‘Stories from the Ardennes’ with Bouli Lanners: an evening to lift your spirits!
On Tuesday 13 October, the Musée de la Grande Ardenne welcomed Bouli Lanners, the Museum’s ambassador for 2026, for a special event centred on his Ardennes. Entitled Stories from the Ardennes, the event drew a large crowd to the Jean XXIII Hall in Bastogne, which was packed to capacity. A record attendance for the Museum!
Objects, memories and reflections
For this unique event, the Musée de la Grande Ardenne had organised a mini-exhibition centred on a series of carefully selected objects. These served as starting points for Bouli Lanners, who shared his memories, anecdotes and personal reflections with the audience.
As the objects were presented, the discussion touched on themes close to his heart: degrowth, connections with older generations, heritage and passing on traditions. With sincerity, humour and a free-spirited tone, Bouli Lanners invited everyone to take the time to remember, to ask themselves questions and to reflect on what really matters.
An evening that allowed us to breathe, laugh, reminisce, discover… and breathe. A respite that did us so much good in such troubled times.
A warm and meaningful evening
Beyond the stories told and the memories evoked, this gathering was praised for its authenticity and conviviality. One member of the audience described it as ‘a moment full of authenticity, humanity and meaning’, which served as a reminder of ‘the value of simple things, our connection to nature and the importance of preserving our surroundings’.
The evening also offered the chance to get to know Bouli Lanners on a more personal level, through his convictions, his attachment to the Ardennes and his view of the world. The audience turned out in force, in an atmosphere filled with laughter, emotion and shared experiences
Bouli Lanners’ reflections bring us back to our human condition – and to the idea that we can contribute to a better future through our everyday actions.
The Musée de la Grande Ardenne extends its warmest thanks to Bouli Lanners for his generosity and willingness to take part, as well as to everyone who came to share this moment with us.
A big thank you also goes to Théo Mertens, from RCF radio, for recording the event. The recording will soon be available as a podcast. Thank you to Serge Lepère, from Nuts Radio, for filming the evening and taking the photographs.
It was a wonderful evening, and one that leaves us looking forward to getting together again soon for more stories from the Ardennes…
See you soon at the Museum!
