In the heart of winter, there is nothing like some contemporary dance to get your blood flowing and bring some warmth back to proceedings. Organised by the Centre de Dévelopement Chorégraphique National (CDCN), the Hivernales Festival in Avignon is one of the best events of its type in the world (running since the early 1980s).
Over approximately twenty days (including a week dedicated to young audiences), the organisers brings together more than 7,000 people to deliver a varied programme of shows, cultural and educational activities, training and support for further creation. The events are spread across across a wide range of venues in the City, including the Alpimium, the Utopia Cinema, the Opéra Grand Avignon, and the Théâtre des Halles.
Each National Choreographic Centre operates within a deliberately decentralised model, designed to maximise the connection with the local community, the participation of local people, the availability of diverse venues, and the fostering of innovation & creativity. Supported by state & local government grants, each is led by professionals who are not active artists, but focus full-time on furthering a mission to promote awareness of dance and sponsor the production and distribution of choreographic pieces.
The 2024 edition of Les Hivernales d'Avignon
Held from February 14 to March 2 this year, the undoubted highlight of the programme is the ballet Olympiade (see picture above); a choreography by Antonio De Rosa and Mattia Russo with the Madrid-based Kor'Sia Collective. Be prepared for unusual artistic devices around the body; allowing for new access to ways of being and transmitting the underlying nature of our society and culture. They are performing at the Opéra Grand Avignon, Place de L'Horloge in Avignon on Saturday February 24 at 8:00 p.m.
Les Hivernales 2024 - Teaser
This little teaser video gives you an idea of what to expect from this years festival (with performances from Massimo Fusco, Maëlle Reymond, Joanne Leighton, Shlomi Tuizer, Edmond Russo, and more):
How to Get there
By train: The SNCF station is is in the centre of the city and is connected by shuttle bus to the TGV station on the outskirts (from where Paris is just a 2h40 journey away). For timetables and information, visit the SNCF website or call 3635 (08.36.35.35.35 from abroad).
By car: Leave the A7 motorway at the South Avignon exit (if coming from Marseille, Nice, Italy), or the North Avignon exit (if coming from Lyon, Paris). Alternatively, leave the A9 motorway at the Remoulins exit (if coming from Nîmes, Montpellier, or Spain). The city is also served by the RN 7 and RN 100 national routes.
By bus: For the Local Network - Find info and Timetables on: www.pemavignon.fr. For the Regional Network, note that the Region has been consolidating its transport networks under a single banner: ZOU! New colors now adorn the buses that criss-cross the regional territory. More here: www.info-ler.fr
Resources
Accommodation
With stunning views, private pool, super-fast Broadband and modern air-conditioning, the villa Haute Vue is a pet-friendly villa with fast internet in Montauroux; conveniently positioned for exploring both the interior of Provence and the highlights of the French Riviera. Sleeping 10/12 in 5/6 bedrooms, it is close to the beautiful perched villages of the Var and in easy reach of the beaches and sights of the sparkling Côte d'Azur.
.png)