Overview
M Restaurants in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing pioneered fine dining in China and cultivated a flourishing cultural program alongside them.
Giving back to the communities that we operated in was always a part of our DNA, and one of our biggest annual events was spearheading the Shanghai international Literary Festival and the Capital Literary Festival in Beijing.
For more than 20 years, we ran 21 literary festivals, inviting hundreds of writers and thinkers, while working with a variety of international cultural institutions, schools, embassies and individuals.
Now, the M Festival Nanteuil-en-Vallée hopes to continue this rewarding work that started in China and bring the same sense of cultural expansion to an altogether new home, in our wonderful Charentais village.
Location: Abbaye Notre-Dame de Nanteuil, Nanteuil-en-Vallée, Charente, France
We are delighted to be hosting the M Festival on the grounds of the historic Abbaye Notre-Dame de Nanteuil in Nanteuil-en-Vallée, in southwestern France.
The enormous grounds of the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Nanteuil house both the ruins of the Romanesque 12th century church and the “Trésor.” The beautiful gardens include a trellised cloister and offer many spots for exploration. The old Granary is now a museum and its very spacious rooms are delightfully cool in the summer. We invite you to explore the property both inside and out, for walks, talks, or relaxation.
Below, we’ve provided a few helpful resources to plan your trip.
If you’re curious about the history of Nanteuil-en-Vallée or the surrounding cities, including Cognac or Angouleme, please refer to any of the below links:
For general information on the village itself: Visiter Nanteuil-en-Vallée – Petites Cités de Caractère®
A short film about the history of the village: Nanteuil-en-Vallée, Petite Cité de Caractère en Charente – Une cité d’histoire
Festival Schedule: Timing & Tickets
Festival passes are priced at €50 per person for the entire weekend. The festival passes will be available to book as of March 30th on this website. One pass is valid for one person and includes access to all sessions, but you will need to sign up individually to each session for our planning purposes. We will ask you to choose your sessions on XXX. To be kept up-to-date, please subscribe to our e-mail newsletter.
All proceeds from ticket sales are going to the Tresor de Nanteuil, the organisation that runs the Abbaye. The program will follow the structure below:
Saturday July 25th, 10am – 7pm
Well-known writers & speakers will be discussing a range of subjects, along with a few musical performances.
Sunday July 26th , 10am – 6pm
Well-known writers & speakers will be discussing a range of subjects. There will be a musical performance in the church of St Jean de Baptiste to close the festival.
Getting There: Trains, Planes & Automobiles
Getting to Nanteuil-en-Vallée
Located in the Department of the Charente, Nanteuil-en-Vallée is a picturesque village dating back to the early middle ages. It’s situated 11 kms from the market town of Ruffec, which is on the main N 10 highway between Poitiers and Angoulême. There are three regional airports within reasonable driving distance and TGV trains from Paris and Bordeaux to Poitiers or Angoulême. From these larger stations, there are regional connections to Ruffec. Please note, having access to a car will be essential in this region.
By Air
The three nearest airports are Limoges (LIG), Poitiers (PIS), and Bordeaux (BOD). It will be about a 90 minute drive from Limoges or Poitiers and a 2-2.5 hour drive from Bordeaux.
There are daily flights to each of these airports via Ryan Air, British Airways, Easy Jet and other international airlines.
By Train
If you plan to arrive by train, the nearest station is Ruffec (Nouvelle-Aquitaine), served by regional TER trains. There are high-speed TGV trains available from Paris to Poitiers, Bordeaux, or Angoulême, with connecting trains to Ruffec. Trains also run between CDG Airport and Poitiers.
Booking trains and finding connections can be done directly at SNCF.
Car Rental
We suggest you rent a car or carpool with others, as there are NO public transport options in the area.
Cars can be hired at the three regional airports, at the train stations in Poitiers or Angoulême or in Ruffec at the Leclerc supermarket.
If you arrive in Ruffec at the station and do not wish to hire a car, taxis may be pre-booked to take you to Nanteuil-en-Vallée.
Accommodation in the area
All of the well-known booking platforms have options in the area. Since it’s the busiest time of the year, it’s essential to book accommodation well in advance if you’re planning to join.
To find practical accommodation, please make sure you’re within 15 kms of Nanteuil-en-Vallée. We suggest you center your search around Nanteuil-en-Vallée, Verteuil sur Charente, Champagne Mouton, Saint-Claud & Civray
Please find a few suggested sites below:
Local Amenities
In the village itself there is a grocery/general store, Le Nanteuillais, which also has cigarettes and the local papers as well as one or two very locally produced items such as Pineau, honey or jars of paté. There is an excellent and well-stocked pharmacy, a post office, and a couple of small antique shops. There are two restaurants, a shop selling burgers and a coffee shop with cakes (and a selection of second hand books, quite a few in English!).
In Ruffec, there is a lively market in the centre of town on Wednesdays and Saturdays as well as a variety of small shops, including the excellent bookshop which will be present on the grounds of the Abbey for the duration of the Festival. There are two supermarkets with petrol stations and a full service post office as well as several banks and ATMs and a local hospital with an emergency department working in tandem with the university hospitals in Angoulême and Bordeaux.
We’re thrilled to be welcoming you soon to the charming village of Nanteuil-en-Vallée! In the meantime, to be kept up-to-date, please register to our newsletter and we will send out updates as they’re available…we promise not too many!
À bientôt!