Introducing Falun Dafa in Western France

(Minghui.org) As summer approaches, Falun Dafa practitioners have begun holding weekly activities in various cities in western France to introduce Falun Dafa and to continue raising awareness about the ongoing persecution in China.

Vannes: People Sign the Petition to Call for an End to the Persecution

On May 24, 2025, practitioners held a Falun Dafa information day at Place Gambetta opposite the Vannes port. It is the first time practitioners held an activity in this city. They set up a booth, hung banners, put up display boards, handed out fliers, and collected signatures on a petition to call for an end to the persecution in China.

Located in western France, Vannes is in the French department of Morbihan. Known for its arts and history, the town attracts many visitors. There are around 55,000 inhabitants, and many tourists visit in the summer.

It was exceptionally busy in Place Gambetta on May 24, and the Falun Dafa information booth was in a prime location near the port and restaurants. Next to the booth was a ticket office for trains that depart every 40 minutes. When people lined up to purchase tickets, they read about Falun Dafa and the persecution in China, and watched practitioners demonstrate the exercises.

Practitioners set up an information booth to introduce Falun Dafa at Place Gambetta opposite the Vannes port on May 24, 2025.

Passersby sign the petition to end the persecution in China.

Although this was the first time practitioners held an event in Vannes, many people seemed to know about Falun Dafa and were shocked by the brutal persecution in China. Some said they would tell friends and family about the spiritual practice and share the link to sign the petition online.

We Should Respect the Values of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance

Gérard Guillemot owns a ship building business and a campsite in Larmor Baden. He stopped on his bicycle to read about the persecution.

Gérard Guillemot signed the petition to stop the persecution of Falun Dafa in China.

Gérard hadn’t heard of Falun Dafa before, but after learning about the persecution, he said, “We should respect the values of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance, and be upright people. We know China is a relatively confined country.

“Humans can do great things and terrible things. It is frightening to hear of [the CCP’s forced] organ harvesting.” He thanked practitioners for coming to Vannes to tell people about the persecution and said it was an important thing to do. He signed the petition to stop the brutalities.

Franck Le Rouzic is the manager of the train ticket office. He told practitioners he knew about Falun Dafa because he lived in Taiwan for eight years and he speaks Mandarin fluently. When he learned about the forced organ harvesting while living in Taiwan, he first asked his wife and friends if it was true. He signed the petition to stop the organ harvesting.

Franck thought it was important that practitioners come to Vannes and tell people about the terrible persecution that is still taking place in China. He said he went to China in 2008 but did not see any Falun Dafa practitioners.

I Want to Learn Falun Dafa

Faycal Bouchaour, from Algeria, was born in France. He was sad after reading about the persecution and found it hard to believe that the organ harvesting is indeed happening. He asked how a government could be so cruel, and remarked that Chinese people suffered greatly. He immediately signed the petition to end the persecution.

Faycal read a few pages of Zhuan Falun, Falun Dafa’s main book, and said he was drawn to the contents and wanted to continue reading it. He said he intends to buy the book and noted the contact details of the local practitioner so he could learn the exercises. Faycal said he hadn’t planned to pass by Place Gambetta but due to a protest in the area, the bus happened to stop at the Falun Dafa information booth. He said, “This is not a chance encounter! It seems I was supposed to meet you today. I felt great being with you!”

A doctor from Strasbourg was on a vacation in Brittany. He was shocked to learn that doctors in China actually kill people for their organs. He said, “Doctors are not supposed to kill people—instead they save lives. Communist ideology is indeed terrifying; they can do anything, particularly the worst things. I am not surprised at all.” This was the first time he’d heard of Falun Dafa and he took all the information available so he could learn more about the spiritual practice.

A pediatrician from Paris was vacationing in Vannes. He talked with practitioners and learned about Falun Dafa and the persecution in China. He said he knew the Ugyhurs were persecuted in China. He talked with practitioners for a long time and he also took many materials.

Introducing Falun Dafa at an Event in Palluau

Palluau, which is located between Les Sables-d’Olonne and Nantes, held a community event on May 24. The organizers invited local practitioners to introduce Falun Dafa.

Many residents from the community and neighboring towns stopped at the Falun Dafa information booth during the event. Some of them already knew about Falun Dafa, while others wanted to find out more about the practice.

Practitioners teach people the exercises at a community event in Palluau on May 24, 2025.

A local mayor saw a Shen Yun performance earlier this year, and she came to the Falun Dafa booth and joined practitioners in doing the exercises.

A councilor who teaches arts and calligraphy was moved by the exercise demonstrations, and said she felt the energy. She wanted to know more about Falun Dafa and chatted with practitioners.

Two men were happy to see practitioners and learn about Falun Dafa. They said they also wanted to learn the exercises.

Introducing Falun Dafa at St. Gilles Croix de Vie

Practitioners in Vendee handed out fliers and spoke to local residents and tourists about Falun Dafa at the market in St. Gilles Croix de Vie on Friday May 23.

In the afternoon, they were invited to teach the exercises to residents at the Beausoleil retirement facility.

Residents in the Beausoleil retirement home learn the exercises.

Around twenty Beausoleil residents watched the exercise demonstrations and listened as practitioners introduced the practice of Falun Dafa.

Ten residents learned the Falun Dafa exercises and asked if they were available online. A practitioner showed them the website address on his mobile phone. Several residents asked practitioners to come once a week and do the exercises with them.