Juggler's batons - Festival
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Listed below are some of the many events that take place in Deux-Sèvres and Charente throughout the year.

Please note that the information provided on some of the websites still details events for 2007, but they do say that they are in the process of updating the dates and information for the 2008 season, and to check back with them. The majority of the websites are in French, although some of them do have an English translation button available.
Events in Deux Sevres
March–April

Scènes en Bocage Bressuire; the Bocage
Street Arts, music and art in Bressuire and the Bocage.
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Festival Bach à Pâques Saint-Maxient-L’École Sèvre valley
Baroque music in the upper Sèvre valley.
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Festival de l’Humour Saint-Varent
Street arts, theatre and cabaret.
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A field of sunflowers
May

Festival de Melle Melle
The Romanesque churches of Melle provide the ideal stage for concerts of classical music, sacred and profane contatas, traditional music, story-telling and conferences.
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June–July

Festival au Village Brioux sur Boutonne
Theatre, music and circus, indoors and outdoors for all the family.
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Musiques et Danses du Monde Airvault
Music and folk dancing from the all over the world in the streets of Airvault.
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Festival des jeux (FLIP) Parthenay
Game-players from around the world meet in Parthenay for this international gaming convention.
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Festival des enfants du monde (RIFE) Saint Maixent
A one-of-a-kind festival held at Saint Maixent, where children from all over the world dance and sing their traditional music.
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Atouts Arts Thouars
Nomadic music fills the streets of Thouars.
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Contes en Chemin Saint-Maixent
Traditional and modern tales told through music and staged in 14 villages around Saint-Maixent.
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Boulevard du Jazz Melle
Music, dancing and meeting with jazz and blues artists, in Melle.
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De Bouche à Oreille Parthenay
Traditional music, concert and folk dances along the banks of the river Thouet in Parthenay.
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Lumières du Baroque Celles-sur-Belles
Baroque music in historical monuments or in the open air at Celles-sur-Belles.
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A Romanesque church window
A violin
People in the audience
September–
November

Les Coréades Niort
Choral music in Niort.
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Festival des Vendanges Pamproux
A mix of shows, music, songs, theater, walks and art, among the vines of Pamproux.
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Eclats de Voix Bressuire
A music festival celebrating voice, in Bressuire.
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International Ornithological Film Festival Ménigoute
Films, outdoor workshops, tales, forums, conferences, outings, animal art exhibits – Ménigoute brings together wildlife cinema lovers, wildlife artists and the public. Around 40 wildlife documentaries are screened, meet nature conservation associations and much more.
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Cinematic film stock
Events in Deux Sevres
January

Le Festival International de la Bande Dessinée Angouême
The Festival International de la Bande Dessinée (Comic strip festival) is held in Angouême, the rendezvous for the world’s greatest comic strip artists and scriptwriters. Fans can meet their favourite authors, discover new offerings and young newcomers.
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May

Musiques Métisses Angouême
Salsa, raï, reggae, rumba. The music of the world can be heard at the festival Musiques Métisses in Angoulême. Johnny Clegg, Salif Keita came here to play their first concerts in France. The programme in the past has also included Cesaria Evora, Ismaël Lo, and Faudel.
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June

Sarabandes des Bouchauds Les Bouchauds
At the heart of the Gallo-Roman theatre at Les Bouchauds, the Sarabandes offer a unique programme of music and theatre for all ages, for beginners and enthusiasts.
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July

La Maison du Comédien de Maria Casarès Alloue
The actress Maria Casarès had a house at Alloue in the Charente Limousine. When she died, she bequeathed the house to the village. Today, the Domaine de la Vergne is a residence for artists and an intimate setting for performances.
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Blues Passions Cognac
For four days and four nights, Blues music in all its forms can be heard in Cognac (concerts, master classes, workshops).
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A fire dancer
August

Coupe d’Europe de Montgolfières Mainfonds
The magnificent sight of multicoloured balloons circling the skies over Mainfonds. Dozens of hot air balloons come to compete over four days for the European Cup, now in it’s sixteenth year.
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Danses et Musiques du Monde Confolens
Each year for the last forty years, Confolens has hosted the greatest gathering of dance and music from all over the world. Parades, concerts, choreographic creations join together for lively festivities with hundreds of performers and thousands of visitors.
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Hot air balloons in the air
September

Coup de Chauffe Cognac
For 48 hours, art takes over the streets. Circus, theatre, dance, music, performers of all sorts take to the streets of Cognac.
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Le circuit des remparts Angoulême
For three days the town hosts an event where historic cars gather for a long weekend, there is a rally around the Charente countryside on Saturday with over 100 cars taking part and a full day of racing of Bugattis and other vintage and pre-war racing cars around the ramparts on Sunday. The website includes entry forms for those who wish to enter the rally on Saturday, or for the racing enthusiast, a chance to enter your car in the vintage racing on Sunday.
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Drivers gathering at the beginning of Le circuit des remparts rally
October

Piano en Valois Angoulême 
In the city that was home to Marguerite de Valois, sister of François 1st and patron of the arts, music fills the air in Angouleme during the annual festival. The 2007 programme included an evening of Schumann, Brahms, Debussy and Chopin, and had an opening night of jazz piano.
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November

Ludoland Angoulême
Originally created in Angoulême in 1986 by students preparing for a marketing diploma at the Marguerite de Valois school, Ludoland is now a games and toys fair for children and all the family.
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Salon de la Littérature Européenne Cognac
Each year, for 3 days during the 3rd week-end in November, le salon pays tribute to the literature of a European country through a series of lectures, debates, public readings, film screenings, meetings with the authors.
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Piano en Valois Angoulême
The second week of musical events of this festival. (See October for details.)
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Gastronomades Angoulême
The Gastronomades is both a gastronomic fair and an international festival of flavours and aromas where trade professionals promote the region's gastronomic heritage and the public can discover the regional products of the Charente.
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A brass instrument's keys
© La Ferme de l’Église 2011