Fête de la Science 2026 at Université Paris Cité: the must-attend events you won’t want to miss!

The Science Festival at the Université Paris Cité (Paris 6th), in partnership with the Île-de-France Region and the City of Paris, puts food at the forefront. From the chemistry hidden in our meals to the role of the gut microbiome and the backstory of Nutri-Score, visitors discover how nutrition shapes our health and daily life. Young and old alike can roll up their sleeves to experiment, play, observe and chat with researchers who are passionate about their work.

What’s on the menu:

• Interactive workshops for all ages
• Unique demonstrations and hands-on science experiments
• Engaging meetings and discussions
• Discoveries in food, physics, linguistics, health, math, and sports!

A wide range of disciplines are joining forces to reveal science in a new light.

Among the essential milestones in programming:

• The Grand Moulins Science Village (from Thursday, October 1 to Saturday, October 3): you'll find a wealth of interactive workshops on food, chemistry, physics, health, linguistics and mathematics at the Grands Moulins campus of the Université Paris Cité in the 13th arrondissement.

• Visit to the Memory, Brain and Cognition Laboratory (Friday, October 2, Boulogne): the LMC² studies memory, the brain, and cognition. During this visit, you’ll discover how new technologies can help assess and train memory and attention. Scientists will showcase tools such as serious games, virtual reality, and tablets, used in both research and cognitive rehabilitation.

• Theatre: Life of Galileo by Bertolt Brecht (Tuesday, October 6, Fontainebleau): a special evening exploring Galileo, science, and doubt as an act of resistance in the 17th century. 

• Roundtable: Better Sleep, Sharper Thinking (Wednesday, October 7, Odéon): Dr. Geoffroy, a Neurodiderot researcher and sleep specialist, invites you to explore how sleep profoundly influences mental health and learning.

• “The Grand Debunk of Health” Nutrition Special (Thursday, October 8, Odéon): an interactive session co-organized with the PUMS channel and AP-HP to expose food-related misinformation.

• Workshop “The Travelers of the Palace” (Sunday, October 11, Atelier WAYO): a unique sensory workshop led by chef Émilie Felix and Professor Sylvie Tordjman at Atelier WAYO, exploring cuisine as a gateway to social bonding and awakening. You’ll be invited to engage your senses, observe your sensations, and question your own perceptions!

• Participatory brunch “A Table with Science” (Sunday, October 11, Bagnolet): Bagnolet's Little Cantines invite you to cook from 10am alongside a scientist, then share a friendly brunch on a pay-what-you-can basis from 1pm.

An exceptional, captivating and completely free opportunity to experience science as a family in a playful, lively and accessible way, in direct contact with passionate researchers.