Quais du Polar is a literary and artistic event that takes place every April in the city of Lyon. Founded in 2005, this festival invites a hundred or so authors and filmmakers each year to come and meet a wide audience, who may be fans of the crime fiction genre or just curious.
For three days, over fifty events are organised including debates, meetings, readings, signing sessions, concerts, plays and crime film screenings chosen by the authors themselves. Since it began, the festival has welcomed famous novelists and masters of the genre like Tonino Benacquista, Harlan Coben, Jo Nesbo and James Ellroy.
The conferences and debates mainly take place at the city hall, the Amphi at the Opera and the Palais de la Bourse. Open to all, the festival is completely free, except for the film screenings and some shows. A real-life investigation also enables the audience to step into a detective's shoes.
As the years go by, the festival has grown in prominence to become one of the biggest crime fiction events in France. It attracts around 60,000 visitors every year.
