Vidau'Bulles, the comics and manga festival that's breaking the bubble in Vidauban

Short supply chains aren't just limited to agricultural production. Over the course of eight years, the organizers of Vidau'Bulles, the Vidauban comic book fair, have even made it their trademark. And expanding to manga three years ago— "at the public's request," says Christophe Lorentz, one of the event's driving forces—hasn't changed anything. It's this geographic proximity of the authors and this complicity with the public that gives this fair its unique character. "At this fair, we don't really have any headliners. It's a choice. This year, Éléonore Thuillier, the author of P'tit Loup , is undoubtedly the best known. We don't have the crowds of the big fairs with their cohort of star cartoonists. But the people of Vidauban, and more broadly the Varois, like this intimate side. Just like the authors, by the way," assures Christophe Lorentz.

Complicity with the public

Yannick Vicente wouldn't disagree. Based in Fuveau in the Bouches-du-Rhône, this illustrator, who specializes in children's albums (ages 3-8), is a regular at Vidau'Bulles. "I've been coming to Vidauban since the second edition. I really enjoy it. In seven participations, I've had time to become attached to the organizers who go to great lengths, but also to the families I've seen grow up. It's truly a fair on a human scale, not one of those fairs where you do one-on-one signings," confides the artist to his 100,000 followers on Instagram and Facebook.

Axel Graisely and Lobé are even more locals. And by their place of residence: the former lives in Bourguet, the latter in Les Mayons. And by their artistic approach. Within the publishing house 2A Dalga, the two accomplices stage the Histoires et légendes du Var . And it works since they are already at 12 volumes! "We are loyal among the loyal. We have been coming since the very first edition. Why? For the welcome, the organization and the public: both the young people and their grandfathers who rediscover with pleasure the legends that were told to them when they were children," explains Axel enthusiastically.

A few steps away, Jez, a comic book author for 15 years, discovered Vidau'Bulles. In a way, he's a "noob" , like Minus, the main character in his series Journal d'un noob . But having come as a neighbor (he's from the Pic Saint-Loup area in Hérault), he already likes Vidauban. "I'm very happy to be here" , he says spontaneously, while alone at his stand, he's in the process of signing a book. "It's for a friend who's a comic book author. In reality, I don't really like book signing hunters. But since my series is aimed more at children aged 7 to 13, I'm pretty safe from this kind of request. Afterwards, if someone buys an album from me, I'll happily sign it. It's important" .

Soon to be at the top of the bill?

For her first participation in Vidau'Bulles, Julie Vigne, alias Tsuru-burashi (1), her mangaka name, made a big splash: it is indeed to this young 24-year-old artist, originally from Palavas-les-Flots, that we owe the poster for the 2025 edition! "The organizers like what I do and so they asked me to create the poster," says shyly the one who presents herself as both a mangaka and a painter. "This is my very first show. Until now, I had only participated in manga conventions." Does she make a living from her art? "No, not yet. It's difficult to make a name for yourself," confides the author of Sing me a lullaby . Above all, don't trust appearances. Behind this sweet title - Sing me a lullaby - "the story is imbued with darkness and is aimed at a rather mature audience" , says Julie Vigne, who counts Albator among her many sources of inspiration.

A world that is clearly the opposite of what Gérard likes. With a Lucky Luke T-shirt on his back, this comic book enthusiast from Vidauban is very clear: "What I like are the classics: Lucky Luke, but also Spirou and Fantasio, Gaston Lagaffe, Asterix, and of course Tintin, with whom I learned to read." At the fair, as soon as it opened, he tried to share his passion with his son... Luke, who enjoyed having his photo taken with the mascot P'tit Loup . Along the way, Gérard hopes to find some second-hand albums. Enjoyment without breaking the bank, that's also what Vidau'Bulles is all about.

1. Vine brushes in Japanese.