The Society of Sciences and Letters of Loir-et-Cher (SSLLC) has announced the winners of its second annual photography contest, which was held alongside the renowned Rendez-vous de l'Histoire (History Meetings) in Blois. This year's theme, "Loir-et-Cher, my Loir-et-Cher!" drew 61 photographic submissions from participants across the region.
The contest was organized as a complement to the 28th Rendez-vous de l'Histoire, whose main theme was "France?" Philippe Henwood, president of the Blois-based association, along with board members, selected the regional theme with an exclamation point to create a playful counterpoint to the main event while paying homage to it. The photography competition has become an integral part of the annual historical gathering.
This year marked the introduction of a new award category - the Youth Prize - in addition to the three prizes from the previous year: the SSLLC Prize, the Unconventional Prize, and the Public Prize. A professional jury composed of photographers from Blois, representatives from the Department, and departmental archives selected fifteen photographs from the 61 artistic submissions for exhibition.
The Youth Prize was awarded to students from the Medico-Educational Institute of Herbault (IME), represented by Morgane Doreau, technical educator at the Departmental Center for Care, Support and Education of the Loire Valley (CDSAE), and Cédric Odennat, educational monitor. About ten young people from the facility participated in the photography project, joining at the very last minute in early September for the school year start, just days before the contest deadline.
The inspiration for their participation came from an unexpected source. "The idea came from Mathéo, one of the young people welcomed in the establishment, who is unbeatable on the repertoire of the 70s-80s and remembered Michel Delpech's song 'Le Loir-et-Cher,'" explained Cédric Odennat with amusement. This musical connection sparked the youth group's creative participation in the regional photography contest.
The winning youth photograph features four young people, tools in hand, crossing a crosswalk with a portion of the medico-social domain's castle visible in the background. The image contains what appears to be a clear allusion to other well-known artists from across the English Channel and around the world - likely referencing the famous Abbey Road album cover by The Beatles. This playful and unexpected homage may have been what caught the jury's attention.
The awards ceremony took place on Sunday, October 12, 2025, during the closing of the Rendez-vous de l'Histoire. The event was held at the tent on Place de la République, where the fifteen selected images were displayed for public viewing. The other prize winners included Hervé Hellec, who won the SSLLC Prize for his photograph "The Rooftop of Fougères Castle," Marinette Lebrasseur, who received the Unconventional Prize for "Arabesques" at Chambord, and Christine Decrocq, who took the Public Prize for "Mist on the Loire at Blois."
All winning photographers received their framed works and will benefit from publication in the SSLLC's memoirs, ensuring their artistic contributions to the regional cultural heritage are permanently preserved. The contest continues to strengthen the connection between contemporary artistic expression and the historical significance of the Loir-et-Cher region.
