An associate member of the ACCR since 2014, Les Amis de l'Esparrou, like the CCR network, is developing a project that listens to its territory in cooperation with local players as part of a dynamic territorial network.

An artist's residency to unite the region /

On 12 October 2020, the association hosted the regional network ‘Résidences à la page’, coordinated by Occitanie Livre & Lecture and bringing together the heads of writer residencies in the region. As part of this network, Les Amis de l'Esparrou is developing its residency programme, with a special focus on children's authors and illustrators.

As part of a residency in partnership with Occitanie Livre & Lecture and the Victor & Madeleine bookshop, Les Amis de l'Esparrou is hosting a residency in November 2024 with Catherine Pineur, author of books for young people, published mainly by L'École des loisirs - Pastel collection and translated into several languages. Trained in philosophy for children, Catherine Pineur has no qualms about tackling controversial issues such as immigration, racism, rejection and death.

During her residency, Catherine Pineur will also be meeting children from the Canet en Roussillon leisure centres for workshops on the theme of ‘Murmuration’, the phenomenon of thousands of living beings functioning as a single organism, which makes perfect sense for this joint project. Scientists compare these celestial dances to the movements of a sheet of paper being folded.

Finally, on Sunday 17 November there will be a film-reading in the presence of the author-illustrator. The reading will be followed by a screening of the animated film ‘Va-t-en Alfred’, based on her book and directed by Célia Tisserant and Arnaud Demuynck (2023). The book has also been adapted for the stage by the Italian company Teatro Gioco Vita, featured in the TV programme ‘La cabane à histoires’ and was shortlisted for the Unicef prize and the Magritte award for best short film.

The residency is a chance for the author to get involved in a multi-partner project. The writing process is combined with a dynamic of relationships that echo the author's commitment. These encounters nourish and inspire her creative process.

Victor et Madeleine bookshop

The Librairie Victor & Madeleine is a place for cultural and social exchange, with the aim of creating strong links within the community and promoting a spirit of sharing and conviviality. The Librairie Victor & Madeleine aspires to go beyond the strict confines of books to offer a shared place to live in the city. The Librairie Victor & Madeleine and Les Amis de l'Esparrou regularly invite a wide audience to take a break from their artistic and literary activities, particularly during their residency events, which provide an opportunity to meet and debate. The two organisations also collaborate on musical readings for both children and adults, giving them the chance to discover an instrument and accompany the spoken word in an intimate, participatory setting.

Leisure centres in Canet en Roussillon

Les Amis de l'Esparrou and the town's leisure centres have enjoyed a close working relationship for over ten years. Children are introduced to a wide range of artistic, cultural and environmental activities, through meetings with children's authors, shows and readings.

Town of Canet en Roussillon

The town council of Canet-en-Roussillon, having discovered the children's authors in residence at l'Esparrou, is keen to promote their work in the town's nursery and primary schools. Every year, it buys a range of albums to give to children from nursery to CM2. This is an opportunity for children to discover literature in a lively way, and is part of the town's cultural project, which aims to promote access to culture for all, a major element of citizenship and a vector for social cohesion from an early age.

At the beginning of each December, the CLAP CINE CANET presents children with their books during a day-long event organised by Les Amis de l'Esparrou, which brings together literature, images and music. The Clap Ciné Canet cinema is also a partner of the association.

Grâce à la nature /

Grâce à la Nature is an event organised every autumn by the Société pour la nature et les parcs (SNAP Québec) to thank nature for all its benefits. A five-station nature trail is set up in different parks across Quebec and open to the general public. Grâce à la Nature offers an opportunity to reconnect fully with nature, to value slowing down and taking a break, while questioning the vital role of nature in our lives.

SNAP Québec is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of nature, working to create a network of protected areas across the province to ensure the long-term protection of the boreal forest, the far north, the St. Lawrence and the ecosystems that are home to our threatened species.

SNAP Québec has proposed that this event be tried out in France. The association Les Amis de l'Esparrou has taken up this project and is organising a first edition on 27 November 2024, in partnership with the Arboretum and its teams, as well as the leisure centres of Canet en Roussillon.

As part of this collaboration between the association Les Amis de l'Esparrou and Canet, the leisure centres are invited to take part in order to experience a connection with nature within the fourteen hectares of the town's Arboretum, reaching out to children from nursery to CM2, a total of 90 children.

Among the routes planned, participants will be able to discover : Accol'Arbre - hug a tree; Arbre à Souhaits - make a wish for the planet; Ralentissement Volontaire - take the time to slow down; Vitamine N - fill up on Vitamine Nature; Livre Dehors - leave a thank-you note for nature.