The Swiss Polar Festival devotes an evening to Ella Maillart on Thursday 26 November 2026 at 7 pm. The round table takes place at Ferme-Asile in Sion, with free admission.
The story
The Swiss Polar Festival reaches its fourth edition in 2026. Previous editions took place in 2023, 2024 and 2025. The 2025 edition drew nearly 900 people in Sion. The festival links science, culture, art and education around the polar world.
The 2026 edition spans four days, five events and two towns in Valais. Every event is free. The 26 November evening draws on the exhibition “Ella Maillart. Récits photographiques” (Ella Maillart. Photographic Stories). The exhibition was recently shown at Photo Elysée.
Who organises it
The Swiss Polar Institute organises the festival with the Swiss Polar Class. The institute is based at Route des Ronquos 86 in Sion. Ferme-Asile hosts the evening devoted to Ella Maillart. The other events take place at the Médiathèque Valais and at the Alpole site.
What to find
Doors open at 6.30 pm and the round table starts at 7 pm. It explores the place of women in exploration. The discussion runs from 1930s Central Asia to today’s scientific research. Excerpts from Ella Maillart’s interviews punctuate the exchange.
Two speakers take part. Elisa Rodriguez Castresana is co-curator of the exhibition devoted to the traveller. Martina Barundun studies permafrost in lands Ella Maillart explored nearly a century earlier. Ten prints from the exhibition are on display, followed by drinks at 8 pm.
The festival offers other free events. On Wednesday 25 November, “Lectures polaires” (Polar Readings) welcomes visitors aged 8 and over at the Médiathèque Valais in Sion. Ella Maillart’s photo card index and illustrator Dora Formica take centre stage. On Saturday 28 November, “Les pôles en famille” (The Poles for Families) brings all ages together at Alpole, with registration.
Practical information
- Date, Thursday 26 November 2026
- Times, doors 6.30 pm, start 7 pm, drinks 8 pm
- Venue, Ferme-Asile, Allée de la Ferme-Asile 1, 1950 Sion
- Price, free admission, no registration
- Festival, Wednesday 25 to Saturday 28 November 2026, in Sion and Brig
Links
- Official site, Swiss Polar Festival 2026
- Programme, Ella Maillart evening
- Venue, Ferme-Asile, programme
- All events across French-speaking Switzerland, Genève Infos Agenda
Sources
- Swiss Polar Class, Swiss Polar Festival 2026, accessed on 14 November 2026
- Swiss Polar Class, Ella Maillart evening, accessed on 14 November 2026
- Swiss Polar Class, Lectures polaires (Polar Readings) 2026, accessed on 14 November 2026
- Swiss Polar Class, Les pôles en famille (The Poles for Families) 2026, accessed on 14 November 2026
- Swiss Polar Class, 2025 festival, accessed on 14 November 2026
- Ferme-Asile, programme, accessed on 14 November 2026
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