Spearheaded by Antoine Guillaume, associate artist and initiator of the project, in close collaboration with the Associative Life department of Le Grand-Bornand town hall, the Culture Heritage/La Source unit of Le Grand-Bornand tourism, Espace Grand-Bo and DOKA Production, “Paroles au Grand-Bornand” brought together several generations of local people over the course of 2025, with an artist from their village, to tell the story of their region (then and now).
The “Paroles au Grand-Bornand” project involved local residents and those involved in the cultural life of the village (schools, the Municipal Youth Council, the Bornandin Heritage Association, the Elders’ Club, Atelier à l’Envers, etc.), with a twofold aim: to understand where we come from, by collecting oral testimonies from our elders, and to think about the future by working with schoolchildren on a forward-looking project.
“Paroles au Grand-Bornand” began as a circus and documentary theatre show written and performed by Antoine Guillaume, accompanied by dancer and choreographer Mélanie Manoutsis, musician and composer Bertrant Boulot, and classes of CE2/CM2 from the Chinaillon school and CM1/CM2 from the St Jean-Baptiste school, before becoming a radio programme.
