From March to May 2025, the Collège des Bernardins will host fifteen rugs and tapestries inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, crafted over seven years by theworkshops of the Cité Internationale de la Tapisserie.‍

Visitors will be able to admire them in the nave, the former sacristy, and the 18th-century staircase.

The exhibition is further enriched by memorabilia from the British author, including his academic gown, cigarette case, and first editions of The Lord of the Rings.

The exhibition is structured around four tapestry series, each linked to one of Tolkien’s works: The Father Christmas Letters (a collection of letters written by the author to his children between 1920 and 1942), and the emblematic tales of Middle-earth — The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.

In total, fourteen wall tapestries were created. The final two pieces are rugs: the Númenórean Carpet (not on display at the Collège des Bernardins) and the Middle-earth Map.

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Crédit image : Halls of Manwë – Taniquetil, d’après une illustration originale de J. R. R. Tolkien pour The Silmarillion, 1927-1928 © The Tolkien Trust, 1977,Tissage Ateliers Pinton, Felletin, Collection de la Cité internationale de la tapisserie, Aubusson