About us
Spiegelberg Festival
Spiegelberg, where does this name come from?
The fortress of Spiegelberg stood on today’s Sommêtres ridge long before the major clearing of the Montagne des Bois. Called Château de Muriaux, Murival (from mirer, to look, and val), it became Spiegelberg in German. The building became the residence of a noble family who soon took the name Spiegelberg. The coat of arms chosen by this family (a golden shield with six mountains surmounted by a silver mirror) became the coat of arms of the present-day Franches-Montagnes district in the 18th century.
The members of the L’Astrid Paratte association want to give new impetus to their culture and identity with an important, focused and unifying event, a contrast that deserves a place within the strong cultural personality of the region where they were born and grew up. In addition to its tourist attractions, the Franches-Montagnes district has a wealth of assets that the Spiegelberg Festival aims to highlight: its history, culture, rurality, natural heritage and landscape, its commitment and the strength of character of its inhabitants. Beyond entertainment, the association aims to awaken emotions in the face of the beauty of nature and art through unusual encounters. With the solid support of local and trusted patrons, Spiegelberg has the means to offer a unique space open to encounters and creative dynamics, which is more than necessary in today’s increasingly gloomy political and environmental climate.
Association L’Astrid Paratte
The association “L’Astrid Paratte” was formed in January 2022 in order to conceive and develop the Spiegelberg Festival. Members have been building this ambitious project on a voluntary basis for several years. The association brings together its strengths and specificities to work on finding venues, programming, podcasting, cultural mediation, administration, production, communication and managing the Spiegelberg Festival’s volunteers, reception, bars and catering.
In 2024-2025, the association’s active members are :
- Mélanie Donzé (treasurer) – accounting
- Chloé Donzé – programming, graphic design, communication
- Valérie Boillat Dubail – volunteer coordinator
- Joanne Schwar – production
- Julie Boillat – administration, public reception
- Patricia Riedweg – administration
- Félicien Donzé (chairman) – general coordination, programming, podcasting
- Sylvain Dubail (secretary) – site coordination, communication
- Quentin Baumeler – sponsoring, website
- Lucien Ourny – bar coordination
- Louis Deceuninck – cultural mediation, podcast
- Simon Rowel – communication
- Louis Frésard – site coordination
- Colin Donzé – venue coordination and mobile bar
- Alice Donzé – sponsoring
- Mélanie Kornmayer – communication
- Gautier Teuscher – technical
- Samantha Ramos – cultural mediation
- Nerrantsoula Wermeille – cultural mediation
- Antoine Barras – bar coordination
Charter
The charter of the association gathers the principles and the goals of its functioning and of the events it conceives. These principles and practices serve the three objectives of the association, namely: to lead new cultural and identity reflections; to share widely the attachment to our region; and to question the notion of belonging.
Reflection on culture and identity
Through interaction between local, national and international actors, L’Astrid Paratte participates in the opening of a cultural reflection, original and accessible to a large public. Its members are committed to bringing diverse cultural visions and practices to the Franches-Montagnes and to promoting cutting-edge, challenging and quality programming in its events. The events promoted by L’Astrid Paratte aim at renewing identity and cultural reflections according to a participative, dynamic and integrative approach.
We develop contexts that encourage the questioning of notions of belonging, identity, anchoring and regional attachment in a reflective historical, political and economic perspective.
Territorial and environmental reflection
Our challenge is to highlight the region and its cultural, natural and environmental heritage while creating unique encounters between artists and places. In the course of our public activities, to invest and enhance the places in a soft, light, ephemeral way and respectful of biodiversity. By putting art and the environment in dialogue, we want to share our attachment to our region and its values while considering our multiple affiliations.
Common values
As members of L’Astrid Paratte, we are committed to openness and listening to each other as long as our words respect the values of dignity, diversity, inclusiveness and solidarity with the living. In the various events of L’Astrid Paratte, its members work to promote intergenerational, intercultural and social encounters, discovery, movement, the articulation between nomadic and local, and social justice. We aim for efficient resource management and respect for the environment while strengthening the dynamism and vitality of the Franches-Montagnes.
Contact
Association L’Astrid Paratte
Spiegelberg Festival
Rue des Prés 12
CH-2350 Saignelégier – Switzerland
