Thirsty for culture? All over France, new museums, art centres and other hybrid venues are now preparing to receive their first visitors. Travel through the epic history of books and images at the Dominican Convent of Colmar, plunge into the cauldron of contemporary creativity at Luma Arles deep in Provence, explore ancient Gaul at NarboVia in Narbonne or take an impressionist stroll through Les Franciscaines de Deauville and the Abbaye de Fontevraud... We reveal the most iconic new cultural venues of today, which you should definitely experience just as soon as health crisis restrictions allow!
Cité Internationale de la langue française at the Château de Villers-Cotterêts, Hauts-de-France
Less than 100 km from Paris, in the Hauts-de-France region, the Château de Villers-Cotterêts, a listed historic monument, occupies a unique place in French history. It was within its walls that King François I signed an eponymous ordinance in 1539 establishing the use of French as the official language of law and justice. Nearly 700 years later, the building, which has been abandoned since 2014 and then restored, is opening a new page in its tumultuous history by becoming a centre for the dissemination of French-speaking cultures with the opening, in Autumn 2023, of the Cité Internationale de la langue française. An architectural work consisting of a contemporary-style glass roof with hanging words (in French, of course), the castle will house 1600m² of exhibitions, artists' workshops in residence, educational activities and an innovation laboratory.
Visit the Cité Internationale de la langue française at the Château de Villers-Cotterêts in Hauts-de-France (scheduled to open in 2023).
The Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne: a dive into the vineyards
Listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2015, the 1247 Climats de Bourgogne, these micro wine-growing areas that make the Burgundy vineyards famous throughout the world, now have a dedicated cultural venue... or rather three! Spread over the sites of Chablis, Beaune and Macon, the Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne is open to the public since spring 2023.
The capital of Burgundy wines, known for its hospices which host a prestigious auction every autumn, Beaune is the reference interpretation centre for the Climats and wines of Burgundy, but each site offer immersive sensory experiences and a fun trail dedicated to children to learn all about the Burgundy vineyard.
At Beaune, the eco-built building in the heart of a 10-hectare park takes the form of a vine tendril leading visitors to a panoramic terrace, more than 20 metres above the ground. Further north, in the village of Chablis, it is in the historic cellar of Petit Pontigny, dating from the 12th century, surrounded by a garden that visitors is immersed in the wine-growing landscapes of northern Burgundy (Chablisien, Grand Auxerrois and Châtillonnais). On the banks of the Saône, the Cité des Climats de Macon is visible from afar with its contemporary wine press screw rising above the exhibition areas. Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais, Côtes du Couchois, the vineyards of southern Burgundy will hold no secrets for you.
By Anne-Claire Delorme
Globetrotting journalist anneclairedelorme@yahoo.fr
