Classical Languages Festival: Free Talks, Workshops, Theatre, and Films in Versailles

On February 6 and 7, 2026, Versailles comes alive with the Ancient Languages Festival, celebrating classical languages through expert talks, engaging workshops for all ages, lively performances, and film screenings.

For enthusiasts of Latin, Greek, Chinese, and other classical languages, the Festival of Classical Languages is making a comeback on Friday, February 6 and Saturday, February 7, 2026. Over these two days, a packed program aims to keep these ancient languages alive through lively lectures by experts, literary debates, cinema screenings, performances, and workshops accessible to everyone — both children and adults alike.

This year, the festival will delve into the various expressions of orality in Antiquity, brought together under the theme: “The Classics Speak!” – exploring practices, rules, myths, and rituals. Each evening, attendees can enjoy a film screening related to the theme at UGC Roxane for just 6.50 euros. Meanwhile, the rest of the program at the Hôtel de Ville and the Open University of Versailles is free.

The Festival Schedule

Lectures and Talks

Friday - 10:00-11:00 AM : The Power of Words
Friday - 11:15 AM-12:15 PM : The Cicero Case
Friday - 2:00-3:00 PM : Tolkien and the Memory of Antiquity
Friday - 6:15-7:15 PM : Ancient Literature
Friday - 11:30 AM-12:30 PM : Why and how should humanism be revitalized? The question of making words immortal
Saturday - 10:15-11:15 AM : In the Circle of Augustus, the First Roman Emperor
Saturday - 11:00 AM-12:00 PM : The Return of Speech
Saturday - 11:30 AM-12:30 PM : Visualizing Antiquity in the 21st Century
Saturday - 2:00-3:00 PM : Theatre or the Revival of the Myth
Saturday - 2:30-3:30 PM : Colorful Characters of Antiquity
Saturday - 3:15-4:15 PM : Orality in Classical Literature from Asia
Saturday - 3:45-4:45 PM : Julius Caesar's Wars
Saturday - 4:30-5:30 PM : Tracing the Roots of Korean Culture: Classical Chinese and Its Legacies

Shows

Friday - 3:15 PM to 4:15 PM - The Cavaliers of Aristophanes: A musical comedy inspired freely by the eponymous play by Aristophanes
Friday - 5:40 PM to 6:10 PM - Hymns to Greece
Saturday - 1:30 PM to 2:00 PM & 5:00 PM to 5:30 PM - Classical music: Italian madrigals of the Renaissance
Saturday - 2:45 PM to 3:10 PM - Traditional Chinese music performed by Art et Musique Interculturelle et Innovante (AMII)
Saturday - 5:45 PM to 7:00 PM - Our Homer

Stations and Workshops

Friday: Learn a rare language with ILARA (Institute for Rare Languages)
Friday and Saturday: Presentations by Schola Nova (Belgium) and the biannual THALIA festival organized by Schola Humanistica (Italy) across Europe.
Friday and Saturday: Books for sale from bookseller Guillaume Budé
Friday - 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM: Aède Workshop: Writing and Speaking. A workshop reconnecting with the primary role of oral poetry: a performance and rhythmic speech that involves the audience in a shared, participatory moment.
Saturday - 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM - Bookbinding Workshop: Discover how books were traditionally made, explore their different components, and learn how ancient texts can be restored today.
Saturday - "Speak Out!" Workshop: Dive into ancient languages and enjoy the pleasure of reading, pronouncing, and understanding words from the past and present through language and etymology games.
Saturday - Video game tournament and quiz on speech, speaking spaces, and orators in Greco-Roman antiquity
Saturday - Presentation of workshops, interactive games, costumes, antique objects, and video zones.
Saturday - Reading stand and contest on Greek and Latin antiquity
Saturday - 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM - "Write About Your Roots, Share Your Origins" Workshop: How do the words "roots" and "home" resonate with us? An invitation to create a House-Poem, a shelter in verse. Multilingual writing is encouraged. Participants will craft a personalized accordion book (leporello) with their poem to keep as a souvenir.

Walking and Parks