To celebrate “200 years of editorial audacity,” Hachette Livre is organizing a special event in the capital. As the top book publisher and distributor in France (and the third largest publishing group globally), Hachette Livre invites the public to the Palais Brongniart from March 13 to 15, 2026, for The Grand Hachette Meetings – Reading to Madness. Founded in 1826 by Louis Hachette, the group has for over two centuries been on a mission to “make reading and knowledge accessible to all.” Through this free event, they aim to showcase their history while looking towards the future. Over three days, the Palais Brongniart will host authors, publishers, group houses, partners, and visitors for around a hundred accessible activities.
The program is based on three main pillars. The first, titled “The Grand Book Gathering,” brings together publishers’ spaces. Each booth will offer books for sale, with the opportunity for them to be signed. This route highlights the diversity of the group’s activities: general literature, genre literature (Stock, Grasset, Fayard, Calmann-Lévy, JC Lattès), as well as illustrated books, art books, manga, comics, practical books, youth, young adult, extracurricular, parenting, knowledge, and board games, alongside an international space and partner publishers.
The second highlight, called “The Grand Festival,” will bring together over a hundred events. Conferences and masterclasses will be featured in the “Forums.” Visitors can also participate in book signings, workshops, and activities for all ages.
Lastly, the exhibition “The Grand History,” designed with the IMEC (Contemporary Publishing Memories Institute), will present the group’s archives. This immersive journey will trace the development of Hachette Livre, from the creation of train station libraries to the dissemination of knowledge among a wide audience.
“Transforming this anniversary year into a celebration in service of culture and transmission for all.”
“Living a bicentennial is a unique opportunity as well as a responsibility,” stated Jean-Christophe Thiery, CEO Delegate of Hachette Livre. “For Hachette Livre, it’s a chance to turn this anniversary year into a celebration of its diversity in service of culture and transmission for all. By launching the ‘Grand Hachette Meetings,’ we aim to strengthen our mission of making reading and culture accessible to as many people as possible through a festive and unifying event.”
This bicentennial is also accompanied by editorial projects. A special edition dedicated to La Comtesse de Ségur is planned for 2026. This reissue will pay tribute to the iconic author of the Bibliothèque Rose, “whose stories continue to mark generations of readers.”
The detailed program of these three days is presented below:
– Friday, March 13, 2026: Conferences, book signings, workshops, and animations. – Saturday, March 14, 2026: Conferences, book signings, workshops, and animations. – Sunday, March 15, 2026: Conferences, book signings, workshops, and animations.
Discover all the information on the Grand Hachette Meetings website.
On the occasion of its bicentennial, Hachette Livre presents “The Grand Hachette Meetings – Reading to Madness,” a unique event at the Palais Brongniart in Paris from March 13 to 15, 2026.
Practical Information: – Dates: March 13 to March 15, 2026 – Location: Palais Brongniart, 16 Place de la Bourse, 75002 Paris – Accessibility: Free event open to all, reservation required subject to availability – Registration and program: Online reservations at https://lesgrandesrencontreshachette.fr
*Prisma Media, which owns Télé-Loisirs, is a subsidiary of Louis Hachette Group.
