VALCON (Valayans Convention), the French National Science Fiction Convention is taking place in Les Valayans (commune de Pernes-les-Fontaines), 27km north-east of Avignon (south of France/Provence) between Thursday the 20th and Sunday the 23rd of August 2015.
Guests of Honor : the writers Claude Ecken and Jean-Marc Ligny, the editor Pascal Godbillon, the artists Philippe Caza and Michel Borderie.
Among the participants are Pierre Stolze, Sylvie Thomas, Raymond Milési, Ugo Bellagamba, Joëlle Wintrebert, Eric Picholle, Pierre Gévart, Sylvie Lainé, Joseph Altairac, Pascal J. Thomas, Jean-Claude Dunyach, Dominique Douay, Anouk Arnal, etc.
The French National Science Fiction Convention is an annual meeting organized in France – or, exceptionally, in a neighbouring Francophone country – by amateurs and professionals of science fiction. The Convention brings together the Registered folks (the vast majority of guests), the Guests and the Organizers: this set makes up the whole of the “participants” to the Convention.
This is an internal meeting, not to be confused with a „salon littéraire” or a festival. It is also an opportunity to award literary prizes: The Rosny-Aîné Awards (novels and short-stories) and the new Cyrano Prize awarded for the contributions to science fiction. The Alain Le Bussy / Galaxies and Pépin Awards may also be included.
The first French National Convention was launched in 1974 by the SF writer Jean-Pierre Fontana in Clermont-Ferrand. The event has since been held annually, with most of the time by a different organizer and a different structure and in fact, each year since 1974, the Francophone world of science fiction meets for a few days, often around a theme, to exchange ideas, to attend conferences and panels, debates, etc. Uniquely, each edition is a new event with a new location, new organizers, and a different theme.
The 43rd French National Science Fiction Convention will be organized in 2016 in Bordeaux-Mérignac.
http://valcon.e-monsite.com/pages/le-programme.html
http://valcon.e-monsite.com/pages/les-inscrits.html
http://valcon.e-monsite.com/pages/les-invites.html
