions and shows. Booksellers, illustrators and publishers come together to awaken curiosity and pass on a taste for reading. True to its commitment to young people, Aubagne – a Children’s Friendly Town – is offering a 100% arts and culture education programme, where discovery goes hand in hand with wonder.

Programme
  • Thursday 20 and Friday 21 November

    Access to the show is reserved for schoolchildren and participants in the trade fair.

  • Saturday 22nd November

    10am and 11.30am/Espace des Libertés – L’Atelier

    Draw your mask ” – Illustration workshop led by illustrator Aurélia Fronty
    From age 5 (Length: 1 hour) – Registration required

    11.30 am/Espace des Libertés – Salle spectacle

    Presentation of booktubes
    Pupils from the CM2 class at Les Passons primary school will be presenting their video creations based on the work of author and scriptwriter Loïc Clément. Come and support them!

    2.30pm/Espace des Libertés – Salle spectacle

    Tonnerre de mammouth” (Mammoth Thunder ) An original interactive story performed by Pascale Perrier
    A humorous journey into prehistory
    Ages 7 and up (Length: 40 mins) – free admission subject to availability

    Read aloud! – Come and read with Pascale Perrier during the show
    Do you feel like an actor, or would you like to slip into the shoes of a mischievous mammoth?
    Based on a passage from one of the novels Tonnerre de mammouth (for 8 / 11 year olds).
    Rehearsal from 1.30pm to 2.30pm
    Registration required, places limited

    3pm and 4.30pm/Espace des Libertés – L’Atelier

    Collaborative comic book workshop led by scriptwriter and author Loïc Clément
    Collectively imagine a comic strip in 3 panels
    Ages 8 and up (duration: 1 hour) – Registration required

    4.30pm/Espace des Libertés – Salle spectacle

    Musical reading: Jean-Claude Mourlevat reads aloud extracts from his short stories and novels for young people and adults. He will be accompanied by students from the Vladimir COSMA Conservatoire in Aubagne.
    From 9 years (Duration 1h15) – Free admission subject to availability

  • Sunday 23rd November

    10am and 11.30am/Espace des Libertés – L’Atelier

    Underwater landscapes ” – Illustration workshop led by Gaëtan Doremus, author and illustrator
    Based on the book Tom Poulpe (published by La Partie), come and draw your most magnificent underwater landscape and add some funny creatures from the deep!
    From age 6 (duration: 1 hour) – Registration required

    11am/Espace des Libertés – Salle spectacle

    Music-Hall Poetry! – Play and texts David Dumortier author and poet
    A pocket-sized show to keep you dreaming! A family show that combines poetry, magic, laughter and a fake fortune-telling act, where David Dumortier takes children into the magic of his words.
    Ages 8 and up (Length: 1 hour) – Free admission, subject to availability.

    2.30pm and 3.30pm/Espace des Libertés – L’Atelier

    Les petites histoires de la médiathèque ” by the librarians of the Marcel Pagnol multimedia library
    Shadow theatre / Readings / Kamishibaï
    From 4 years old (Length: 30 min) – Registration required

    3pm and 4.30pm/Espace des Libertés

    Manga workshop led by Daniel Ballin mangaka and illustrator
    From 9 years (Length: 1h15) – Registration required

    3pm and 4pm/Espace des Libertés – Salle spectacle

    But where is he? Vincent Bourgeau and Cédric Ramadier, directed by Philippe le Moine
    Vincent transforms himself into a digital puppeteer, drawing live and animating the canary and the sets. Cédric takes the stage, plays with the virtual canary and tries to tame it… But the bird doesn’t give in! A digital and poetic show freely adapted by its two authors from the book “Mais il est où” published by l’école des loisirs.
    From 2 years (Length: 30 mins)

Practical information

Good to know

Venue: Aubagne town centre
Dates: Friday 20 to Sunday 23 November
Free admission

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