Fables Immersives: an immersive journey to the heart of La Fontaine's Fables near the Champs-Elysées

Le Corbeau et le Renard (The Raven and the Fox), La Cigale et la Fourmi (The Cicada and the Ant), Le Loup et l'Agneau (The Wolf and the Lamb), and La Tortue et le Lièvre (The Tortoise and the Hare) are all tandems that will bring back childhood memories for some. In France, La Fontaine's Fables are a must. We remember reciting them to our parents, or in front of our classmates. Now it may even be your turn to introduce them to your little ones. Often inspired by the fables of Aesop, Phaedra or Babrius, these allegorical tales have often been a playful way of conveying morals and values to their audience.

And if these fables evoke memories of your tender years, then here's a concept that should appeal to you: fromSeptember 6, 2025, a immersive exhibition at the heart of La Fontaine's fables is due to open in Paris, in the 8tharrondissement , bordering the famous Champs-Elysées avenue. An iconic setting for a promising experience.

Called "Fables Immersives", this concept imagined by Les Cités Immersives is set to take the form of a 1h30 tour spread over 1,000m2, bringing to life Jean de La Fontaine's most famous fables. The idea would be to transport visitors to the heart of the Grand Siècle marked by the reign of Louis XIV, while echoing today's society.

We're promised beautiful staging, immersive set design, 360° projections, lighting effects and interactivity... The cast also includes some of the biggest names in French theater and cinema, including Laurent Stocker, Alexandre Astier, Arielle Dombasle, Charles Berling, Marie S'Infiltre, Félix Junier, Hubert Myon and Axelle Saint-Cirel, who performed La Marseillaise from the top of the Grand Palais during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The personalities appear on screen, not in real life.

Theexperience awaits us in the heart of a shopping mall adjoining the Champs-Elysées. The entrance is quite discreet, so keep your eyes peeled. To avoid overloading the rooms, slots are limited to 10 to 15 people. Equipped with helmets, we embark on this theatrical tour, whose adventure begins directly in La Fontaine's study. It's here that the fabulist becomes the host of this experience, accompanying us through the first part of the tour.

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Immersive scenes feature emblematic animals, including foxes, wolves, frogs and lions. The tour is punctuated byinteractive animations and fun games to keep you waiting while the fable begins, as well as historical exhibits. These are announced as if at the theater, with three blows, and reveal a staging that reinterprets the fables without distorting them, allowing Jean de La Fontaine to interact with his characters. In a friendly tone, the author explains certain passages, and between two lines of humor, the protagonists introduce the moral of these stories.

Details, secrets and winks lurk everywhere in these teeming set designs.Alexandre Astier's lion reminds us of his role as King Arthur in Kaamelott, while the frog room features medieval-style covers of songs such as Djadja by Aya Nakaumura and Shape of You by Ed Sheeran.

The concept thus presents an intergenerational melting pot. While there is some concern that the language may still be too complex for the youngest visitors, it makes up for it with animations for the little ones. The second part of the tour features an immersive room with a more poetic spirit, presenting four additional fables in a variety of illustration styles, set to a background of electro-pop music. Called the Room of Dreams, it's an invitation to contemplation, where you can recline as you immerse yourself further in the world of La Fontaine. All in all, the tour lasts around 1h30.