THE last two days have marked the flashpoint of the L'Imaginaire Irlandais arts festival in France. On Tuesday, President Robinson arrived, and after an exchange of pleasantries with President Jacques Chirac, she inaugurated a show by the Irish artist, James Coleman, at the Pompidou Centre. Yesterday, the two Presidents inaugurated the biggest visual arts element of the season, a group show by leading Irish artists, including Shane Cullen, Willie Doherty, Sean Scully, John Kindness and Alice Maher, at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. Later, the two were present at the opening night of the Abbey's production of Frank McGuinness's Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme.

Meanwhile, Louis le Brocquy and Anne Madden are showing at the Galerie Maeght; and Nigel Rolfe and Willie Doherty are at the Galeries Claude Samuel, to mention just a few visual arts highlights. The Printemps Celte festival opened last night at La Villette with a concert by Christy Moore. Writers, including Colm Toibin, Pat McCabe, Joe O'Connor and Anne Enright will take part, from Saturday, in the Etonnants Voyageurs Festival in St Malo.