Château de Lavigny Residency

Sep 17, 2026 Chinaza James-Ibe

Château de Lavigny Writers and Literary Translators’ Residencies 2027: Apply for a Four-Week Residency in Switzerland

The Château de Lavigny Residency is accepting applications for its 2027 programme, offering published writers and literary translators the opportunity to spend four weeks working at the historic Château de Lavigny in Switzerland.

The residency is open to writers working in fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, literary translation, plays and screenplays. Each session can accommodate a maximum of six writers, who are provided with private rooms at the château and time to work independently.

The deadline to apply for the 2027 residencies is October 15, 2026.

About the Château de Lavigny Residency

The writers’ and literary translators’ residence runs from May to October and is designed to give participants time and space to focus on their creative projects.

Each residency session lasts four weeks. Residents are free to organize their working schedules as they wish, with the residence providing an environment that encourages concentrated work and exchange among writers from different countries.

An aperitif is offered each evening by the management, giving residents an opportunity to meet and interact with one another. A dinner is also prepared and offered by the management once a week.

Each session concludes with a public reading, where residents present their work to an audience.

Eligibility Requirements for the Château de Lavigny Residency

Applicants must have published at least one book. Self-published books do not count toward this requirement.

The residency accepts writers and literary translators working in:

Fiction
Creative nonfiction
Poetry
Literary translation
Plays
Screenplays

Playwrights and screenwriters must have had their work published or produced.

Applicants may be from any country but must be fluent in English or French, as these are the languages used for communication among residents and during public readings.

The château notes that the residence can be difficult to access for people with mobility issues.

What Residents Receive

Residents are provided with:

A private room at the Château.
Four weeks of dedicated residency time.
Opportunities to meet and exchange with international writers.
An evening apéritif provided by management.
One dinner each week.
A public reading during each session.
Access to applicable financial support, depending on the fellowship awarded.

Residents are responsible for purchasing and preparing their own meals, except for the weekly dinner provided by the management.

Application Requirements for the Château de Lavigny Residency

Applicants must submit all required materials in English or French and combine them into one single PDF.

Applications must include:

A completed official application form, including personal information and preferred residency dates. Applicants must provide at least two date choices.
A personal statement of no more than half a page explaining why they wish to attend an international writers’ residence.
A project statement of no more than half a page describing the project they intend to work on at Lavigny.
A one-page CV listing relevant publications and achievements.
An excerpt from published work of no more than eight pages. The excerpt must be presented in English, German or French, with a translation provided where necessary. Applicants should not submit an entire book or work in progress.
A recommendation letter from a published writer, critic, publisher or translator specifically addressing the applicant’s proposed project at Lavigny.
For literary translators applying specifically for the Pro Helvetia fellowship for a Swiss project, a copy of the signed contract with a publishing house for the translation of the Swiss author’s work.