2025 | Immersion in the Meuse and talk on cold-water swimming with Vanessa Bell

On 21 January 2025, the City of Namur, in partnership with the Maison de la Poésie and the association Namur Nage en Meuse, welcomed the Quebec author Vanessa Bell on the occasion of the European release of her book Fendre les eaux: apprivoiser la baignade nordique (2023, Éditions de l’Homme).

Vanessa Bell first discovered Namur in 2019 during a crossed-residency organised by the Maison de la Poésie et de la Langue française in Namur in collaboration with the Maison de la Littérature in Quebec. The initiative fostered meaningful exchanges. Unfortunately, the return phase in Quebec was disrupted by the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020.

In April 2022, Vanessa Bell returned to the Maison de la Poésie in Namur for a performance with Lisette Lombé. Together, they explored the connections linking contemporary Belgian and Quebec poetry.

Back in Europe at the beginning of this year, a stop in the Walloon capital was an obvious choice.

Two events marked the visit: an immersion in the Meuse at the École du Génie inner harbour in Jambes, and a book presentation followed by a discussion at the Berthe Pouleur auditorium.

The immersion took place in small groups and was preceded by a gathering around a fire on the theme of poetry. Safety and logistics were ensured by Namur Nage en Meuse, bringing together the Sea Scouts of Jambes and the Namur Kayak Canoe Club.