Founded in 2021, this young and committed association aims to raise public awareness of forestry issues. It undertakes several initiatives to promote citizen engagement with the goal of contributing to a new social project for forests.
From June 6 to 22, 2025, the Nuits des Forêts festival offered ten days of shows, exhibitions, and workshops in the forests of France. It was an opportunity to discover, through art, play, and sensitivity, these fragile and precious natural spaces, as well as the people who inhabit, cultivate, and protect them. In the Tarn region, we were able to represent the event during its second week, highlighting various conferences, music, and art activities on the evening of June 21.
To do this, we gathered in the Passet forest, which belongs to the Bonneau family, where Mathias welcomed us to carry out the various activities that were planned.
The journey of a sensitive lumberjack…
From the meeting point, we followed Mathias Bonneau, a lumberjack by trade and an architect by training. He has lived in these forests since he was a child and learned how to use a chainsaw from his father. Always very close to nature, he quickly returned to these forests to take care of them. Well-informed, he develops his undergrowth in a sustainable manner by integrating more and more species to move towards an SMCC model.
Like an orator, he was able to describe his woods to us both technically and in a way that was meaningful to him. The experiences he has had there have left their mark on him, and his stories leave their mark on those who listen to him.
So, after he explained his management model and the actions they take on the trees to limit pests and promote seedling growth, we were able to appreciate his reading. Recounting his life and his journey in the woods, he shared with us, in the very place where he made his choices, his decisions, his joys, and his troubles, which only last for a time and then fade away.
…Which leads to artistic workshops
Participants were then able to take part in a contemporary dance choreography workshop led by Gabriel Mercuri, the aim of which was to create a space for expression guided by a series of instructions. The goal was to give free rein to creativity while maintaining a "playful" framework. This semi-improvisation inspired most of the participants, leaving the others to observe this ephemeral creation.
Choreographic dance workshop by Gabriel Mercuri
during the Nuit des forêts 2025
Léa Swan during the Nuit des forêts 2025
The sunlight accentuating the colors of the forest allowed the joyful group to move to another part of the forest to listen and interact with Léa Swan's folk music. The sounds of the drum, accordion, guitar, and her singing echoed through the forest, creating a serene and joyful atmosphere. Afterward, everyone was able to sing along with her under her guidance. The forest choir was established in the heart of the Passet forest.
Founded in 2021, this young and committed association aims to raise public awareness of forestry issues. It undertakes several initiatives to promote citizen engagement with the goal of contributing to a new social project for forests.
From June 6 to 22, 2025, the Nuits des Forêts festival offered ten days of shows, exhibitions, and workshops in the forests of France. It was an opportunity to discover, through art, play, and sensitivity, these fragile and precious natural spaces, as well as the people who inhabit, cultivate, and protect them. In the Tarn region, we were able to represent the event during its second week, highlighting various conferences, music, and art activities on the evening of June 21.
To do this, we gathered in the Passet forest, which belongs to the Bonneau family, where Mathias welcomed us to carry out the various activities that were planned.
The journey of a sensitive lumberjack…
From the meeting point, we followed Mathias Bonneau, a lumberjack by trade and an architect by training. He has lived in these forests since he was a child and learned how to use a chainsaw from his father. Always very close to nature, he quickly returned to these forests to take care of them. Well-informed, he develops his undergrowth in a sustainable manner by integrating more and more species to move towards an SMCC model.
Like an orator, he was able to describe his woods to us both technically and in a way that was meaningful to him. The experiences he has had there have left their mark on him, and his stories leave their mark on those who listen to him.
So, after he explained his management model and the actions they take on the trees to limit pests and promote seedling growth, we were able to appreciate his reading. Recounting his life and his journey in the woods, he shared with us, in the very place where he made his choices, his decisions, his joys, and his troubles, which only last for a time and then fade away.
…Which leads to artistic workshops
Participants were then able to take part in a contemporary dance choreography workshop led by Gabriel Mercuri, the aim of which was to create a space for expression guided by a series of instructions. The goal was to give free rein to creativity while maintaining a "playful" framework. This semi-improvisation inspired most of the participants, leaving the others to observe this ephemeral creation.
Choreographic dance workshop by Gabriel Mercuri
during the Nuit des forêts 2025
Léa Swan during the Nuit des forêts 2025
The sunlight accentuating the colors of the forest allowed the joyful group to move to another part of the forest to listen and interact with Léa Swan's folk music. The sounds of the drum, accordion, guitar, and her singing echoed through the forest, creating a serene and joyful atmosphere. Afterward, everyone was able to sing along with her under her guidance. The forest choir was established in the heart of the Passet forest.
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