Cafes-passage

Science cafés are offered one Saturday a month at the media library. It's an opportunity to enjoy a coffee while exploring various topics with insights from specialists: history, geology, architecture, environment, arts… many fields are covered for all those passionate about local heritage.

the 2026 program:

• February 14: " The Coastline Under the Test of Climate " by Jean-Marc Yvon of GRAC: How have variations in sea level since prehistoric times transformed the English Channel coast? Erosion is now eating away at the coastline, uncovering and threatening archaeological sites. Between climate change, submerged sites, chance discoveries, and the challenges of preservation, we will see why monitoring and recording these traces of the past is essential for a better understanding of our shared history.
• March 14: " Marine Mammals of the English Channel " by Maïlys Baudoint, Citizen Science Officer for the GECC. Dive into the heart of Normandy's marine biodiversity with the Cotentin Cetacean and Marine Mammal Study Group of the English Channel (GECC). This presentation invites you to discover the different species of cetaceans and other emblematic marine mammals of the English Channel, to explore the threats to their survival, and to understand the concrete actions to be taken to better protect them. A great opportunity to learn more in order to better preserve them.
• April 11: " Discovering the Entomofauna of the Vauville Reserve " by the Cherbourg Scientific Society: In addition to existing bird studies, the discovery of insect species particularly adapted to the diverse dune environments and their flora has attracted the attention of naturalist societies such as the Cherbourg Scientific Society and the departmental conservation authorities. This led to the establishment of the Vauville Ponds Nature Reserve in 1976. The diversity of the insect fauna there is exceptional. For the most part, this fauna is considered "hidden," primarily nocturnal, aquatic, or subterranean. Patrick Basquin, Remy Ancellin, and Philippe Zorgatti, members of the Cherbourg Scientific Society, will introduce it to you through a slideshow and excerpts from their collections.
• May 9: " History of the Postcard " by Elodie Auvray, head of the media library
• June 6:
• July 11: “ In the footsteps of the Resistance fighters of Manche and Calvados in contact with the Secret Services in London to prepare for the Landing ” by Ghislain Quétel, son of a resistance fighter, “child of the Landing”, friend of the Caen Memorial and member of the Souvenir français: To this day, the nation honors “Armed Resistance fighters in the shadows” but forgets “Intelligence Resistance fighters in the shadows” who remained in the shadows until their death because they had sworn never to reveal their actions. Illustrated with 75 slides, this presentation sheds light on the often-overlooked Resistance fighters and draws upon a "historical treasure trove" of documents and coastal maps of the Atlantic Wall between Avranches-Cherbourg and Le Havre, discovered in a suitcase in Caen in 2017. The speaker reveals the connections between Resistance leaders from the Manche and Calvados regions who were in contact with the secret services in London: General de Gaulle's BCRA (Central Bureau of Intelligence and Action), Her Majesty's Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), Winston Churchill's Special Operations Executive (SOE), the United States' Operations Security Service (OSS), and the French counter-espionage service (Éleuthère) in Paris. The presentation will also discuss the role of the Manche Resistance in defeating the Germans at the Battle of the Cotentin Hedgerows, as well as the political circumstances negotiated on August 21, 1944, between De Gaulle and Eisenhower to liberate Paris.
• -August 22: " The Varengrou Woods " by Véronique Gaignard
• -September 12: " Amphibians" 
• -October 17: " History of Gréville" by YM Bonnissent, former mayor and author of "History and stories of Gréville"
• -November 14: " History of Tonneville and Flottemanville " by Elodie Auvray, head of the media library
• -December 12: " The Viking legacy in the toponymy of La Hague" 

At 2:30pm in the media library – Free entry and no reservation required – Coffee provided.