Organised by the Huong Sac Vietnam- Au Chau Association (a France-based association promoting Vietnamese culture in Europe), the event brought together Vietnamese and French singers, musicians and performers, taking audiences on a journey through different cultural regions of Vietnam.

The programme featured Then singing accompanied by the tinh lute of the Tay ethnic group, Quan ho folk songs from Bac Ninh, northern and southern folk music, cai luong opera, and well-known songs about the homeland, spring and love. Artistic dance performances and a presentation of the traditional Ao dai (traditional long dress) added further colour, reflecting the cultural diversity of Vietnam’s regions.

Speaking to the press  in Paris after performing the song “Beo dat may troi” with singer Thanh Tam, French architect Thibault Fèbrer, who spent seven years living in Hanoi, said his time in Vietnam had sparked a lasting interest in Vietnamese music.

After returning to France, he continued studying vocal music at the General Association of Vietnamese People in France and still regularly performs Vietnamese songs.

According to the architect, Vietnamese songs show the spiritual life and emotions of the Vietnamese people. While books are an important way to approach culture in France, music and songs in Vietnam open many doors that help listeners better understand the country and its people. Singing in Vietnamese, he said, is also a way for him to continue exploring and understanding Vietnamese society.

Young singer Gersende, who has Vietnamese roots, also expressed her impression of the programme’s diversity. She said the event gathered artists with different styles, ranging from singing and dance to piano and instrumental performances, offering audiences a varied artistic experience.

Gersende said that although she has Vietnamese heritage, she previously had few opportunities to learn deeply about the culture of her ancestral homeland. Through the event, she felt closer to Vietnam. Elements such as traditional costumes and folk art forms helped her gain further insight into Vietnamese cultural identity.

According to Alain Vu Duc Hoang Mi, President of the Huong Sac Viet Nam – Au Chau Association, the programme was organised to introduce Vietnamese culture to the international community living and working in Paris.

The association was established in France on January 21, 2016, with the aim of spreading Vietnamese cultural identity in Europe and strengthening cultural exchanges with international friends. Over the years, it has organised numerous artistic programmes and taken part in major cultural events, including the “Xuan Que Huong” (Homeland Spring) programme in Hanoi.

The Huong Sac Viet Nam – Au Chau Association holds three major cultural programmes each year. The first, “Spring Colours”, takes place at the beginning of the year to honour traditional cultural values. The second, “Ha Vang” (Golden Summer), is organised to mark the anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s birthday and Vietnam’s Reunification Day. The third, “Thu Ha Noi” (Hanoi Autumn), is linked to the anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh reading the Declaration of Independence.

Alongside performances, the association also organises classes and experiential activities aimed at sharing Vietnamese culture, including music lessons, traditional instrument training, Vietnamese language classes and workshops introducing regional Vietnamese cuisine. Through these activities, many signature Vietnamese dishes have become better known in France.

Plans are under way to mark the association’s 10th anniversary with a special programme titled “Thu Ha Noi” scheduled for September, both to celebrate Vietnam’s National Day on September 2 and to mark a decade of the association’s efforts to promote Vietnamese culture in Europe.

Vietnamese culture and tourism highlighted at Salon de l’Asie 2025 in France

VOV.VN - Vietnam participated in the Salon de l’Asie 2025 cultural fair at Eurexpo in Lyon, France, on November 29-30, presenting a vibrant cultural space that attracted strong public interest at one of Europe’s major Asian cultural events.