President Emmanuel Macron is in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, on the French Riviera, once more. He was last in the medieval perched village, less than 20km inland from Nice, during the UN Ocean Conference in June 2025.
What is the French President doing in Saint-Paul-de-Vence today?
Today – Monday 7 September 2026 – President Macron is hosting the very first international Lumière Summit, which is being co-chaired by the President of the Republic of Korea, Mr Lee Jae Myung.
The event is being hosted at the exquisite art institution Fondation Maeght.
What is the Lumière Summit about?
The Lumière Summit is the first internaional summit dedicated to the future of cinema and the moving image. It aims to address the challenges that face these mediums, particularly in the age of AI (artificial intelligence), social media platforms that transform the way we engage with content, and new funding models.
Writing on social media this morning, President Macron said:
“130 years ago, France gave birth to cinema.
“Today, cinema, television series, animation and video games are far more than industries: they are shared cultural goods that shape our imaginations and connect us across borders.
“But never before have these shared cultural goods undergone such profound upheaval. We have entered a new revolution in imagery and creation.”
Noting that “our children are growing up amid an unprecedented flow of images”, the president said the current challenges know no borders so no country can act alone.
That is why, he explained, the leaders of France and South Korea – “two great creative nations committed to cultural diversity and their sovereignty” – are meeting in Saint-Paul-de-Vence to bring together those who create, produce, finance, distribute, innovate and make decisions.”
What does the cinema summit hope to achieve?
“Our ambition is to forge new alliances between creators and technology, public and private stakeholders, cinema, television, platforms and video games—so that this revolution opens up new possibilities without making our imaginations uniform,” said President Macron.
“To create. To protect those who create. To circulate works and ideas. To give new generations the tools to understand and invent. And, finally, to preserve creation’s most precious power: its ability to open us up to the world and bring us together.
“This is the ambition of the Lumière Summit in Saint-Paul-de-Vence.”
He ended his post with a common cinema term: “Action.”
Who is attending the summit in Saint-Paul-de-Vence?
- Co-chairs French President Macron and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
- 150 high-level guests from more than 30 countries across the five continents, including the world’s leading decision-makers from the global entertainment and media industry (including Hollywood star George Clooney who also lives in the South of France), audiovisual, and video game industries, as well as political figures and creative talents who support the Summit’s commitments.
- the world’s leading decision-makers from the global Entertainment & Media Industry alongside senior public officials and leading creative talents.
“Together, they will discuss the challenges and opportunities for the future of cinema and moving image, and commit to concrete actions, including on the impacts of artificial intelligence, media literacy education from an early age, and the industry’s economic model,” said the French government in a press release.
The press release also highlights that the event will serve as an “opportunity to showcase France’s ever-renewed attractiveness in the fields of film, television series, animation, and video games—to the benefit of the French people and our regions—and to highlight the industrial and cultural strengths that France has to offer in building the future of cinema and moving image.”
What is the Maeght Foundation / Fondation Maeght?
- La Fondation Maeght is France’s first private art institution.
- It was opened in July 1964, and features mainly modern and contemporary art.
- The foundation is inspired by the likes of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation in New York, which visionary couple Aimé and Marguerite Maeght had visited during regular trips to the United States.
- The couple were publishers, art dealers and friends with leading artists including George Braque, Fernand Léger, Marc Chagall (who is buried in Saint-Paul-de-Vence), and many others of the period.
- With beautiful gardens, high ceilings and panoramic views, the property and the artwork offer visitors a moment of contemplation.
How do you pronounce Fondation Maeght?
Ignore all the letters and just say ‘Meg’. Voila!
When to visit Fondation Maeght
Visit Fondation Maeght next time you’re on the Riviera:
623 Chemin des Gardettes, Saint-Paul de Vence, 06570, France
Opening Hours: The Foundation is open everyday from 10am to 6pm, and until 7pm in July and August.
Visit La Fondation Maeght’s website here.
