Franco-Scottish Fair

On the occasion of the 730th anniversary of the historic Auld Alliance, come to the Franco-Scottish Fair to discover the many talents of French and Scottish communities living in Scotland! Explore a wide range of stalls offering beautiful arts, crafts, and unique creations, all in a warm and festive atmosphere.

Please note that some stallholders may only be able to accept cash payments.

10:30 – 16:30 : Opening of the stalls

Singing Willows – Children’s books

Les Petits Chats Clay – Earrings

Holyrood Distillery – Whisky and gin

Stamped Cat – Linocuts

Elodie Who Illustrator – Stationery and children’s books

Le Deli francais – French delicatessen

Breizh Alba – Association (Breton dance)

Voyages Photo en Ecosse – Photography

Tour et Détours / Thunderdices – Guided tours

Lizzie Wood Illustrator – Illustrator (comics, prints, paintings)

The Fabulous Pixie – Stationery

Auld Alliance Kiltmakers – Textiles and accessories

Melissa Gilliver Art – Watercolors

Natalie Saint-Martin – Paintings, Watercolors

Port of Leith Distillery – Champagne La Garde Écossaise, whisky and gin

Ophelie’s Emporium – Stationery, illustrated city maps

Mademoiselle Macaron – Macaroons

Wee Ecosse – La Source – Guided tours

The Edinburgh Bookshop 

Le Petit Monde Stories – Children’s books and puppeteer

La Bastille Upcycling – Stationery/clothing/accessories

Fumé Design – Sewing/textiles

Workshops and Activities

10:00 – 11:30:

Kiltmaking Workshop with the Auld Alliance Kiltmakers: a journey through the history of the kilt and tartan, a more technical section on kilt making, followed by an interactive session with tartan pleating for the public. Free workshop, 18 participants max. Registration here

10:30 – 12:00: Storytime Halloween Special: The Ghost, the Cat, and the Loch Ness Mystery with Catherine Guiat in the library followed by a craft activity. Registration here

11:30 – 12:15: Breton Dance workshop with Breizh Alba. Step into the lively world of Breton dance! This fun, relaxed session is designed for anyone curious about the traditional dances of Brittany — no experience (or partner) needed. Registration here

14:00 – 16:00:

Watercolor Workshop inspired by Charles Rennie Mackintosh at the library, with Melissa Gilliver (8 people max). Come discover this iconic Scottish artist’s delicate floral designs, and learn step by step how to mimic his style in elegant watercolours, all this in a creative and welcoming atmosphere. We will also explore Mackintosh’s years spend in the south of France, in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, during which he dedicated himself to watercolour painting. The workshop will be led by french artist Melissa Gilliver, who originates from this region of France, near Collioure. Registration here

14:00 – 15:00:

Meet the author, Lisa Ballantyne, who will be talking about her novels and her connections to France, and will be signing copies of her books. She is the internationally bestselling author of five novels. Her debut, The Guilty One was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award, Longlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year Award, and was also a Richard and Judy Book Club bestseller. Her second novel, Good Bad Love, (published as Everything She Forgot in America) was a USA Today bestseller. She has been a Robert Louis Stevenson Fellow in France, supported by Scottish Book Trust and Creative Scotland. Her work has been translated into nearly thirty languages. Her most recent novel is The Innocent One, published in 2023. Registration here

Event chaired by Magnus Linklater, CBE, journalist. 

15:00 – 15:45: Breton Dance workshop with Breizh Alba. Step into the lively world of Breton dance! This fun, relaxed session is designed for anyone curious about the traditional dances of Brittany — no experience (or partner) needed. Registration here

16:00 – 17:00:

Jenny Colgan,is one of the most successful and prolific authors of feel-good fiction in the UK.  Her numerous Sunday Times, New York Times and internationally bestselling books include almost fifty novels, novellas, short stories and children’s books.  She has sold more than four million copies in the UK alone, and ten million copies worldwide.  Her books have spent more than thirty weeks on the Sunday Times bestseller list. In addition to her success in the UK and beyond, Jenny Colgan has become one of the bestselling Scottish writers in France, where her novels have found an especially devoted readership. Having lived in France for many years, she developed a deep connection with the country and speaks fluent French. 

She has won various awards for her writing including the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award and the RNA Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year Award. Jenny is a long-time champion of romantic fiction, proudly speaking up in the media against the sidelining of genre fiction. Registration here

In partnership with the Edinburgh Bookshop