"We want it to be intense, attractive, and warm": the Monaco Book Fair has opened its doors for the weekend

Before the start of the school year, Monaco is making its literary comeback with the fourteenth Monaco International Book Fair, which kicked off this Saturday at the Grimaldi Forum and will bring together 130 authors from diverse backgrounds with words as a common thread until 6 p.m. this Sunday.

This is the credo of the Rencontres littéraires Fabian Boisson, the association behind it, "a small team to make a big event," emphasizes the president, Yvette Gazza-Cellario, proud of this "beautiful 14-year-old adolescent" that the fair has become. "We want it to be intense, attractive, warm, but fourteen years is the age of turbulence, we have had a few in the programming..."

Echoing the defection of Louis Sarzoky, who was to be one of the headliners of the Salon and who canceled his expected presence at the end of August, there is still a fine lineup of writers gathered.

From former 1995 Prix Goncourt winner Andreï Makine – guest of honor – to songwriter François Bernheim, who delivers his memoirs on paper, including lawyer Emmanuel Pierrat and diplomat Hubert Vedrine.

The diversity is reflected in the aisles: from historical frescoes to children's books, from art publications to detective novels, from personal development manuals to regional stories, "every visitor can discover gems," promises Yvette Gazza-Cellario.

A mix appreciated by the patron of this fourteenth edition, Stéphane Valeri, who is taking over the role previously held by Jean-Louis Debré, who passed away last March. "It's a great honor that I don't deserve, because I've never written, but I've been associated with the event since its inception in 2012. I've seen all of its developments since the beginnings with just fifteen participants. Few people would have bet at the time on the success of this small show, which has now become a benchmark."

Crime fiction in the spotlight

And the International Book Fair is also innovating this year, by unveiling this Sunday at 2 p.m. the winner of its first literary prize, called Pythéas.

Before that, yesterday at the opening, another trophy, the Bishopric Prize, was awarded to Jérémie Claes, a Belgian writer for his work The Watchmaker .

A "breathtaking" thriller according to Eric Arella, director of the Sûreté publique, who is chairing this literary prize for its eighth edition, the aim of which is to honor the thriller genre and the south of France.

"The Bishopric is the name of the Marseille police station. It's a crime fiction prize, not an ecclesiastical prize," explains Eric Arella, "which is awarded every year in May to a crime novel whose action takes place at least partially in the south-east of France, from Toulouse to the Italian border, including Monaco and Corsica."

The winner was congratulated by the Rotary Club of Monaco and will be signing his book again today at the Salon.

Monaco International Book Fair, today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free admission, at the Grimaldi Forum