A sense of travel and artistic creation now fills the Quatre-Routes neighborhood in La Courneuve. On Friday, September 25th, the neighborhood boutique on Place Claire-Lacombe has become a gateway to the treasures of civilizations from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. This event, concluding eighteen months of partnership with the Quai Branly – Jacques-Chirac Museum, also kicks off the city's 2026-2027 cultural season.
Inside, magic unfolds with Sylvia, a storyteller from the museum, who transported a captivated young audience to distant lands. Through tales passed down through generations, mythical creatures came to life, such as a crocodile immortalized in a wooden sculpture from Papua New Guinea and a chief challenging a priestess in the Marquesas Islands.
This day, marked by the inauguration of an artwork on the boutique's facade, is the result of a cultural adventure where families from the Quatre-Routes selected pieces from the Parisian museum, centered around the universal theme of water and life. The motifs of these exceptional works now adorn the facade, intertwined with words written in multiple languages spoken in the city, reflecting the area's multicultural richness.
Manuella Meunier, cultural mediation officer at the Quai Branly Jacques-Chirac Museum, highlights that the recognition of museum objects by families from La Courneuve shows that "these works speak to everyone" and helps residents better identify different continents.
On the square, the atmosphere was equally vibrant with a screen-printing workshop for attendees to create custom bags, a stand offering free badges featuring the artwork motifs, and the association Alo Do Alomin serving drinks and waffles.
Alongside Inès Kaci, deputy mayor for culture and new urban arts, and other elected officials, Mayor Aly Diouara praised the success of this cooperation before officially launching the cultural season. The day concluded with a performance by the Compagnie Accrorap, whose nine dancers presented Prélude, a fusion of hip-hop and contemporary dance.
