We love La Fontaine's fables because they are beautiful, because they sound like lovely refrains, because they feature mischievous animals, and above all because, thanks to them, we can share distant memories with little ones... Rediscover these little gems of literature, condensed poetry, that inspired us at Mon Petit Art!

Here he is, our Jean de La Fontaine. Do you see it too, that slight smirk, that almost mischievous look in this very formal pose? What is he thinking, our poet? Is he in the middle of inventing a new story?
We all know his fables. Learned by heart on school benches, studied at university, and regularly recited in the theatre, they are part of our collective imagination. And if you had forgotten them, you may have remembered them while helping your children recite them for French class!

Yet not all young, La Fontaine's verses: they are over 400 years old! But they continue to enjoy great success. Among children, first of all; the first collection of poems was actually dedicated to a little boy of 6 years old (none other than the Dauphin, the king's son!). And among adults, too, who were once children themselves... As the author wrote: "The world is old, they say: I believe it, yet / It must still be entertained like a child" (The Power of Fables, Jean de La Fontaine).

Fables, which are similar to short tales, lend themselves particularly well to illustration. Many artists have depicted them, each in very different styles. This is true of Gustave Doré, a 19th-century French illustrator who worked on more than 120 literary works. With his precise and realistic style, the fox at the foot of the tree looks truly menacing... A little later, in the 1920s, Marc Chagall, a leading figure in surrealist painting in France, created a series of gouache paintings inspired by La Fontaine’s verses. In these striking compositions, with the painter’s own dreamlike style, the animals are adorned with unusual colours; and our two doves embrace in a beautifully blue sky...

La Fontaine's fables are timeless, and their messages still resonate with us today: how do you teach children humility? Patience? Empathy? At Mon Petit Art, we revisited them and wanted to create a game that brings both kids and adults together around this beautiful literary work. A game that helps the little ones connect with this classic and allows the grown-ups to explain it to them. There's nothing better for learning than playing! Playing with La Fontaine's Fables means embracing the very purpose of the fable: to educate... and entertain! We drew inspiration from La Fontaine's Fables to create a Memory game with artists Georges and Rosalie. Their illustrations offer a modern and artistic interpretation of the fables, featuring bright colors and charming patterns. A flower crown for the turtle, a dandy's hat for the fox... the characters come to life in a very arty version of La Fontaine's fables! Children can imagine their own adventures inspired by the drawings and characters—a truly modern way to tell La Fontaine's Fables!

The game, a must-have for family afternoons, has very simple rules: the 40 cards are placed face down on the table. Each player takes turns flipping over two cards of their choice for a few seconds, just long enough to see the image. The goal is to find matching pairs of cards by remembering their locations. In the Memo La Fontaine, each illustration by Georges and Rosalie is paired with a different poem. Here are some of these cards accompanied by excerpts from the poems: can you identify the fables that inspired them? You too can play with La Fontaine's Fables!

Learn that every flatterer
Lives at the expense of the one who listens:
This lesson is definitely worth a cheese, no doubt.

She leaves, she strives;
She hurries slowly.

You were singing? I'm very glad to hear that.

Well! Dance now.

She, who wasn't fat in the slightest,
Envious, it spreads, swells, and is worked,
To match the animal in size

We value Beauty, we disdain Usefulness;
And Beauty often destroys us.
This stag blames its feet that make it agile;
He considers a wood that harms him.

Fish, my dear friend, who act as the Preacher,
You will go into the pan; and no matter what you say,
Starting tonight, we'll be frying for you.