Literary Prize of the Avignonnais: until November 12! : Avignon City Hall
The City of Avignon launches the first Literary Prize of the Avignonnais. From 1uh October and until November 12, residents of Avignon and all lovers of literature are invited to choose their favorite novel from the fall literary season from among the five selected works. Conferences, round tables, lunch-sandwiches and many events will help to make these five works better known and to vote for the one who will win the first prize.
The five selected novels are available on loan from the City’s libraries and for sale in partner bookstores.
A word from Cécile Helle
To see the birth of a Literary Prize, in a city with such a cultural aura and such a fertile artistic heritage… we dreamed of it and we did it!
It is a great pleasure to see this event around literature come to fruition today for Avignon. An event that sounds obvious but that had to be built with acuity to give it its full meaning. And it is also and above all with your participation that this first Literary Prize of the Avignonnais will be able to take its full measure: it’s up to you to read and choose your favorite novel, among five works of the literary season selected by a committee of booksellers, teachers and librarians, whom I would like to thank here for their involvement.
In addition to the taste of reading that these novels will offer to each of us, I also invite you to attend the rich program of events concocted until November 12, in order to discover them in a new way.
City of inspiration, creation and literature, Avignon continues with this Literary Prize its beautiful dynamic Land of Culture 2025: good reading to all!
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How to choose your favorite book?
By voting until November 12!
Presentation of the prize to the winning writer
Saturday December 3 at 3:30 p.m. at the Théâtre des Halles
List of selected books
The evaporated
Fanny Chiarello, Wendy Delorme
Cambourakis Editions
“What can a woman do suddenly abandon the one to whom she has just said, What marvelous moments I spent with you, even today: I want that every day of my life? This is the questioning faced by Jenny after Eve’s departure. Both will learn that “one can have the same story in two totally different ways”.
The pawn
Paco Cerda
Editions La Contre Allée
Stockholm, winter 1962. Two men from opposing worlds face each other. Arturo Pomar, the Spanish child prodigy, faces the chessboard Bobby Fischer, an eccentric and ambitious young American.
In the middle of the Cold War, this one was the pawn of the Franco regime, the other will be from the United States.
- First selection of the Best Foreign Book Award – non-fiction category.
Eleftheria
Murielle Szac
Editions Emmanuelle Collas
1940, north of Crete. The Jewish community celebrates Rosh Hashanah. Rebecca listens to comments about Stella’s future marriage. We also wonder about the war that started in Europe. Metaxas, the dictator in power in Athens, will he be able to resist Mussolini and his ally, Hitler? Soon, Nikos’ boat, the Tanaïs, is requisitioned by the Greek army. Despite the threat, life goes on… Until the morning of May 20, 1941, when the 3rd Reich launches an airborne invasion on Crete. Should we flee or stay? It’s time to find out if we are free to choose our destiny.
Dreams of gold and steel
Emilie Ton
Out of reach editions
I want to know how my father arrived in this Lorraine where steel flows, to understand how he became this man whose destiny was broken several times, who never gave up. He has always said it: “When you have lost everything several times, you are no longer afraid to start. »
The Devil’s Invention
Hubert Haddad
Zulma Editions
Papillon de Lasphrise has retired to his Angevin ivory tower. After an existence dedicated to love and war, he is entirely inhabited by the demon of writing. In the evening of his life, he makes a pact with the devil: as long as his poems have not reached posterity, he will not know eternal rest. Immortality will be his curse.
Calendar of activities
- Saturday 1uh october
2:30-5:30 p.m.
Garden of the Ceccano Library
Discovery of the Literary Prize of the Avignonnais After the official announcement by the Mayor of the selected novels, readings and activities around the books will be offered.
- friday october 7
- 12:30 p.m.
Ceccano library
Midi-sandwich To start, place Eleftheria by Murielle Szac (Editions Emmanuelle Collas). - 6:30 p.m.
The Memory of the World Bookstore
Reading Club
- Wednesday October 12
4 p.m.
Ceccano Library
The literary return of high school students from Lycée René Char Introduce yourself to the Avignonnais Literary Prize: go to the Ceccano Library where the high school students will talk to you, with conviction, about the selected novels. They will read excerpts to you, discuss their favourites… or their outbursts… For you, this will be a first approach to the 5 selected novels.
- friday october 14
12:30 p.m.
Ceccano Library
Lunch-sandwich* For this 2nd meeting, discover The Devil’s Invention by Hubert Haddad (Zulma Editions). - 6:30 p.m.
Ceccano Library
The literary return of librarians Your librarians invite you to take part in the new literary season: go to the Ceccano library to take a quick look at the new releases and to talk about the favorites of the new school year… and to tell you about the novels selected as part of the Literary Prize of the Avignonnais!
- friday 21 october
- 12:30 p.m.
Ceccano Library
Lunch-sandwich* For this 3rd meeting, discover The evaporated by Wendy Delorme and Fanny Chiarello (Editions Cambourakis). - 6:30 p.m.
Ceccano Library
The literary return of booksellers Your booksellers invite you to share their literary season. Come to the Ceccano Library to get a quick overview of the new books and to talk about their favorites for the new school year… and to tell you about the novels selected for the Avignonnais Literary Prize!
- Friday, October 28
12:30 p.m.
Ceccano library
Lunch-sandwich* For this 4th meeting, discover Dreams of gold and steel by Émilie Tôn (Editions Hors d’accès).
- friday november 4
- 12:30 p.m.
Ceccano library
Lunch-sandwich* For this 5th meeting, discover The pawn by Paco Cerdà, translated by Marielle Leroy (Editions La Contre Allée). - 6:30 p.m.
The Memory of the World Bookstore
Reading Club
- Wednesday, November 9
7-9 p.m.
Carmelite Theater
Literary talks Discussion moderated by Michel Flandrin around the 5 selected novels: each novel will be defended by “his team” made up of a bookseller, a librarian, a high school student and an avid reader. Another way to discover the works in the running for the prize. Michel Flandrin is a cultural columnist, editor of the site: “Les Sorties de Michel Flandrin”.
- Saturday November 12
3:30 p.m.
Ceccano Library
Stroll through the works Paul Fructus will do a personal reading of the 5 novels: he will highlight extracts that will have touched him. This will be the last moment of meeting around these works, before the prize-giving ceremony. If you still have doubts about who to vote for, this should help. Guaranteed emotions! Paul Fructus is an actor and author, creative craftsman of the company Le Temps de Dire.
- Saturday December 3
3:30-5:30 p.m.
Theater des Halles
Presentation of the prize to the winning writer by Cécile Helle, Mayor of Avignon Festive ceremony: excerpts from the award-winning novel will be read by the actor, Paul Fructus; This will be followed by a meeting with the winning writer, interviewed by Michel Flandrin.
YOUR PARTNER BOOKSTORES
YOUR LIBRARIES
- Ceccano Library
2 bis, rue Laboureur – Avignon
Adult spaces/Music/Heritage: 04 90 85 15 59
Youth Space: 04 90 82 81 71
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Wednesday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Ephemeral library Jean-Louis Barrault
8, rue René Goscinny – Parc de la Murette – Avignon
04 13 60 50 74
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Pierre Boulle Library
Clos des Fontaines – 8, place du viguier – Avignon
04 90 87 56 96
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Champfleury Library
Rue Marie-Madeleine – Avignon
04 90 82 62 12
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Paul & Alice Cluchier Library
Canton Park – Montfavet
04 13 60 50 35
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Saint Chamand Library
A V. François Mauriac – Avignon
04 90 87 61 05
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
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