Château de Lavigny Writers and Literary Translatorsʼ Residencies

The Château de Lavigny is situated in a small village between Geneva and Lausanne, overlooking Lake Geneva and the Alps. It is able to host a maximum of six writers per four-week session. Writers are provided with a private room and all of their meals. Common areas of the Château are shared as well as the gardens. Apart from occasional readings and exchanges with local literary guests, residents are left on their own to write in peace and beauty. Since the number of participants is small and the geographical distribution quite varied, the importance of exchanges is one of the benefits, challenges, and defining qualities of the experience.

Each session is of four weeks duration.
The writer and literary translator’s residence is open from May to October and is able to host a maximum of six writers per session. To be eligible writers and literary translators must be published (min. one book - self published not accepted), playwrights and scriptwriters must be published or produced.
The writers are provided with a private room in the Chateau.
The residents are responsible for buying and preparing their own meals. In the evening, an aperitif is offered by the management to the residents to allow them to get together and chat. Once a week a dinner is prepared and offered by the management.
Residents are left in peace to work and can plan their time as they wish.
One public reading is organized every session where residents present their work.
It is possible to apply together with a spouse/partner, but only if both are writers (or literary translators). Both should submit an application file.

Who can apply
A writer must have published at least one book (not self-published) in any of the following creative fields:
– Fiction
– Creative nonfiction
– Poetry
– Literary translation
– Plays
– Screenplays

Regardless of country of origin, the applicant must be fluent in either English or French, as exchanges among writers from many different countries are a key feature of our residence. Residents will also interact with the public at a reading of their work in either language.Please also note that the château is difficult of access for people with mobility issues.The sessions last four weeks. Writers must apply for a specific session and are asked to indicate second and third choices. However, the latter choices should be dates that would also work for the applicant. While all efforts will be made to satisfy a first choice, it is not always possible and in no way reflects an evaluation of the writer.

There are several fellowship possibilities at the Chateau de Lavigny:
‒ The Château de Lavigny Grant Fellowship (including lodging in the Chateau)
‒ The Pro Helvetia Swiss Arts Council Fellowship for Translators with a Swiss project (including lodging, a stipend and a fix amount for travel expenses). Only for project to translate a work by a Swiss writer.
‒ The Pro Helvetia Swiss Arts Council Fellowship (including lodging, a stipend and travel expenses) for cultural practitioners from outside Switzerland only from Countries on the Swiss Arts Council listTo apply go to the application portal of the Swiss Arts Council: https://prohelvetia.ch/en/find-support/
‒ The Residency Full Grant Fellowship supported by a Swiss canton or City or Foreign State (including lodging and a stipend)

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

The following documents must be submitted either in English or French. No exceptions will be made and applications that are not complete and which are not received by the deadline (October 15th) will not be considered. Acceptances will be announced by early December.

1. A completed official application form with personal data and choice of dates (minimum 2 choices)
2. A short personal statement about why the writer wishes to come to an international writers’ residence (half a page maximum)
3. A short statement about the writer’s project at Lavigny (half a page maximum)
4. A curriculum vitae of one page including relevant publications and achievements
5. An excerpt of the writer’s published work, no more than eight pages. It must be presented either in English, German or French (translated if necessary). Please do not send a book, do not send work in progress.
6. A letter of recommendation from published writer, critic, publisher or translator, specifically about the candidate’s intended projects for Lavigny.
7. For the literary translators applying for the Pro Helvetia fellowship only: A copy of the signed contract with a publishing house for the translation of the Swiss author.

The full application file must be received by October 15th, 2025
The full application file for the PH Fellowship for translators must be received by January 31st, 2026
Applicants will be notified in December.
For the Pro Helvetia Fellowship, full application must be received by January 30th, 2025.
All the above documents, including the recommendation letter, must be sent in one single pdf file.
Please send application by email to : contact@chateaudelavigny.ch 

The deadline to apply for 2026 is October 15th, 2025 
The application form is available for download HERE. 

DATES FOR THE 2026 RESIDENCIES
Session 1: June 2 – June 29
Session 2: June 30 – July 27 
Session 3: July 28 – August 24
Session 4: August 25 - Sept 21 
Session 5: September 22 – October 19 (for the Pro Helvetia Fellowship for translators with a Swiss project only)
For more informations about the Pro Helvetia Fellowship for literary translators with a Swiss project please go to :
PRO HELVETIA Fellowship