Back to the 2021 Nuits des Forêts program

In 2021, the Nuits des Forêts brought together more than 200 artistic experiences and nearly 150 forest owners and managers helped us discover their forests. Sensory immersions to meet the wild, nocturnal experiences between dreams and magic, guided discoveries of forest territories, monumental works between the trees, educational explorations around the forest issues …

Art reserves in Fontainebleau

Fontainebleau was a source of inspiration and a gathering place for many artists. The Barbizon painters, then the impressionists, invested this place from the 19th century and contributed to shape the history of this forest, especially when they pleaded for its protection, making the Forest of Fontainebleau the first natural site classified in the world, with the creation of the Artistic Reserves in 1853.

During the Nuits des Forêts, walkers will follow in the footsteps of this rich history and may come across a peat sculpture by Caroline Le Mehauté, meet the woodcarver Vincent Laval, attend the rituals of Beya Gille Gesha, rediscover the texts of Borges with Jonas Delhaye, smell the scents of the forest with the artist Julie C Fortier and watch the fireflies ofErik Samakh sparkle. At the end of the day, you will be treated to performances by Philippe Quesne, Ivana Muller, Romina de Novellisand many other sensitive experiences such as discovering bats with the National Forestry Commission, following the tracks of deer with the author of the best seller The Deer Man and meditate under the stars with the shaman Catitu Tayassu.

Focus on the National Park of Forests

Just established in November 2019, Forest National Park is the first national park dedicated to lowland hardwood forests. Located between Champagne and Burgundy, it is the repository of a rich and eventful history. The Celtic tribes, the Templars, the monastic orders, the proto-metallurgical industry followed one another.

For the Nuits des Forêts, the Park will host 18 events in a dozen forests: evening gatherings, musical and guided walks, on foot, by bike or even on a donkey, night hikes, shows and artistic works, conferences and educational activities… On the program, transmission of knowledge, ideas and emotions.

Sensory immersions to meet the wild

Listening to the diversity of forest birds thanks to Anthony Carcone’s sound installation in the Forêt domaniale de l’Île d’Oléron (17 ); Awakening sound perceptions with the Station d’Écoute Suspendue (suspended listening station) in the Parc Naturel Régional du Haut Jura and the Forêt du Chapuzieux, La Pesse (39).

Nighttime experiences between dreams and magic

A sensory journey and a dreamy night under the stars by the EVI collective in Les jardins de Toucanne, Brocéliande (35); immersion in the world of mushrooms thanks to mycorhised experiments with the forest, guided by Thierry Boutonnier and Boris Nordmann in the Forest of Bois barbu, Villard de Lans (38).

Sleeping in the forest

Bivouac in the heart of the new Bellastock site, a place of architectural experimentation on a scale of 1 and with preserved biodiversity in the heart of the Arts Architecture Landscape Heritage Center, Evry-Courcouronnes (91) ; Collective immersion on the northern flank of the Serre forest in collaboration with L’atelier Bivouac, a landscape architect association within the Forest of Serre en Don, Ardèche (07).

Guided tours of forest areas

Sensitive and commented visit in the heart of Vassivière Utopia, a project of theCentre International d’Art et du Paysage in the Forest of Lacelle, Corrèze (19); Visit between Brie and Marne in the Castle of Champs-sur-Marne (77) with the Voyage métropolitain.

Monumental works between the trees

Shows and evening events in the heart of the architectural installation of Feda Wardak in the Forest of Bondy in Seine-Saint-Denis (93 ); artistic and meditative journey through the works of the Forest of Contemporary Art, contemporary art itinerary in the Natural Park of Landes de Gascogne in the Forest of Borcas (40)

Educational explorations of forestry issues

Discovery of tropical forests in the Tropical Agronomy Garden of Paris René Dumont (75); visit of the forests of the Meuse and their history on the Vent des Forêts circuit, with the sound intervention of the artist Marjolijn Dijkman in the Verdun Forest (55).