Fairs and exhibitions Deux-Sèvres

A major artistic event, this painting and drawing festival was created in 1989 and has since brought together some 300 international artists. It's a prestigious competition (sponsored by Salon Violet and the magazine Univers des Arts), the first of its kind in France, for works created on the spot, with an ambient motif: the Marais Poitevin, Magné and its surrounding area. The works are exhibited on Sunday from 3pm, and submitted to the jury for judging.

This is the not-to-be-missed event of September: a whole day in the gardens of the Royal Abbey devoted to vegetable plants, simple plants, forgotten species or rare flowers. At around forty stands and professionals, you can buy, barter, exchange seeds, plans and decorative shrubs. The meeting generally puts the bees in the spotlight, around interventions of beekeepers, animations discovery of their know-how and products of the hive. Shows usually punctuate this fun day in the open air.

The Ménigoute International Ornithological Film Festival is one of the world's leading wildlife film events. It is organized every year by the Mainate association in Ménigoute, in the Deux-Sèvres region of France. The festival features a selection of wildlife documentaries, most of which are exclusive to France. A jury of film and environmental professionals awards prizes to the best films. For six days, the festival also offers activities for all ages, including film screenings, a wildlife art fair, debates, nature outings and workshops. The Festival de Ménigoute aims to promote wildlife documentary films as a means of raising awareness of nature and sustainable development, as well as encouraging a better understanding of nature and respect for the environment. The festival has become a not-to-be-missed event for filmmakers and producers from all over the world, attracting some 40,000 visitors over five days during the All Saints' vacation.