The Printemps de Bourges, a must-attend music festival in the Centre region of  France, opens the season of festivals. In the city of  Bourges, music is shared and can be listened to under news ways and genres.

From April 13 to 18, 2010, come and discover both internationally renowned and French bands… For this 34th edition of the Printemps de Bourges festival you will have the opportunity to see on stage: M, Iggy and the Stooges, Archive, Emilie Simon, Olivia Ruiz, Hocus Pocus, Nada Surf, Coeur de Pirate et many others !

Historical and one-of-a-kind show, discover « Les Françoises », created by Olivia Ruiz, Camille, Emily Loizeau, Jeanne Cherhal et La Grande Sophie. These 5 women always eager to do things are the 5 most audacious voices of French female music

Les Découvertes du Printemps de Bourges et de la Fnac : Every year, the Printemps de Bourges festival in partnership with Fnac music stores continually reveal the great stars of tomorrow using the Reseau Printemps. Between rock, French music, hip hop and electro, altogether 31 emerging artists have been selected.

ROCK’N'BEAT PARTY II : For the second time, enjoy an explosive night and 9 hours of  non-stop music.

In St-Pierre Church, immerse yourself into a programme at the crossroads of classical and traditional music.

Also, South-African artists will make travel to unknown lands and will give you an overview of eclectic and dynamic stage.

More information: www.printemps-bourges.com

From March 3 to April 25, in Paris, the festival de l’imaginaire presents a diverse programme : music, dances and theatre to discover.

In line with news of destruction, brutal breaks, imbalance, strife, misunderstandings, betrayals, but paradoxically also networking, several performances, rituals, concerts and exhibitions of this 14th festival de l’imaginaire have a focus on memory, roots and cultural identities constantly building-up themselves.

As it always does, the festival holds a few surprises in store with a lot to discover. Unsuspected treasures of the immaterial cultural heritage, creations and classical music performed by today’s artists will be presented.

The programme: krishnanattam, rare and unknown show from southern India; the ceremony of Tibetan Monks from the Nechung monastery; Moscow’s Cantors, one of Russia’s most renowned choir;  the Jamaicans from Blue Glaze Mento Band; and also Mexican singer Silvia Maria with her songs about Oaxaca, her native region.

More information: Festival de l’imaginaire – www.festivaldelimaginaire.com

Once again in March 2010, the city of  Strasbourg celebrates the 21st Giboulées de la Marionnette, a puppet festival. From March 19 to 27, come and get closer to puppets to listen to their secrets !

The festival, which is organised by the Jeune Public Theatre of Strasbourg, will present this year several shows from France and abroad. Altogether, there will be 25 shows coming from 8 different countries: Itlay, Belgium, Switzerland, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and Estonia.

This puppet festival has become an international festival that cannot be missed. Indeed, it helped open this visual art to other forms of art expression by mixing puppet theatre, objects and shadow puppets, together with a boundless liberty and imagination.

Useful information:

TJP Strasbourg / Centre Dramatique National d’Alsace – 1 rue du pont Saint-Martin – 67000 Strasbourg

Information and Booking: +33 3 88 35 70 10

Prices:
Passion Card for 4 shows: €40  (adult – extra ticket €8 ), €22 (under 15 – extra ticket €6,50)
Full price: €15 (adult) / Price for children (under 15) : €6,50
Single Cabaret price: €7

More information: Giboulées de la Marionnette Festival – www.theatre-jeune-public.com

From March 19 to 22, 2010, the 23rd Living Differently Trade Fair (Salon Vivre Autrement) is the opportunity to take steps by opting for a green way of living in all areas of our everyday life. This 4-day event is the occasion to understand that we can live green and enjoy the good life.

400 exhibitors : inspired producers and designers, aware of nature and human beings

• Organic & Gourmet Market
• Wine Routes
• Organic Area dedicated to parents and children
• Ethical and Organic Fashion Area
• Cosmetics
• Household and Garden products
• Books
• Tourism
• NGOs and associations for biodiversity and protection of the environment

« Different Holidays » Forum

An opportunity to discover a new way of travelling for unique holidays, off the beaten track : ecotourism,  solidarity or responsible tourism.

50 workshops

• Taste Workshops: local food and organic wine tasting sessions
• Cooking&Flavours Workshops
• Mixed activities Workshops for adults: from making your own household cleaning products, through organic paint, to getting tips for washable nappies…
• Workshops for Children (from 7 years old): gardening and cooking activities, environmental-friendly toys and items making, learning about recycling…

New: « outdoor » activities

• « Learning how to get your bearings » Workshop: read a map and discover the basics of orienteering through a fun trail in the Parc Floral of Paris. (Adults and children from 10 years old – sportswear recommended – Friday 19 march/4 pm).
• Organic Recycling Area: advice of experts on phyto purification, green toilets, composting and lombricomposting.
• Qi Gong : together with a professional, you will have the opportunity to try an-hour session of Qi Gong moves and breathing techniques in order to be quiet and calm at home.

New: « Doing Business Differently » conferences

There will be 4 conferences on social business : curent situation, perspectives and information for all those who wish to study, work, do business and hire employees differently.

Useful Information:

• Dates: from March 19 to 22, 2010
• Time: from 10.30 am to 7 pm – Closing at 9 pm on Friday 19 March
• Location: Parc Floral de Paris – Bois de Vincennes – Paris XII°
• Access : Tube station line 1, tube stop “Château de Vincennes” – Free buses to the Parc Floral or bus n°112 -Free car and bike parks
• Price: €7  – Reduced price: €5 (students, unemployed and handicaped people) – Free for children under 12 – Free invitation when pre-booking on the website

More information:

Living Differently Trade Fair : www.salon-vivreautrement.com

Phone : +33 1 45 56 09 09.

Coming up next April 2, 3 and 4 is Southwestern France major music festival, which will start the festival season and will take place as usual in the Parc Exposition of Marmande.

With over 14 years experience, meetings and with an increased number of festival-goers, this year the Garorock Festival keeps on attracting nationally and internationally renowned artists, who will set the tone for amazing and vibrant nights.

The programme is expected to be oriented towards electro, rock, reggae and hip-hop, actually there will be a mix of today’s best musics. The Garorock festival stages will include many artists such as British band Archive, French bands Mickey 3D, Le Peuple de l’Herbe, or even this year’s new group Pony Pony Run Run, but also Alpha Blondy, De La Soul and many others !

Altogether more than 60 bands will share the 3 stages of the festival, which has a capacity of 20.000 people per day. And, the cherry on the cake, once more the Garorock festival takes place on Easter Monday, which will leave some extra time for music and party… Are there any takers ?

More information: www.garorock.com

For its twentieth anniversary, the Spanish Film Festival puts the emphasis on the Navarre region. From Wednesday 17th to Tuesday 30th March 2010, come and discover more than 60 new films (fiction, documentaries, feature and short films), 50 guests and 200 films in original version with subtitles…

A Tribute to Spanish actress Marisa Paredes

She is an icon, she is Almodovar’s “chica” that French people discovered in the 1990’s (High Heels, The Flower Of My Secret, All About My Mother) and she is this year’s guest of honour.

20 years of Spanish cinema

Through cross tributes to filmmakers that have influenced the past twenty years, the festival will create links between several generations of filmmakers, several genres and several approaches to film.

This shows that Spanish films evolve thanks to the non-membership to a particular school of thought, the denial of an imposed inheritance but also the fact of being deeply rooted in a passed Hispanic culture through the filter of postmodernity.

The programme will include heritage-focused films, iconic films and new productions that make the 2009-2010 Spanish film industry.

Useful information:

Prices

• 1 film: €5,80
• Students, ADI card: €5
• Morning Film: €4
• Afternoon Film: €5
• Schools (at least 20 persons): €3,50
• Membership cards (10 tickets only for 2 persons): €45
• ERASMUS night (18 March 2010) single price: €5

Location

• Katorza Cinema : 3, rue Corneille – Phone: +33 892 680 666 (0.34 euros) – www.katorza.fr
• Espace Cosmopolis, Théâtre Graslin, Espace Ecureuil, Cinévilles, and other cinemas of the Loire-Atlantique region.
• Early April 2010 in Cinéville cinemas and other cinemas of the Loire-Atlantique region.

More information: Spanish Film Festival – www.cinespagnol-nantes.com

Treating yourself to a well-being break in Paris is easy ! There is nothing like chocolate skin care for combining gourmet delights with physical well-being!

Chocolate therapy treatments, designed by the Zelda Gavizon laboratories, uses molecules from chocolate that are beneficial to the skin in its skin care treatments at institutes and well-being spaces. There are two addresses in Paris offering this treatment, one in the 15th arrondissement, another in the 17th. At Portes de Bacopa, the chocolate treatment is a 100% natural cocoa with orange-flower-water wrap — a moment of pure delight that is rounded off with delicious chocolate to eat … a must!

Our address book:

• Les Portes de Bacopa: 45 av George-V, Paris 8th – M° George-V, RER Charles-de-Gaulle-Étoile – www.lesportesdebacopa.fr
• Institut Danielle Lanstère: 7 rue Pérignon, Paris 15th – M° Ségur – Tel +33 (0)1 47 83 56 93 – www.daniellelanstere.com
• L’Instant zen: 15 rue des Moines, Paris 17th – M° Brochant, RER Porte-de-Clichy – Phone: +33 1 42 28 15 15

At Spa Thémaé, tea is king … but not just as a drink with acknowledged benefits. Tea is used here in products for massages and other regenerating body treatments. The mini treats are the opportunity to test different creams made from four teas (green, white, red, black).

Our address book:

• Spa Thémaé: 20-22 rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs, Paris 1st – M° Palais-Royal, RER Auber – Phone: +33 1 40 20 48 60 – www.themae.fr

Source : Paris Tourist Office – www.parisinfo.com

The European Film Festival of Lille, a major cultural in northern France, is back for its 26th edition. It will be held from February 26 to March 5, 2010 in Lille, Roubaix and Tourcoing.

It has been 26 years since the Festival keeps on highlighting cinema, especially short films, through a large programme, prestigious jurys and a priviledged access to this kind of film, which still lacks in popularity.

This year, Aissa Maiga is to be the guest of honour of the festival. She started in French filmaker Cédric Klapish’s famous film Les Poupées Russes. Then, thanks to her role in Bamako, a film of Abderrahmane Sissako, she was one of the Most Promising Young Actress nominees for the César French Film Awards, in the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.

The Festival Highlights:

• The opening night will take place in UGC Ciné-Cité cinema, on Friday 26th February at 8 pm with special guest  Aissa Maiga. To honour the Spanish presidency of the EU Council, the theme of the evening will be focused on new Spanish talents. Four short films will be presented, including «Miente» by Isabel de Ocampo, who won the Goya Spanish Film Award in 2009 for the best short film. Afterwards, there will be a cocktail with tapas and other Spanish appetizers.
• The Short Film Night will take place in the Univers cinema, on Saturday 27th February. The programme : 5 screenings of 1h30, including this year’s European seclection short films.
• The closing night will also take place in UGC Ciné-Cité cinema, on Friday 5th March, at 8 pm. The winning short films will be shown and there will be a cocktail afterwards.

The Theme Nights:

Throughout the festival, themed screenings focused on “l’Europe dans tous ses Etats” will be offered. During a screening, a short film is followed by a feature film.

The theme nights programme :

• The History Boys by Nicholas Hytner -  Sunday 28th  February – Fresnoy cinema
• Sweet Sixteen by Ken Loach – Monday 1 st March – UGC cinema
• No man’s land by Danis Tanovic – Tuesday 2nd March – UGC cinema
• A casa nostra by Francesca Comenini – Wednesday 3rd March – UGC cinema
• De l’autre côté by Fatih Akin – Thursday 4th March – UGC cinema

Useful Information:

• The European Film Festival: From February 26 to March 5, 2010
• The 1st Short Film Night: on February 27 in Univers cinema, Lille’s art house
• On February 27 and 28 in Fresnoy cinema, Tourcoing’s art house
• From Marh 1 to 5 in Lille’s UGC cinema
• On March 3 in Roubaix’s  Duplex cinema

Prices:

For all screenings:

• Full price: €5
• Student and elderly peolple price: €4
• UGC cinema unlimited card holders: €2

Weekly Pass : all films, except for the closing night and the Short Film Night

• Full price: €20
• Student and elderly peolple price: €15

Opening and Closing Nights :

• Full price: €8
• Student and elderly peolple price: €7

More information: Européen Film Festival – www.filmcourt-lille.com

For its 19th edition, the Sons d’Hiver Festival, which takes place in 13 towns of the Val-de-Marne region, offers until February 20 a wide-ranging music programme consisting of jazz, improvised musics, rock and hip-hop. This year’s theme  is promising : new desires.

For the opening day, Hamid Drake will present his new creole, new orleans and caribbean style  Bindu : dynamic, full of joy and dance. After that Neneh Cherry together with Ethnic Heritage Ensemble  will pay a tribute to Don Cherry.

Lots of surprises, small or large ones, will follow one another during this festival. Among others, the concert-debate of Yves Rober ” money is dear to us ” will lead to a burst of music in the current economic debates. Besides, for its 30th anniversary, the Nato label will pay a tribute to Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. Then, Living Colour together with Last Poets will celebrate Emory Douglas’s  outstanding images, the Black Panthers’ illustrator. Eventually, Melvin Van Peebles himself will perform the opera version of his well known Sweet Sweetback’s baadasssss Song.

Also note: apart from the concerts, drum-conferences will give rythm to the festival.

More information: Sons d’Hiver Festival – www.sonsdhiver.org

To celebrate the 2010 edition of the « Month of Africa », the Roots association (Association Racines) presents from February 4 to 27 in Guadeloupe a whole month dedicated to the discovery of this wonderful continent, with a special focus on Ethiopia, guest country this year.

The Month of Africa is a biennial which links together more than a dozen associations. It aims at fighting against cultural ignorance that surrounds everything that relates to African cultures and civilisations to which we must be grateful in many areas.

The Month of Africa is an event for everybody (families, teenagers, children …), which takes place throughout Guadeloupe: in towns, libraries, public squares, theaters … The programme includes conferences, films, fashion shows as well as hairstyle on natural hair demos, storytellers, dance, concerts, exhibitions, learning and training workshops, cultural debates between artists and visitors… lots of activities are proposed by the Month of Africa regularly throughout the Guadeloupe.

The guests of the 2010 Month of Africa:

The Embassy of Ethiopia in France: this year, the Month of Africa is dedicated to Ethiopia, the cradle of Humanity. On this occasion, the Embassy of Ethiopia exceptionally lends a replica of 3.5 million years hominid « Lucy ». It will be presented at a major exhibition entitled « Once upon a time, Ethiopia … », from February 6 to 27 at the town of Pointe à Pitre’s Pavillon.

Dr. Zeresenay Alemseged: This Ethiopian palaeontologist and archaeologist, who discovered Selam, a 3.3 million year-old girl, will give several conferences on « Ethiopia, mother of mankind, why? »

Dr. Juliette Smeralda: with a PhD in sociology, she pays close attention to identity and sociological issues related to Afro-descendants.

Les Tambours de Brazza: sound, rhythm, drums and dance! The famous band has already made worldwide cities go wild.

Dominique Mwankumi: Painter, illustrator, author and press cartoonist, this Congolese man has already drawn several cartoons inspired by his village daily life.

Ethnisavat’ka: A wonderful musical tale performed with dances. The local dance company offers to (re)discover Afro-Caribbean martial arts (Bennaden, Mayolé, Ladja, Dammyé, Capoeira …) through choreographed a martial dance, gyms and aerobics, all this combined with basic movements of both traditional and modern Gwo Ka.

More information:

The Month of Africa: www.lemoisdelafrique.com

In partnership with Tam Tam Magazine: www.tamtam97.com

Marie-Galante (Guadeloupe) Tourist Office: www.ot-mariegalante.com