Following the publication of their first book last year, the Papegai Association has released a new work entitled " The Kings of the Bird – Stories from 40 Years of the International Renaissance Arts Festival ." This new edition aims to offer an artistic perspective on this historic festival through illustrations and stories. We interviewed Thierry Fournier (President of the Papegai Association), who coordinated the book, to learn more about its contents.
How did you come up with the idea of publishing this book?
First of all, I'm originally from Tence and I spent a long time working abroad. I came back to France in 2021, and that's when I really discovered the King of the Birds Festival. I loved it immediately! Seeing the enthusiasm and joy of people, young and old alike, I thought it was fantastic. I always thought it would be interesting to...to have an artist's eye about this festival because it is very visual and it has a lot of sensitivity.
In 2025, we therefore created the Papegai association. The Association's goal was to create a small book for the 40th edition of the King of the Birds festival, which took place last year. We worked with several artists and successfully published our first book, entitled "The King of the Birds in Le Puy-en-Velay." This time, in 2026, we wanted to continue working together, and so we are releasing our second book, " "The Kings of the Bird – Stories from 40 years of the International Festival of Renaissance Arts."
Who did you collaborate with on this book?
In fact, I grouped three artists from the region around a shared attachment to Velay and the King of the Bird Festival.
First, I worked with a friend who is a local painter, Kizou Dumas , for the drawings and illustrations.
Then I also brought together in this book a professional photographer, Raphaël Odin , who had already worked with the Association du Roi de l'oiseau.
And the third artist is Marie Martine Laulagnier de Barba , who is a historian and author. She conceived all the texts and stories in this book. All three are experts in their respective fields.
What can we expect to find in this new book?
This new edition has 250 pages, in a square format of 21 x 21 cm. It comprises 4 parts:
- the history of the King of the Birds festival in Le Puy-en-Velay,
- a report on the 40th edition of 2025,
- a spotlight on archery competitions worldwide,
- a collection of stories on the theme.
Through the history of the festival, the photographic report dedicated to its 40th edition, but also stories, traditions, mythologies, tales and legends, the book offers a journey into the history and imagination of the King of the Birds.
How can I obtain it?
This year, we will be present throughout the King of the Birds festival in 2 different locations :
- a temporary venue “La Maison Papegai” located at 6 rue Pannessac in Puy-en-Velay;
- and a chalet "Le comptoir du Papegai" located at the entrance to the Renaissance garden (Henri Vinay garden).
You can also find our two books at the Interlude bookstore and at the Tourist Office (Place du Breuil) in Puy-en-Velay.
What was your most memorable moment while working on this book?
The best moments I experienced were those spent with the artists. We had a wonderful human adventure . Sometimes working with artists isn't always easy, but we managed to get everyone on the same page. The most important part of this adventure, for me, was meeting Jean-Louis Roqueplan (artistic director of Le Roi de l'Oiseau). He immediately embraced the book project and the artists. He helped us verify some information and wrote the foreword for the book. And I'm happy that the first book was a success. We hope the second one will follow the same momentum.
Practical information
THE PAPEGAI'S HOUSE
6 rue Pannessac – Le Puy-en-Velay
From Monday, September 14th at 14 PM to Sunday, September 20th, 2026
40th Anniversary Book • Arts • Books • Exhibitions • Portraits • Official Merchandise
THE PAPEGAI COUNTER
Henri Vinay Garden – Le Puy-en-Velay
From Wednesday 16 to Sunday 20 September 2026
40th Anniversary Book • Books • Creations • Official Merchandise
Themes
