First «Ça colle au basque» publication: Itxaro Borda in French
2026/10/07
The French translation of Itxaro Borda’s Euri zitalari esker has been presented in Bayonne, the first publication resulting from the «Ça colle au basque» translation call.
Euskara. Kultura. Mundura.
Etxepare Basque Institute has presented today in Bayonne the first publication resulting from the translation call launched under the «Ça colle au basque» programme to promote the translation, publication and dissemination in French of literature written in Basque: the French edition of Itxaro Borda’s novel Euri zitalari esker, published as Là où tombe la pluie sale. The book was translated by Patxiku Uranga and published by Cairn as the first title in its new ZUBIAK — Voix basques en français collection.
Promoting the translation and international circulation of Basque literature is one of Etxepare Basque Institute’s main areas of work. To this end, the Institute supports different stages of the internationalisation process, from the translation of literary samples to the translation, publication and dissemination of complete works. The «Ça colle au basque: translation» call forms part of this strategy and seeks to promote the translation, publication and dissemination in French of works written in Basque, in collaboration with publishers in the French-speaking world. Its aim is to open up new routes for Basque literature into the international publishing market and reach new readers. According to data from EIZIE, the most recent work of narrative fiction to be translated directly from Basque into French was Kirmen Uribe’s Elkarrekin esnatzeko ordua, in 2018. The most recent Basque narrative work published in French, however, is Miñan (Petit frère : Miñan, 2024), although in that case Spanish was used as an intermediary language.
Itxaro Borda’s novel, the first publication to result from the call
The first publication resulting from the call was presented today at the Basque Museum in Bayonne. The event was attended by Irene Larraza, Director General of Etxepare Basque Institute, and Imanol Otaegi, Director for the Promotion and Dissemination of Basque Culture, together with representatives of Cairn, writer Itxaro Borda and translator Patxiku Uranga.
Là où tombe la pluie sale is the French version of Itxaro Borda’s novel Euri zitalari esker. The original work was published by Susa in 2021. The novel follows an investigation by detective Amaia Ezpeldoi. As she searches for a young woman named Maddi who has disappeared, the story moves through Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Bordeaux, Baztan and the forests of the Landes, exploring family silences, relationships of dependency and violence against women.
With this publication, Cairn is also launching ZUBIAK — Voix basques en français, a new long-term publishing project devoted to Basque literature translated into French. Its aim is to make works originally written in Basque accessible to readers who do not read the language. The collection will bring together a range of authors and literary voices and, following Itxaro Borda’s book, Cairn is preparing a French edition of Bernardo Atxaga’s Etxeak eta Hilobiak for 2027.
A strategy to promote Basque culture in the French-speaking world
The translation call forms part of the broader «Ça colle au basque» programme. Led by Etxepare Basque Institute, the initiative aims to increase the visibility and circulation of the Basque language, culture and creative work across French-speaking territories, building long-term partnerships with local cultural organisations and strengthening the presence of Basque creators, works and content.
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