The InterPore Congress, a Success in Nantes: “A Genuine La Cité Effect”

From 19 to 22 May, La Cité des Congrès welcomed more than 800 international specialists in porous media. Benoît Rousseau, CNRS Research Director at the Nantes Laboratory of Thermal and Energy Sciences (LTeN) and Chair of the Local Organising Committee, looks back on this major scientific event

What is InterPore?

« InterPore is an international scientific society dedicated to the study of porous media, whether natural or engineered. Its applications are remarkably diverse, ranging from geological systems and CO₂ storage to soil remediation, materials optimisation for industry, low-carbon heat production, bread baking, and healthcare—for example, improving our understanding of blood transport mechanisms linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers from a wide variety of disciplines come together to exchange experimental, theoretical and numerical approaches, while discovering research that can be applied to their own fields. »

« This diversity is what makes InterPore and its annual congress so unique, » explains
Benoît Rousseau.

Why was Nantes selected to host the 18th edition?

« The French InterPore community, brought together within the France InterPore Chapter,organises the « Journées d’Étude des Milieux Poreux » (JEMP) every two years. I had coordinated the 2018 edition in Nantes, already hosted at La Cité Nantes Congress Centre, which welcomed 220 participants. The venue impressed InterPore’s Board of Directors and inspired the idea of a French bid to host the international annual congress. After several unsuccessful applications, I have assembled a new organising team in early 2024, bringing together colleagues involved in the Nantes JEMP conference. Two representatives from the France InterPore Chapter also joined the project, strengthening the bid. Nantes ultimately prevailed over several highly competitive candidates, including Lausanne. »

What made Nantes stand out?

« Nantes offers significant advantages for an event of this scale: an extensive hotels capacity, excellent transport connections, and a congress centre ideally located just a short walk from both the railway station and the city centre. Everything is within walking distance—from hotels to the city’s cultural heritage and the banks of the River Erdre. Nantes is fortunate to benefit from a truly international-standard convention centre. »

How did the teams at La Cité Nantes Congress Centre contribute ?

« I have worked with the team at La Cité for many years, and once again the collaboration was exceptionally smooth. The venue supported the project from the bid stage onwards, with Development Manager Léonie Couespel du Mesnil assisting with budget preparation and institutional support. She also participated in planning meetings and welcomed a member of the international organising team for a site inspection in February 2025. Another member of the team coordinated all logistical and operational aspects, including the exhibition, coffee breaks, catering for lunches and the gala dinner. »

« We genuinely worked in partnership. The team is highly professional and pays attention
to every detail. »explains Benoît Rousseau.

How were the venue’s spaces used?

« The plenary sessions were held in the Auditorium 800. Parallel mini-symposia took place in several meeting rooms, while the Great hall hosted both the exhibition and poster sessions. For one evening, the Grande HalleLes mini-symposiums ont investi plusieurs salles de réunion, tandis que la Great hall was transformed to welcome the gala dinner, bringing together 720 guests. »

What feedback did you receive?

« The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. » The quality of the venue and the support provided by the La Cité teams played a major role in creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. « There was a genuine ‘Cité effect’! Everything is designed to make participants’ stay as easy and enjoyable as possible, from their arrival in Nantes to their experience at the venue. »
Many delegates also appreciated being able to explore the city on foot and enjoy Nantes’ quality of life during the congress.

Beyond the event itself, what stands out from this edition?

« The 18e édition InterPore Congress highlighted the vitality of French research in porous media, with nearly 180 French researchers attending, while also showcasing Nantes’ scientific community. From a scientific perspective, the congress confirmed the growing importance of 3D and 4D imaging techniques, particularly X-ray microtomography. This experimental technology now enables researchers to observe the internal structure of porous materials with unprecedented precision and to apply numerical models that closely reproduce real-world physical phenomena »

To illustrate these advances in an engaging way, one of the exhibitors produced X-ray microtomography images revealing the porous internal structures of a Berlingot sweet, the famous Nantes Petit-Beurre biscuit and a Saint-Michel butter biscuit—a demonstration that proved especially popular with delegates

Article Soizic Richard Naoscrib Juin 2026