The Bastille Day French Festival is not just about the winter market; it also organises a series of debates and conferences called “Les Lumières,” referencing the Enlightenment era.

This year, Les Lumières BLEU, BLANC, ROUGE and VERT will include topics ranging from history, sustainability and culture to sport – including of course the Paris Olympics! They are free to attend, but booking is requested.

The Lumières BLEU ” The Countdown to Paris”

On Thursday 11 July, 8pm, follow the chat live on Instagram to highly decorated athlete and Paralympian Eliza Stankovic-Mowle AM. Recently retired, Eliza will be in Paris as an Australian Team staff member for the Paralympics. This live chat is proudly sponsored by Bostik Australia and supported by the Australian Sports Commission. 

The Lumières BLANC ” The Olympics, Sport, Culture and Community”

A conference will take place on July 13, 2024, from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM at the Méridien Melbourne. Historian Joy Damousi will take you on a cultural journey through time, highlighting the role of women in sports. To animate the Blanc, a fencing demonstration will be offered starting at 1pm! Free Tickets!

BLANC is proudly sponsored by Le Méridien Melbourne, The French Trust Fund of the University of Melbourne and supported by the French Embassy.

The Lumières ROUGE ” The French je ne sais quoi “

The conference will take place on July 13, 2024, from 3 PM to 3:45 PM at the Méridien Melbourne. When we think of what it means to be French, where do our perceptions have their origin? Join author and historian Alexis Bergantz as he discusses French connections and cross-cultural legacies with Cross-Cultural Consultant, Sabrina Teller. Free tickets!

ROUGE is proudly sponsored by Le Méridien Melbourne, and supported by ISFAR.

The Lumières VERT “An Immersive Green Tech Pitch Contest”

This event will take place on July 16, 2024, from 5 PM to 7 PM at the ACMI Swinburne Studio at Fed Square. In collaboration with the La French Tech community and the FACCI, you will have the opportunity to attend a startup pitch competition focused on GreenTech. French and Australian startups will present their projects. This competition is organized with the support of numerous sponsors such as Engie, Swinburne University of Technology, and ANL CMA-CGM, highlighting the joint commitment of academia and industry to foster innovation. Entry is free, but you need to book!

In addition to the Lumières, there are two interactive Workshops at the Hellenic Museum, celebrating all things Olympics. These Olympic Workshops are proudly sponsored by The French Trust Fund of the University of Melbourne and supported by the  Embassy of France in Australia and the Hellenic Museum.

On Sunday 14 July from 11:15am, get up close and personal with a selection of the Hellenic Museum’s original Summer Olympic torches.

Learn about the history of the Olympics, the history of the torch relay, and the design of the torches with Museum Educators before having the opportunity to hold a torch yourself.

This is a free event but you need to book.

On the morning of Sunday 14 July, this action-packed Children’s workshop will allow the family to experience the glory of the ancient Olympic games. Compete in a re-imagined ancient Pentathlon contest – featuring a stadion race, wrestling (our epic tug-of-war), long jump, javelin and discus throw. This event is perfect for ages 7-11 (must be accompanied by an 18+).

There is a small fee to cover for the Museum’s staff, and booking is a must.