French board game retailers unveil their designer, illustrator and publisher of the year in latest Prix des Boutiques Ludiques awards

The designer and illustrator of co-operative card game Présages have both picked up awards in this year’s Prix des Boutiques Ludiques, chosen by French board game retailers.

Maxime Rambourg and Ben Renaut were joined as award winners this year by French board game publisher Gigamic, which won the prize for editorial work for its release Lula, a 144-piece children’s jigsaw puzzle across 18 boxes which “evolves” through mini-puzzles that are then assembled and nested together.

Présages, which is published by Spiral Editions, sees players working together to get rid of cards until they have only one remaining in hand.

The annual Prix des Boutiques Ludiques is awarded by the Groupement des Boutiques Ludiques, an association of French board game retailers created in 2016 – with the awards designed to highlight professions whose combined skills and passion give originality to games.

Winning designer Rambourg is best known for his work creating games The Loop, The Big Book of Madness and Dracula vs Van Helsing.

Runners up for this year’s designer award were Julien and Tom Prothière for co-operative narrative work Fil Rouge, and Thomas Dagenais-Lespérance for children’s deduction game Mimose & Sam et le Voleur de Fruits.

Castle Combo artist Stéphane Escapa and 15 Jours en France illustrator Julie Gruet picked up nominations for their artwork, while Chèvre Edition/Moon Editions and Disto Studio finished as runners up in the publisher awards for their work on La Cour de Versailles and Daydream respectively.

The award was presented at this year’s Vichy Games Festival in France.

Prix des Boutiques Ludiques 2025:

Designer award:
Winner: Maxime Rambourg, Présages
Julien and Tom Prothière, Fil Rouge
Thomas Dagenais-Lespérance, Mimose & Sam et Le Voleur de Fruits

Illustration award:
Winner: Ben Renaut, Présages
Stéphane Escapa, Castle Combo
Julie Gruet, 15 Jours en France

Publisher award:
Winner: Gigamic, Lula
Disto Studio, Daydream
Chèvre Edition and Moon Editions, La Cour de Versailles