Created by the ATLAS association in 1987, the International College of Literary Translators’ (CITL) purpose is to offer residencies to literary translators from around the world, as well as to authors wishing to work with their translator or alongside researchers and linguists. The CITL’s primary aim is to offer a professional setting for translators to work on their current project, which needs to be within the context of a contract with a publishing house. The CITL’s purpose is also to facilitate exchanges between professionals often used to solitary work.

With nearly 700 square meters spread over two floors, the CITL is a dedicated residency space that provides translators with individual rooms as well as a communal space, with a shared kitchen and living room. The CITL also provides a working library accessible 7 days a week and 24 hours a day with more than 20,000 works in over 60 languages.

Between 150 and 200 residents stay at the CITL each year.

Alongside offering residencies at the CITL, ATLAS’ mission is to develop literary events for a non-professional public. ATLAS produces the “Assises de la traduction littéraire” (a 3-day festival on literary translation) each year in November, as well as regular cultural event programmes such as public readings and discussions with authors and translators. The team at ATLAS also work on regular funded projects to support literary translators in their careers (workshops, trainings, bursaries...).