FR – With a motto such as ‘Age Quod Agis’ (Do well what you do), the Cévenole Academy (Académie cévenole), a learned society founded in 1988, aims to be a melting pot for cultural creation in the Cévennes.
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‘By encouraging and promoting artistic production in all its forms in the Cévennes region, the Academy, comprising 36 full members and an equal number of honorary and associate members, advocates an understanding of the region and its unique culture. The Académie Cévenole is thus committed to introducing new authors and new facets of our beautiful region,’ says Laurent Pichon, President of the Academy.
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‘Whether in the literary, historical, artistic or scientific fields, amongst others, the Academy is fundamentally multidisciplinary and ‘has various working groups that take part in numerous events and publish annual proceedings’.
The ‘Cabri d’Or’ adventure
The Cévennes ‘Cabri d’Or’ Prize, one of the Académie Cévenole’s most iconic events, organised in partnership with Alès Agglomération and accompanied by a cheque for €5,000, is awarded every year in November.
It ‘recognises a work of fiction, history, geography, philosophy or social commentary that showcases the Cévennes region, its people, its activities, its history, its geography, its distinctive features and its future’ (Discover the Cabri 2026 shortlist).
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From the moment it was established, the prize has become an unmissable cultural event for all those
with an interest in the Cévennes, its heritage and its people.
Between 1984 and 2006, the Cabri d’Or recognised 23 works
that have helped to enrich Cévennes literature and strengthen the region’s cultural identity.
Its suspension in 2006 left a real void in the Cévennes literary landscape
and quickly sparked a movement of support from local cultural figures,
keen to preserve this tradition and maintain the visibility of Cévennes literature.
In 2010, thanks to the initiative of Max Roustan, then MP and mayor of Alès and
chairman of the Greater Alès Urban Community, the Cabri d’Or was revived.
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The Cabri d’Or confirms the vitality of literary creation inspired by the Cévennes
Its jury comprises nine prominent figures from literary, cultural or simply Cévennes circles (publishers, writers, readers, librarians, booksellers, journalists, scientists, administrative staff, teachers, etc.).
‘Following the 2024 edition, which saw a record number of 30 books, the 2025 edition of the Cabri d’Or has confirmed the vitality of literary creation inspired by the Cévennes and the authors’ interest in this prize,’ explains Alain Bensakoun, the prize’s organisational representative and organiser, in collaboration with Christian Sestini, Director of the Pôle Temps Libre Ville d’Alès, and Marion Durand, Director of Alès Agglomération.
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Which books have won the prize since 2010? La nuit des Camisards by Lionnel Astier (2010),
Maisons des Cévennes by the Cévennes National Park (2011),
Jean-Pierre Chabrol, le rebelle by Michel Boissard (2012),
Seules les bêtes by Colin Niel (2017),
Mireille Pluchard (read our paper Mireille Pluchard, a novelist in the Cévennes), special prize for her entire body of work in (2021),
S’adapter, the magnificent novel by Clara Dupont-Monod (2022),
La femme paradis by Pierre Chavagné (2023),
La mangue et le papillon by Anne-Christine Tinel (2025)... |
Furthermore, the Académie Cévenole is keen to involve a readers’ committee in its deliberations: ‘As entries arrive, members discover the books in the running and share their impressions.
The reviews are then published on the Alès.fr, Cabri d’Or and Académie Cévenole websites, to encourage the public to immerse themselves in the books according to their tastes and sensibilities’.
The Cabri Jeunes, aimed at secondary school pupils in the region
2024 saw the launch of the Cabri Jeunes prize, aimed at secondary school pupils in the region. ‘I am particularly pleased to see the introduction of this new prize, which encourages young people to read, reflect and debate. This initiative fits perfectly 
with the momentum we are seeking to build for young people in the region.
By supporting authors, encouraging reading and fostering the connection between the Cévennes and those who love to promote the region, the Cabri d’Or and Cabri Jeunes awards thus help to build a region that is open, in step with the times and in which everyone can find their place. The support of Alès Agglomération and the City of Alès for this initiative is therefore a natural and enduring commitment,’ concludes Christophe Rivenq, President of Alès Agglomération and Mayor of Alès. This prize also aims to help young people ‘develop their own judgement and ability to argue a case, whilst encouraging them to practise their public speaking skills in a competition and fostering an appreciation of the Cévennes’ literary and cultural heritage’.
Many thanks to Marion Durand, Director of the Rochebelle Cultural and Scientific Centre, for her collaboration on this article and for the documentation provided, as well as to Christine Zanella-Savy, Cultural Promotion Officer at the Alès Agglomération Leisure Centre and editor of the Alès Agglo digital cultural magazine Scène des mondes.
The right address: Cabri d’Or. Contact: cabridor.ac@gmail.com. Follow the literary prize on Instagram and Facebook.