The essential night: a living castle!

La Nuit essentielle is 12 hours of sensitive, sensory and scholarly immersion in the ecosystem of Caen Castle.

You are invited to sleep under the stars in the château after spending an evening discovering the biodiversity of the new landscaped park, accompanied by artists, enlightened amateurs and scientists.

This will be an opportunity to experience art at the heart of the living world, firstly by contemplating the dozen or so sculptures set up in the park, and secondly thanks to the presence of artists: a musician-choreographer and three visual artists in residence. Deborah Lennie, musician and choreographer, will create the sound universe for the evening: concert, song, dance, sound tracks connected to atmospheric music; wind, silence, rustling and other songs, cries, buzzes... Lise Duclaux, Caroline Bouyer and Jill Guillais are developing a body of work based on the living and the landscape. While the first two exhibit their work in the museum, Jill Guillais designs installations in the heart of the château.

From 6pm to dusk, ornithologists, entomologists, biologists, mammologists, herbalists and geologists will be sharing their observations of the site with you.

Would you like to sleep under the stars? What you need to know:
Things to know before you book:

Bring a mattress or deckchair, but nothing that needs to be planted in the ground. Doors close at 00:30 and reopen at 6:30.

Bring waterproof equipment to protect you from the morning dew.

Catering: food truck, roof terrace, Mancel terrace, Mancel restaurant, breakfast from 6 a.m.

Book your dinner at the Mancel and your breakfast (formula 2 crêpes, 1 hot drink and 1 fruit juice)

Evening events on the theme of "Our fears at night" for groups of children, women, men, people of colour, disabled people, etc.

6 am Listening to the birds wake up

"Everyone has their own fears": the evening leaders use flipchart paper to take stock of your feelings and share them over breakfast.

• Free